The Boathouse Murder
Join us at the University of Charleston for an innovative educational experience with the "Boathouse Murder" case study. This engaging activity combines elements of crime scene analysis, teamwork, and effective communication while enhancing scientific understanding. Over two days, students investigate suspects through blood typing, fingerprint analysis, and DNA mapping. The final presentations showcase critical thinking and collaborative skills, making learning fun and practical. Discover how this hands-on approach fosters engagement and retention in science education!
The Boathouse Murder
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Presentation Transcript
The Boathouse Murder Mixing Student Learning, Fun, and Detective Work Jay Wildt ACA Summit - Asheville
About Me… • RRT, RPFT • The University of Charleston • Business • Leadership • Ethics • Natural Science • Politically Incorrect Biology • Love to play! • I AM a student!
Research Interests • First Year Experience • Engagement • Persistence • Learning • Student satisfaction • Humor in Pedagogy • Application to FY students and outcome attainment regarding Science • A few other findings…
University of Charleston • Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees • Diverse • Modern • Technologically Supportive • Pedagogically Innovative • A Great Place to Work!
UC’s First Year Experience Mentoring Groups Peer Educators First year Co-Curricullar Activities FYE Courses Humanities Social Science Natural Science Portfolio Building LLO’s Embedded Outcome Attainment
UC’s Liberal Learning Outcomesand Natural Science • Student centered learning • Roundtable Process • Assessment • Rubrics • Primary Trait Analyses • Portfolios • The ePortfolio • Chalk and Wire
The Course – Politically Incorrect Biology (NSCI 115) • Provides attainment of: • Science (Biology) outcome for non-science majors • Communication outcomes • COMM 101 or COMM 102 • COMM 103 (partial) • Critical Thinking outcome
NSCI 115 Learning Strategies • Writing as Assessment • Autosomal Recessive Disorders • Environmental Issues • Henrietta Lacks (ethical issues in science) • Lab Experiences • Film • MERL • The Boathouse Murder
The Boathouse Murder • Similar to many other HS and college exercises • Make it unique & fun! • Hands on • Gain experience in • Problem solving • Group work • Speaking • Crime Scene Analysis
The Assignment • Decide on team name • Perform Analysis in Groups • Determine Perpetrator • Develop Introduction • Build PP to help • Describe suspects • Explain processes • Announce results • Show motive
The ScenarioIt Was a Dark and Stormy Night… • The Overview • Suspects are named • Two days of in-class investigation (Blood type, fingerprint analysis, DNA mapping) • One week of presentation development • One day of in-class presentation preparation and practice • Presentation day
Crime Scene Analysis • Blood Typing • Fingerprint Analysis • DNA Electrophoresis Mapping
The Presentations • The Introduction • Process Description • Culprit • My Assessment • Rubrics • Communication • Assignment specific rubric • The winner is…
A few examples… • Team Introduction • Team Free Eric • UC CSI • PowerPoint Presentation • Team NIU B
Group Process Rubric Working toward goals Effective interpersonal communication Group maintenance
UC Holistic Speaking Rubric Speaking Rubric Idea development Non-verbal and verbal message consistency Audience awareness (organization of ideas; language, etc. appropriate for setting) Use of feedback
Student Reactions to Experience • “Didn’t seem like schoolwork” • “Great fun” • “How does this apply to Science?” • “Will this be on the test?” • “But I’m not going in to criminal science” • “One of my group members did not contribute”
Final Analysis • Experiences like this are a work in progress • Be aware of the school climate and individual student reaction to “murder” • Be flexible • Be generous with praise • Be open to failure – it too is a learning experience • Assess in a transparent, consistent manner • Be willing to be taught by your students • For example
New Words – New Ideas • Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time • Intaxicaton: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with. • Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you. • Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
Old Words – New Ideas • Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs • Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained • Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there • Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach
Thank You! Questions?
