Albinism Roadmap

Albinism Roadmap

Instructor:

Focus:

The Topic
This module was intended for a non-majors Biology course and can be easily adapted for a majors Introductory Biology course. The topic of Albinism was previously chosen in an effort to get my course certified by the Global Education Committee at CCBC MD by introducing variations in cultures by seeing how albino animals and humans are revered or mistreated in differing societies. With this task in mind, I decided to base my CREATE module on the topic of Albinism so that my students can get a fuller picture of the condition – scientifically and socially.

Overview:

The Course
BIOL100 – Exploring Biology as described in the course catalog “considers modern biological principles to increase awareness of the relationships between scientific thought, current knowledge in biology, and everyday living”.

Overall Course Objectives include the following:

  1. Recognize characteristics common to all living things.
  2. Apply the scientific method to simple problems.
  3. Read and summarize information from some basic biological publications.
  4. Describe evolution from the scientist’s point of view.
  5. Explain the present form of organisms using the Darwinian system.
  6. Recognize biological molecules necessary for life.
  7. Recognize diversity of species and within species.
  8. Explain how scientific advances in medicine impact humans.
  9. Recognize structures common to all organisms’ cells.
  10. Give examples where intellect, scientific method, and technology have been used to understand living things.

Major Topics covered include the following:

  1. Scientific method
  2. Characteristics of living things
  3. Evolution
  4. Diversity of plants and animals
  5. Cell theory
  6. Biological molecules
  7. Biotechnology

Other topics from which instructors may choose at their discretion include:

  1. Plant anatomy and physiology
  2. Animal anatomy and physiology*
  3. Patterns of inheritance *
  4. History of science
  5. Environmental Issues

Every single one of the mandatory objectives and topics the course aims to cover can be addressed in some form or another by this Albinism modu

Applicable for Courses:

Nonmajors

Educational Level:

Community College

Roadmap Objectives:

    • Article: Brody, Jane E. "In Albino Studies, Scientists search for pigment error." The New York Times. The New York Times, 15 Sept. 1981. Web. Accessed 14 June 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/15/science/in-albino-studies-scientists-search-for-pigment-error.html
    • Content area/major concepts: Scientific Thinking, Chemistry, Cells, DNA, Gene Expression, Biotechnology, Chromosomes, Cell Division, Inheritance, Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Evolution, Natural Selection, Behavior, Origins and Diversification of Life on Earth, Population Ecology, Ecosystems and Communities, Conservation and Biodiversity
    • Methods or technology used to obtain data:
    • How the CREATE strategy was used: Concept map terms selected based on topic to be covered in class Review main concepts in class Relate old and new knowledge Look up vocabulary
    • Biggest teaching challenge:
    • Article: What Is Albinism?" NOAH. National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation, n.d. Web. Accessed 14 June 2012. http://www.albinism.org/publications/2010/What_is_Albinism.pdf
    • Content area/major concepts: Scientific Thinking, Chemistry, Cells, DNA, Gene Expression, Biotechnology, Chromosomes, Cell Division, Inheritance, Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Evolution, Natural Selection, Behavior, Origins and Diversification of Life on Earth, Population Ecology, Ecosystems and Communities, Conservation and Biodiversity
    • Methods or technology used to obtain data:
    • How the CREATE strategy was used: Concept map Albinism and subtypes based on article Review main concepts in class Relate old and new knowledge Look up vocabulary
    • Biggest teaching challenge:
    • Article: Grønskov, Karen, Ek, Jakob and Brondum-Nielsen, Karen. "Oculocutaneous albinism" Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases 2: 43 doi: 10.1186/1750-1172-2-43. BioMed Central, 02 Nov. 2007. Web. Accessed 15 June 2012. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2211462
    • Content area/major concepts: Scientific Thinking, Chemistry, Cells, DNA, Gene Expression, Biotechnology, Chromosomes, Cell Division, Inheritance, Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Evolution, Natural Selection, Behavior, Origins and Diversification of Life on Earth, Population Ecology, Ecosystems and Communities, Conservation and Biodiversity
    • Methods or technology used to obtain data:
    • How the CREATE strategy was used: Append new terms to previous concept map Review main concepts in class Relate old and new knowledge Look up vocabulary Annotate and title figures
    • Biggest teaching challenge:
    • Article: "Drug 'aids Albino People's Sight'" BBC News. BBC, 27 Sept. 2011. Web. 14 June 2012. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15061797
    • Content area/major concepts: Scientific Thinking, Chemistry, Cells, DNA, Gene Expression, Biotechnology, Chromosomes, Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Evolution, Natural Selection, Origins and Diversification of Life on Earth
    • Methods or technology used to obtain data:
    • How the CREATE strategy was used: Relate old and new knowledge Look up vocabulary Cartoon experiment and result Derive hypothesis being tested Write a title for the cartooned experimeny
    • Biggest teaching challenge:
    • Article: Albert, Helen "Nitisinone Shows Promise for Treatment of Oculocutaneous Albinism." MedWire News – Dermatology. MedWire News, 14 October 2011. Web. 14 June 2012. http://www.medwire-news.md/66/95193/Dermatology/Nitisinone_shows_promise_for_treatment_of_oculocutaneous_albinism.html
    • Content area/major concepts: Scientific Thinking, Chemistry, Cells, DNA, Gene Expression, Biotechnology, Chromosomes, Cell Division, Inheritance, Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Evolution, Natural Selection, Origins and Diversification of Life on Earth
    • Methods or technology used to obtain data: Relate old and new knowledge Look up vocabulary Edit previous cartoon experiment and result based on new info gleaned Write a title for the cartooned experiment
    • How the CREATE strategy was used:
    • Biggest teaching challenge: Correction to paper: OCA-1 is caused by mutations in the gene encoding [tyrosinase (TYR), which converts tyrosine into] a precursor for melanin. OCA-1A individuals lack functional TYR and therefore produce no melanin, whereas OCA-1B individuals have partially functional TYR and produce some melanin.
    • Article: Manga, Prashiela and Orlow, Seth J. "Informed reasoning: repositioning of nitisinone to treat oculocutaneous albinism." Journal of Clinical Investigation 121(10):3828 – 3831. doi:10.1172/JCI59763. American Society for Clinical Investigation, 3 Oct. 2011. Web. 14 June 2012. http://www.jci.org/articles/view/59763
    • Content area/major concepts: Scientific Thinking, Chemistry, Cells, Energy, DNA, Gene Expression, Biotechnology, Chromosomes, Cell Division, Inheritance, Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Evolution, Natural Selection, Behavior, Origins and Diversification of Life on Earth, Population Ecology, Ecosystems and Communities, Conservation and Biodiversity
    • Methods or technology used to obtain data: t
    • How the CREATE strategy was used: Concept map terms selected based on topic to be covered in class Review main concepts in class Relate old and new knowledge Look up vocabulary Annotate and title figures Cartoon experiment and result Derive hypothesis being tested Write a title for the cartooned experiment
    • Biggest teaching challenge:
    • Article: Onojafe, Ighovie F., Adams, David R., Simeonov, Dimitre R., Zhang Jun, Chan Chi-Chao, Bernardini, Isa M., Sergeev, Yuri V., Dolinska, Monika B., Alur, Ramakrishna P., Brilliant, Murray H., Gahl, William A., and Brooks, Brian P. "Nitisinone Improves Eye and Skin Pigmentation Defects in a Mouse Model of Oculocutaneous Albinism." Journal of Clinical Investigation 121(10):3914 – 3923. doi:10.1172/JCI59372. American Society for Clinical Investigation, 3 Oct. 2011. Web. 14 June 2012. http://www.jci.org/articles/view/59372.
    • Content area/major concepts: Scientific Thinking, Calculations & Conversions, Chemistry, Cells, Energy, DNA, Gene Expression, Biotechnology, Chromosomes, Cell Division, Inheritance, Animal Anatomy and Physiology, Evolution, Natural Selection, Behavior, Origins and Diversification of Life on Earth, Population Ecology, Ecosystems and Communities, Conservation and Biodiversity
    • Methods or technology used to obtain data:
    • How the CREATE strategy was used: Review main concepts in class Relate old and new knowledge Look up vocabulary Cartoon experiment and results Derive hypothesis being tested Write a title for the cartooned experiment Annotate and title figures Transform and discuss data Write your own discussion Design and cartoon next/ new experiment Compare/defend/debate various experiments Ask author questions
    • Biggest teaching challenge: Supplemental Material: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/59372/sd/1

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