Ready, Cell, Go! Guided Movement Exercises in an Introductory Cell Biology Course
Cells and dance are each dynamic manifestations of energy, shape, time, and space. Here we present a novel application of movement learning in cell biology education. “Ready, Cell, Go!” is a set of movement exercises for introductory cell biology students designed to teach concepts of fluidity, crow...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Society for Microbiology
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.v20i3.1783 |
| Summary: | Cells and dance are each dynamic manifestations of energy, shape, time, and space. Here we present a novel application of movement learning in cell biology education. “Ready, Cell, Go!” is a set of movement exercises for introductory cell biology students designed to teach concepts of fluidity, crowding, and chaos. These aspects of cells are difficult to glean from two-dimensional illustrations in textbooks or animations where necessary simplification abstracts processes from their full cellular context. Forty-four undergraduate biology students were guided to move using three sets of cues in a dance studio setting where each exercise aimed to experientially highlight and deepen understanding of a different aspect of cellular structure and function. Students described their experiences and personal learning outcomes in written reflections. The movement-based exercises we describe provided a means of discovery, inquiry, and interest for introductory cell biology students and serve as a template to teach other central concepts in cell biology. |
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| ISSN: | 1935-7877 1935-7885 |