Insect Myths: An Interdisciplinary Approach Fostering Active Learning

Abstract

American Entomologist • Winter 2009 Undergraduate curricula of many institutions of higher education include General Education Requirements (GERs). Most GER courses provide an overview of a given subject area to students who may have little experience and/or interest in the subject matter, which can present obstacles to achieving standards of proficiency. Generating and sustaining interest is critical, and teaching methods that emphasize interdisciplinary approaches may help students effectively weave course content into their current knowledge base. At Washington State University, Insects, Science, and World Cultures (Entom 150) is a lower-division, GER science course designed for non-science majors and elementary education majors. Students enrolled in the course represent diverse backgrounds, interests, and academic majors. The content and pedagogy of Entom 150 are intended to address the needs and challenges of a heterogeneous student population. Insects, Science, and World Cultures offers an interdisciplinary view of the global impact of insects on the arts, myths & legends, cuisine, medicine, scientific research, and agriculture. It emphasizes the role of insects and their products in various cultures around the world (historical and contemporary) and uses insects as a tool to examine topics of broad interest (e.g., nutrition and undernourishment in developing nations, biological control, pesticides, environmental issues, energy flow, insects as “recyclers,” forensics, water quality, and insects as key Insect Myths: An Interdisciplinary Approach Fostering Active Learning