Karin Bodensteiner

My background is in reproductive biology and I have been a biology professor (at various ranks) for the past 25 years. (And yes, I do feel old when I write that number!) One of my main teaching assignments has always been introductory biology, and I am interested in addressing the specific learning needs of that particular group of students. As a past participant in the Wisconsin Teaching Fellows and Scholars (WTFS) program, I was exposed to multiple ways of thinking about SoTL and encouraged to explore qualitative as well as quantitative data analysis, an approach which proved quite useful. The amazing support and feedback I received also gave me confidence to use new techniques and submit my findings for publication. Based on my past experiences, I believe I will find participation in the program revitalizing, and I look forward to working with the other fellows and scholars to reestablish an avenue of research I found compelling and worthwhile.

TEACHING AND LEARNING PHILOSOPHY

As a reproductive physiologist, I have been interested in issues concerning reproductive parity and gender equity throughout my career. Students are fundamentally interested in themselves and their bodies, but even at the college level, there is much they do not know or understand. In other words, teaching reproductive biology usually engenders curiosity and, often, a willingness to ask frank questions, discussion of which gives students an opportunity to explore an area of biology they wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to explore—and an understanding of which many would argue is fundamental to a person’s overall health and well-being. Given the impact this may have on future decision-making on issues of health equity, reproductive parity, and gender equity, I am interested in exploring ways of fostering change in how we approach teaching of reproduction in undergraduate biology courses. How can we increase the number of students exposed to these topics in introductory biology courses? Is there a way to better integrate reproduction into the undergraduate biology curriculum? What teaching strategies work best to facilitate long-term understanding of reproductive biology? What teaching practices will best inform student decision-making going forward? How can we encourage faculty who may be reluctant to teach these topics or grapple with issues involving reproductive parity and gender equity in their courses? These are broad, complex questions, but I think they are worth exploring, especially given our current political climate where intimidating rhetoric used by some in the public sphere vilifies those with different viewpoints, making it even more difficult to promote a classroom environment in which all students, and indeed, the instructors, feel valued and respected.