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Want to model the progress of a disease over a month's time? ÌýSure, just writeÌýaÌýcalculus equation that wouldÌýmodel the statistics of the disease's progression for one hour at a time. ÌýGot that done? ÌýNow, just solve the problemÌýover and over again until...Did you fall asleep yet? ÌýOops. ÌýI forgot to tell you that you could write a computer program to solve it for you. ÌýYou just need calculus, statistics, and some life science knowledge. ÌýIn Dr. Eric Stade's Math 1310 Calculus, Systems, and Modeling course, that's just what you'll need. ÌýMath 1310 is designed for lifeÌýscience students to learn to apply calculus concepts to natural or earth science phenomena like RNA sequencing or the spread of the disease over time. ÌýStade says that calculus is important for creating the mathematicalÌýmodels that study of the life sciences require.

Stade recognizes what a transferable skill programming is, and he teaches students how to write their own code using programming software like Math Studio or Sage Open Mathematics Software to solve problems. ÌýStadeÌýsays that this technology is helpful to complete dull repetitive equations. ÌýHe encourages students to break down a question into smaller questions, like in the case of the spread of a disease over time. Ìý"We try to teach [programming]Ìýin a user-friendly environment," he says. ÌýThe process of writing a program requires, "Quite a bit of planning, thought, and logical reasoning," he says. Ìý"Often, students areÌýresistantÌýat the outset of the course...Â鶹ÒùÔº are intimidated by programming," Stade says. ÌýThat's why, "In this course, we ease them into it," he says, first providing a completed program for students to use to solve a problem. ÌýThen, Stade teaches students to write a program to solve a problem, step-by-step. Ìý"From there, students get more confidence and familiarity with programming," he says. ÌýUltimately,Ìýstudents in his class learn to write their own programs.

Stade says that he mustÌýconstantly educate himself in the natural sciences to keep course material relevant forÌýlife science majors. Ìý"I spend a lot of time preparing for class," he says, and he collaborates with Professor David Webb in the School of Education and Professors Mike Klymkowsky and Robin Dowell of the Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Graduate Program. ÌýStade's commitment is evident, and students nominated himÌýfor a Spring 2013 ASSETT Teaching with Technology Award. ÌýOne student wrote:

Through this technology, we were able to use existing models to learn real-life applications of calculus, and by the end [of the course] were able to create our own models for phenomena using math studio coding and class-taught calculus. ÌýThis was extremely useful, not only in helping us better learn the material, but also in seeing the ways the material will be ... useful in our future careers as medical and science professionals.

Additionally, Stade uses a tablet deviceÌýto write and project lecture notes and to do demonstrationsÌýin class. ÌýHeÌýis interested in how students learn, and he wants to continue to create a more interactive classroom. Ìý"The math department is moving toward an active learning model, which would be more participatory," StadeÌýsays. ÌýStade is working on pre-designed lessons in which he would create skeletal lecture notes written out before class. ÌýStade would project the notes onto the board, and students would help him fill in the blanks during class. Ìý"Â鶹ÒùÔº could talk in small groups, and we would fill in notes on the iPad...In the end, there can be a complete set of notes that can be posted on the web for reference," he says.