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So let’s imagine that this is a neuron right
here. Really the cell body of the neuron is where we have most of the intercellular organelles
that we’ve already talked about.
Angela Bauer: The idea for the TOSS workshops came about
when Shawn Robinson and I had been having some discussions about the achievement gap
that existed between white students and students of color within our introductory science courses.
When we started studying some of the data about the achievement gap what we found was
that the gap wasn’t necessarily related to students’ lack of academic preparation
coming into our classroom -- that even when we controlled for their ACT scores the gap
still existed.
And we talked a little bit about them in the
past but we’re going to talk in a lot more detail now.
Really the issue that is at hand is the classroom environment that we are creating. Are we fostering
the success of all students, or are we creating an opportunity gap? And I really tend to view
this phenomenon as an opportunity gap.
And first I’m going to talk about, in this
diagram, before I start (inaud.)
Bauer: We offer a couple of different TOSS workshop
sections per week for students. And the workshops are smaller in size than what the traditional
lecture setting is, so students meet in groups of maybe 20 to 24 and it allows for more interactions
with their peers and also with their teaching assistants. And we really, again, place an
emphasis on creating community within that context.
Robert Sewell: A lot of students find science to be in some
way scary and I don’t know why. And I’m gradually trying to get students to not think
that way because science is fun but you just have to approach it differently.
Bauer: We now have four years’ worth of data. And
in every single semester in which TOSS workshops are offered, the achievement gap has been
eliminated. So the academic performance between white students and students of color is essentially
the same.
Isaac Wells: Even if you’re good at this, it’s just
always –- if you’re a Human Biology major it’s still good to go and review. And if
you’re maybe like me, a Computer Science major -- you’re a Sociology major or something
not at all related to science, then it’ll definitely help you. I’d recommend – anyone
who needs a little extra help, I’d definitely recommend going.
So you have the post-synaptic cell reacting
to the pre-synaptic cell. So before, and after.