I am in the process of preparing to teach my first
course:  Anatomy and Physiology.  This course is being taught at a small
college and the students will be completing a Medical Assistant certificate
program.  The thought of lecturing for 2+
hours twice a week is unappealing to me, especially since I will be teaching in
the evening after working all day.  I’m
sure my students will be less than enthusiastic as well since most are “untraditional”
students with family and work responsibilities and attending what would likely
be their last class of a very long day!  I attended a few workshops on team-based learning and am interested in
taking the plunge and trying it out.  However,
I am a bit nervous because I am sure that I will meet resistance from both
faculty and students.  I am also a little
uneasy because I am having difficulty coming up with appropriate group
application exercises.  I want the
application exercises to have real-life meaning for the students. More
importantly, I want them to be prepared at the appropriate level (I am a
doctorate prepared nurse and am afraid that I may prepare an application
exercise that is too high level for the group).  Below are the topics that I am responsible for teaching:
The Human Body 
·         Terms of Direction
·         Planes
·         Cavities
·         Structural unites
·          Homeostasis
The Chemistry of Life
·         Atomic Structures
·         Elements, Isotopes, Compounds
·         Bonds and energy
·         Common substances in living systems (i.e.,
water, carbon dioxide, molecular oxygen, ammonia, mineral salts, carbohydrates,
lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and adenosine triphosphate)
·         Movement of materials into and out of the cells
·         pH
Cell Structure
Cellular Metabolism and Reproduction:  Mitosis and Meiosis
Tissues
The Integumentary System
The Skeletal System
The Articular System
The Muscular System 
Does anyone have any ideas about potential group application
exercises, particularly for the following modules:  the human body, chemistry of life, cell structure,
cellular metabolism and reproduction -   mitosis and meiosis, and tissues?
Thanks,
Lowryanne Vick, DNP, APN, ACNP-BC, CCRN-CMC