Instructor Interview
Below, Dr. Lisa McLellan describes various aspects of how she taught 7.341 Microbes At War: The Mechanisms That Drive Infectious Diseases in the fall of 2022.
OCW: How did teaching this course as a postdoc at MIT influence your approach as an educator?
Lisa McLellan: Teaching the course reinforced the importance of fostering critical thinking and scientific literacy among students. Engaging undergraduates in the analysis and discussion of primary literature allowed them to develop these skills in a hands-on manner. Additionally, teaching at MIT exposed me to a diverse group of students with varying levels of background knowledge and expertise. This experience taught me the value of adapting teaching strategies to meet the needs of different learners and creating an inclusive learning environment. These lessons have proved invaluable in my current position at Purdue University Fort Wayne, where I continue to prioritize active learning, inclusive teaching strategies, and student engagement.
OCW: Each of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the MIT Biology department explores a different topic, but the overall structure of the seminars is fairly standardized. What are your thoughts on developing a course within a pre-established format in this way?
Lisa McLellan: Developing a course within the structured format allowed me to blend innovation with established guidelines. While the seminars maintained a standardized framework, there was room for creativity in tailoring the content to the specific topic and in how I approached day-to-day operations in the classroom. As a new instructor, this balance allowed for me to innovate in the classroom while ensuring consistency with departmental expectations. It also challenged me to think critically about how to effectively engage students within a predefined structure, enhancing my ability to design courses that are both rigorous and engaging.
OCW: How did you go about selecting the readings for the course? Were you primarily concerned with choosing the most up-to-date papers? The most influential papers within the field? Or the ones that you thought would particularly lend themselves to analysis and discussion?
Lisa McLellan: Selecting readings for the course involved a combination of factors. As a graduate student at Washington University, I was blessed to be a teaching assistant for Dr. Petra Levin in an undergraduate journal club of infectious diseases. In this class, I was exposed to some of my favorite scientific papers of all time and used many of these papers as a springboard for discussion topics (huge thank you to Dr. Levin for her amazing mentorship!). After that, I prioritized influential papers within the field that provided foundational knowledge and sparked thought-provoking discussions. Additionally, I sought papers that would lend themselves well to analysis and interpretation, encouraging students to delve deeper into the scientific process and hone their critical thinking skills. Further, as the students themselves had just lived through a global pandemic, I tried to choose papers that highlighted some of the scientific concepts they were exposed to during the COVID-19 pandemic. This allowed both cutting-edge but also foundational knowledge to be woven into the course.
OCW: What are your thoughts on the pedagogical value of the field trip to Concerto Biosciences? What did your students get from that experience that they couldn’t get in the classroom?
Lisa McLellan: The field trip provided invaluable real-world exposure for students, allowing them to see how the research papers they read translated into the biomedical industry. By visiting a biotech company, students gained a deeper understanding of how scientific research translates into practical applications and the interdisciplinary nature of the biotech industry. Furthermore, interacting with professionals in the field allowed students to gain valuable career insights, witnessing firsthand a career they had not been exposed to. Overall, the field trip enriched the learning experience by providing perspectives and experiences that couldn’t be replicated in the classroom alone.
OCW: What would you like to share about teaching 7.341 that we haven’t yet addressed?
Lisa McLellan: One aspect of teaching 7.341 that I would like to highlight is the importance of fostering a collaborative and supportive learning environment. Encouraging active participation and respectful dialogue among students not only enhances their understanding of the material but also cultivates a sense of community and shared learning. Further, in this course, I implemented student-driven learning by allowing students to help guide some of the topics for discussion and analysis. This approach not only empowered students to take ownership of their education but also ensured that the course content resonated with their individual interests and career aspirations.
Moreover, I also took class time to explore and consider scientific controversies and ethical dilemmas within the field. This added depth to the discussions and encouraged students to grapple with the complexities of scientific research. By incorporating diverse perspectives and addressing ethical concerns, we challenged students to think critically about the implications of scientific advancements and to consider the broader societal impacts of their work. This approach not only enriched the learning experience but also fostered a deeper understanding of the responsibilities inherent in scientific inquiry.
Curriculum Information
Prerequisites
A background knowledge of genetics, biochemistry, and cell biology is expected, ideally including at least one of the following classes: 7.03 Genetics, 7.05 General Biochemistry, 7.06 Cell Biology, 7.08 Fundamentals of Chemical Biology, 7.21 Microbial Physiology, or 7.28 Molecular Biology.
Requirements Satisfied
Unrestricted elective credits
Offered
Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are offered nearly every semester and are on various topics. This was the first time this specific topic was offered.
Assessment and Grading
The course is graded as “pass” or “fail.” A passing grade is given to students who attend the class, participate in discussions, and complete both assignments in a satisfactory manner.
Student Information
Enrollment
Fewer than 10 students
Student Background
All students were either juniors or seniors, majoring either in Biology or in Chemistry and Biology.
How Student Time Was Spent
During an average week, students were expected to spend 6 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:
Lectures
- Met once per week for 2 hours per session; 14 sessions total; mandatory attendance
- In the first part of each week’s class, students discussed and evaluated the papers that comprised the readings for the week.
- At the end of each class, the instructors gave a short introduction to the papers for the following week.
Out of Class
- Each week, students read two papers from the primary research literature and critically evaluated these papers focusing on experimental design, control experiments, methods and interpretation of the data.
