Teaching First Year Biology at a Rural University Campus

Abstract

Abstract At Deakin University, first year Biology is one of the largest units and is taught at four campuses. At Warrnambool, Biology A (which runs in Semester 1) is taken by Science students taking three environmentally based courses as well as by Nursing students. This latter group of students takes Biology B in Semester 2. Here, we outline some of the features of the program including the web site and its associated interactive activities, the problems in teaching disparate groups of students in Biology A and in teaching students where most are living away from home and many are mature age learners who have not studied science for a long time.