Lake Zurich teacher says technology has changed learning
Anne Hopkins has been a teacher for all 29 years of her career at Lake Zurich High School. Currently she teaches AP biology, honors biology and environmental science instructor.
She received her bachelor of science degree in biology from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master's degree in biology from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. She also has taught college prep biology.
Q. High school classes seem much more advanced, more like college courses, than they were 20 years ago. How has the teaching of your subjects evolved and how are you able to teach these advanced topics in high school?
A. Take DNA technology for example, we are able to run labs using PCR and electrophoretic techniques that were not even available in my graduate classes over 20 years ago. Not only has the equipment been reduced in size physically, but also in cost. Students are able to use scientific apparatus that we only read about in the newspapers years ago.
The incorporation and application of these scientific techniques gets students excited about doing "real science." Not everything has evolved, however. Even with the advanced technology, the most important factor for success is open communication and trust between my students and me - that will never change, even in another 20 years.
Q. How do advances in technology shape how you teach as well as what you teach?
A. Students can easily access facts and general information at the touch of a button on their phones or iPads. This enables them to take more control over their learning. I think of myself more as a guide. The classroom is no longer teacher-centered as it was 20 years ago. Students and I actively engage in conversations about biology. It is my job to help them understand the big ideas and make connections in their learning. This understanding inspires students to be lifelong science learners.
Q. Tell us about your favorite classroom lab. Why do you like it, and what does it teach the students?
A. After 30 years of teaching, it is hard to choose only one. However, one of the most important labs is one used during the first week of instruction in our freshman honors biology class. Students are given bessbugs (large black beetles) and a variety of materials to collect background information on the bugs' physical strength.
They then design an experiment and collect data to test their hypothesis. The sight of an insect almost two inches long not only grabs their attention, but also encourages collaborative problem solving.
Students are able to exercise curiosity and creativity while developing important experimental and data analysis skills. Even when the experiment doesn't go as planned, it cultivates the skills and desire to become active learners in the classroom.
Q. What was your science fair topic when you were in school, and how did the project turn out?
A. In one, I had different people cough into Petri dishes and grew the cultures on the radiator in the classroom. I can't remember the specifics (it was over 40 years ago) but I do recall that my third-grade teacher discovered that she had strep throat. In another project, I compared the size of eyeballs among different animals. I had connections to a butcher and was able to display a chicken, cow and pig eye. All the fourth-graders loved the specimens. I learned that a good way to get kids excited about science was to gross them out.