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Send to friendStudent debate in the first tutorial of First Year
Tutorial class
Communication skills (written and oral)
The first tutorial that the first year students attend is to discuss whether a virus is alive or not. Before this tutorial the students must write a 500word statement either "for" or "against" this argument, which must be referenced correctly. A reference from a journal article on this topic is placed on the unit homepage on DSO (Deakin Studies Online). Students must then obtain at least two other references, from journals or textbooks.
In the tutorial the students debate this issue of whether a virus is alive or not based on their research. They have a group arguing that for the affirmative and a group arguing for the negative. The demonstrator is the mediator.
These discussions get rather heated, as the students are passionate about their point of view. First year students still discuss this issue into second and third year.
This is the first tutorial that the first year students attend. They have completed one practical class prior to this tutorial. One of the aims of this tutorial is to get students talking to each other. Everyone must make a contribution to the discussion.
This exercise serves to improve their communication skills (written and oral), referencing skills and presentation skills. Students must be able to talk about an issue and then back it up with some evidence. It also develops their critical thinking skills and allows them to relate the information they are learning to current issues such as avian influenza. It also demonstrates to the students that there are still grey areas of science where the answer to a question is not definitive.
It really makes the students think about the definition of "living". For a virus to be classified as alive it must: reproduce, obtain and use energy, grow, develop and die and be able to respond to the environment.
One of the demonstrators makes the analogy with fire - it can reproduce, it moves, it uses energy to grow, and it can respond to the environment so is fire alive? What about animals like mules and ligers? These animals are sterile so cannot reproduce. Are they alive?
