Cell Biology Concepts was a project conceived to be a resource that supports students in the development of critical thinking skills and helps them apply this material to their own lives. A typical way of learning biology is to just memorize all the terms and techniques, and then, regurgitate that material out, without thinking about how the material relates to your life or even to the natural world. With this much material, students often struggle to make any connections with the material at all. The standard biology textbook tends to act more like an encyclopedia, trying to include as much of the material as possible. Some newer textbooks include exercises to try to engage the student, but these experiences can easily be lost in the rest of the text. Rather than try to replace the textbook as the “go-to” resource for a class, this text is intended to engage the student and convince them that caring about the material will enhance their learning experience. The student will still be required to put much of this information to memory, but you will also be provided many opportunities to recall this information during in-class quizzes and exams.
Dr. Jon Karpel is currently an Associate Professor of Biology and has been teaching at Southern Utah University since 2010. Dr. Karpel was formally trained as a molecular biologist at San Jose State University and the University of California, Davis, graduating with his Ph.D. in 2006. He has research experience with several different model organisms, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Caenorhabditis elegans, and he uses his extensive knowledge of the cell to enrich students’ understanding of how life works.
Dr. Karpel is a firm believer that students must have the correct mindset, and the grit, to succeed in college. Dr. Karpel helps students realize that they can change their mindset regarding learning biology through the use of learning techniques such as Cell Biology Concepts, which helps frame the material in real-world application and extensive use of critical thinking and reflection. If students have the perseverance to stick with their learning, the payoff at the end of the semester will be tremendous and they can apply what they have learned for years to come.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: The Chemistry of Life and Characteristics of Water
Chapter 3: Cell Membranes, Organelles, and Membrane Transport
Chapter 4: Energy and Biochemical Pathways
Chapter 5: Enzyme Pathways Related to Metabolism
Chapter 6: Photosynthesis
Chapter 7: Cellsignaling/Communication
Chapter 8: DNA Structure and Replication
Chapter 9: Gene Expression
Chapter 10: Mitosis, Meiosis, and Inheritance