Teaching Interests

BSC 107 Human Biology
BSC 111 Principles of Biological Sciences II
BSC 404/L Tropical Ecology in Belize
BSC 411/L Entomology
BSC 103L – Biological Science Laboratory
BSC 110L & 111L - Principles of Biological Sciences I & II Laboratory

Research Interests

I am an instructor in the Department of Biological Sciences and I teach Introductory Biology, Entomology and Tropical Ecology in Belize courses. I also coordinate the freshman laboratories associated with the general biology instructional program. In addition, I coordinate outreach programs with teachers, parents, Cub Scout groups, the Boys and Girls Club, and church youth groups  from the surrounding counties. In order to improve biology education and scientific literacy, the Biological Sciences Learning Center provides informal science education to students by participating in interactive displays and games in the natural history museum. They also tour the USM campus for exotic plant species and biological landmarks using the interactive "Biology Trail". During the summer I coordinate two summer enrichment programs for students in K-12.  Camp Invention () is an exciting weeklong program for children entering grades one through six and Survivor () is a weeklong program for children entering grades seven through twelve.  Being coordinator of the Learning Center is a pleasant and fulfilling professional experience because I realize these outreach programs are educationally enriching for the students, teachers and parents.

Currently, I am working on my Ph.D. in Biology Education.  I am interested in conducting research on the effects of the constructivist teaching approach in introductory college freshman biology courses. In the investigative, problem-based experiments, students assume responsibility for their own learning, thus retaining the concepts.   I hope to document significant improvement in understanding science process skills and fundamental concepts in biology.

Representative Publications

Lee, A.T.   PowerPoint Presentations to accompany Ireland, K.A. & Tenenbaum, D.J.  (2008)  Visualizing Human Biology.  John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Lee, A.T.  (2007) Principles of Biological Science Laboratory (5th ed.).  Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.  

Lee, A.T., Herron, S., & Scheetz, R. (2006)  Inquiries into Introductory Biology (3rd ed.).  Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.  

Hairston, R.V. & Lee, A.T. (2003) Using the 3 Ps approach and a computer simulation to teach science process skills. Invited paper. BioQUEST Notes. BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium. Vol. 12 (2): 1, 13-15.  

Lee, A.T., Hairston, R.V., Thames, R., Lawrence, T., & Herron, S.S.  (2002) Using a Computer Simulation to Teach Science Process Skills to College Biology and Elementary Education Majors.  Bioscene: Journal of College Biology Teaching.  Vol. 28 (4): 35-42.