Seminar is a very different learning environment from the lecture, and today the first year students were engaged in group discussion to develop ideas with their fellow students. What I find here is that, majority of the students take keen interest in the subjects they study. Around 150-200 students have registered for this core course - ‘Human Physiology’. Eight groups are made to organise seminars. In each group there are 20-25 students. The seminars are conducted in smaller lecture halls. The duration of this seminar class is one hour. Today, all eight groups had seminars from 9:00 to 17:00.
For today’s seminar, the topic given was ‘the use of oxygen’ (and to some extent the removal of CO2). The students were asked to read two papers and these papers were available for the students to download from the ‘Study Direct’ site.
1)Widmaier, E.P. (1998) “Oxygen – The Breath of Life”; Chapter 5 in Why Geese Don’t Get Obese; pp. 53-70; Freeman.
This is a chapter from a book, looking at different adaptations to oxygen needs in different environments. Among other aspects, it introduces the fact that many diving mammals can dive for extended time periods, without surfacing for air. The Weddell seal in particular is spectacular at this.
2) Kanatous et. al (2002) “Aerobic capacities in the skeletal muscles of Weddell seals : key to longer dive durations?” Journal of Experimental Biology; 205; 3601-8
This paper is more complex. It is an experimental scientific paper - studying diving in the Weddell seal again. The students are given two versions: the full, original paper, and a version which is only the discussion of the paper, with numbered paragraphs. It is the latter version which is considered for the seminar. However, the students are asked to read the full paper also, particularly the “abstract” (effectively a summary of the background and findings of the article).
The students are asked to read both the papers at least two days before the seminar.
The students were given following information and the questions.
Background :
Oxygen is essential to our survival. We obtain it from the air, the exchange of gases take place in the lungs. Some bacteria can live anaerobically. In fact, for some oxygen is a potent poison. But we, and all other large animals, need oxygen to function. Various species have adapted in different ways, but oxygen requirement is a common thread.
Following Questions were given to the students to answer before the seminar and were asked to bring the written answers.
1 How do O2 and CO2 interact with erythrocytes?
2 What is erythropoetin? Think about why the kidneys should be responsible for making it?
3 What is myoglobin? Compare it to haemoglobin? Why is it useful – and in particular to diving seals?
4 What do apnoea (or apnea), hypoxia, hypercapnia and acidosis mean? - and what role do these have in diving?
5 What does ADL mean?
6 Article 2 discusses various types of muscle fibre within the big swimming muscles. What are the main differences between Type I and Type IIA muscle fibres – relevant to the article?
7 What is the significance of the mention of the penguin in article 2?
8 Why are the changes to blood pH so detrimental (for example lactic acid; article1, p.59 )?
9 Where does lactic acid come from? Why and how is it kept in the muscles of a diving seal? And why is pyruvic acid useful (article 1, p.60)?
10 What is the problem with nitrogen when diving, and how is it thought that diving mammals like seals and dolphins overcome the problem?
11 What are the adaptations of mountain people. Why is this necessary?
Initially all these questions were discussed and the students improved their answers by adding additional points which they got after discussion.
In the last half an hour or so, these 20-25 students were further grouped in to four still smaller (4-5 students in each) groups. Each group was given a paragraph from the second paper and were asked to discuss among themselves for five minutes to know what the paragraph means to them? One student from each of these smaller groups was asked to make presentation for a minute. All group leaders from each group made their presentations. The seminar lasted for an hour.
No comments:
Post a Comment