ADAPTATION TO NEW ENVIRONMENT Mullen helps students cope with challenging times By Carol Stuart
Biology Professor Dennis Mullen had to adjust some of his instruction while teaching first-semester Honors Biology classes in the middle of a pandemic—but it was communication with his MTSU students where he especially made extra efforts. In each of his courses last fall, the 20 students rotated 10 at a time by odd- and even-numbered weeks into in-person lectures in their Honors building classroom, where they could interact with their professor. The other 10 would watch Mullen’s instruction remotely on livestream or on video later, and then the next week the groups switched. Students also alternated for the lab portion.
Students really appreciate . . . being in a room with faculty. Mullen knew it was tough on students to keep track of “where they're supposed to be, when they're supposed to be there, for each of their multiple classes.” He realized their lives had to be “confusing and complicated.” His main solution was constant communication, so students would be able to plan during the unique 2020–21 school year. As a department, Biology prioritized students’ getting some in-class instruction even with social distancing required—and opted to go with lab exercises that supplemented lectures rather than those reinforcing material. That meant rearranging the lab sequence and syllabus. Honors Biology faculty Dennis Mullen
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ARETÉ MAGAZINE | Fall 2021
