Awesome Research Sources From My Mentor

Hello Readers so today at mentorship I got a couple of awesome Sources to add to my Research Notebook and some just to look at and have a basic knowledge of what an AP Biology Teacher must teach there students.

 I Got Three paper resources today. (From Left to Right) An AP Biology Equation and Formula chart, the AP Biology Big Ideas, and last Mr. Pittman's AP Biology Audit. 

 A book about the life of Karl Popper a great man who approach science and life the same way. The book talks about  Karl's views of science in general, Philosophy, and Life 

 A Journal from the California Science Teachers Association. This Books deals with how a teach should approach inquiry labs.

This Book talks about how a teacher should manage their class and talk about different ways of teaching.

Fun with Science, a mentorship update

Hello readers with the first day of December is tomorrow, and I think now would be a great time to fill everybody what I have been doing with my mentor the past three weeks. Just a little background info for those who don't know my mentor is an AP Biology and Anatomy teacher at Ayala High School. I always come to his 6th period class which is Biology but ask about what he's doing in his anatomy class.

The first class I mentored with him. He was preparing his class for a test the next day. He gave groups of student questions relevant to the test the next day but also the questions were taken from AP biology exams from the 1970s to now. He told them to choose in their opinion the hardest one to answer and make a grading rubric, a guideline of what has to be mention in the answer to get a certain full or partial credit. The same session he showed me his practical exam for his anatomy class. My mentor said practical exams are test involving the student doing some kind of hands on approach to answer a question. His test was for the bones of the human body student got the chance to pick up the bones and examine them and name the bone and major landmarks on the bone.

The next session with my mentor his class was taking a test so he decided to go over what common core standards are and what he is responsible for teaching to his students at an AP level. He also showed me how to write out an AP syllabus to get approved by the college board.

The third session was when I actually got to see  his class doing an experiment. My mentors next topic on his agenda was to teach his students diffusion osmosis and water potential. He decided to do three experiments two on the Monday and one on Wednesday and in between each session talk about what they did. The first day he wanted his students to see how a solution passes through a membrane through diffusion by  measuring the conductivity of water surrounding the membrane containing the solution. After that we did another experiment after class that he was going to do with his anatomy class the next day. My mentor asked a student if she would like to do an experiment with us and be our guinea pig. He put a positive electrode on her right temple, a negative electrode in between her nose and right eye and finally a ground above her right eye. We measured electrical potential in the eye and told me the responses that the electrodes gave to us would be something he would tell his students to dissect and describe each individual spike and drop and they can seance he already showed them how.

The next session he made his class do a qualitative lab he gives them a question and as little information as possible and the students in groups must think what is the best way to answer it. They had the choice to choose as many time they will take data, how they set up their experiment and how long they want to take data for. My Mentor said theses labs are great because it makes them recall past knowledge and think what in their opinion is the best way to answer the question.

The last session I went to he asked me to write down what are his teaching methods. I notice that he like the students to try to figure out the problem themselves by recalling past knowledge. He wants me to now if to try to write out a lesson plan on any topic in Biology and try to use the techniques he use but also come up with some of my own.

On that note it seems that I have came to the end of my mentorship sessions. In total I have done 7 and half hours and learned so much more on my topic and ways to teach Biology.

Blog 9 EQ

1. I have reviewed the rule of three when writing an EQ

2a. What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

This EQ does not follow the rule of three the answers for this EQ can easily become a list of how people lost weight healthy and in the end most answer can be answered with out much research it seems.

2b. What is the most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

This EQ does not follow the rule of three the wording of the EQ the wording in the EQ could have been used differently so that the reader right of the bat could get what the EQ means instead of reading it more than once and trying to figure out what it is asking.

2c. What is most important when creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?

This EQ does not seem to follow the rule of three when it comes to the 1st rule and that is provides framework for studies. This EQ could be answered easily be answered quiet quickly when researching the topic.

2d. What can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?

This EQ does follow the rule of three it could provide framework for the student to find reaserch for their topic in the form of medical papers etc. This EQ could also be argueable because one way an anesthesiologist treats chronic pain may differ from a way another anesthesiologist treats pain. Last the format is nice and neat and easy to follow

3 My Draft of my EQ

   " What is the most effective way to teach Biology so the students may be able to us the knowledge gained         at a later time"  

Topic Change and what to come.

Hello readers so i have some exciting news so my senior topic going into the year was "Clinical Laboratory Technician" and I was experiencing some problems with that topic. The first of many was that it was super hard for me to find a mentor, my dad knew someone at Quest Diagnostics but due to legal reasons and confidentially issues i couldn't mentor at their lab. Then the next problem was research for the topic was hard to find and due to most lab processes and techniques being not available for the general public.

So what is my new topic If you couldn't tell from the change of scenery and a new header on top of my page that my topic is " Teaching Biology at a High School Level." I chose this topic because I love biology and i wonder how is teaching Biology different from learning Biology. An Added bonus with this topic is that i knew many people who are Biology teachers and could help me find research and possibly mentor me. Speaking of Mentor I actually already have a mentor his name is Anthony Pittman. I met him during the hike  on Big bear and by the last name most people can deduct that he is Mrs. Pittman husband. He teaches AP Biology at Ayala High School in Chino Hills. I plan to mentor him twice a week for about an 1 and half a day.

So whats next simple research I have Three topics that i would like to go more in depth on. The first is how to teach teenagers and how their brains work. The second topic is Teaching Techniques and the last topic i want to research is common core standards and how are schools integrating to fit these standards.

Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

1.  What is your working EQ?

How can a lab scientist still work diligently but still produce efficient data?

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ?

     1) Have them follow the analysis steps properly: this process is the common process that all lab specimens            undergo misuse or not following them may lead to insignificant data

     2) Transcribe the raw data into a short narrative statement so the Doctors may be able to read it                              more correctly  

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ? 

The two most important sources I used to help me come up with n EQ were source #7 " Good laboratory practices for Molecular genetic testing"  and source #9 . "Physician survey of a laboratory medicine interpretive service and evaluation of the influence of interpretations on laboratory test ordering".

4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you volunteering, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

At the moment i am looking for a new mentor, my original mentor worked at Quest Diagnostics but due to liability issue he couldn't mentor me

Blog 7 : Independent Component 1 Aprroval

1. Describe in details what you plan to do for your 30 hours need for independent component.

I actually have two things i plan to do for this component  The first is what i really would like to do and my second is a fallback option. I have signed up for a college course online certification class for a medical laboratory assistant. Then if I don't get accepted then i plan just to do an addition hours with my mentor.

2. Discuss how or what you will do to meet the exceptions of showing 30 hours of research.  

If I get into the online class i plan to keep all work like essays and other materials if the class can give me credit or have some way of keeping track of what i did in the class i would use that as credit. Then if i do extra mentorship i could take many pictures of me in the lab and then post them on my blog.

3.And explain how what you are doing will explore your topic more in depth

If i get the class the class will show me what a lab assistant must do to become certified but it also give me more textual research to add to my research book like lab techniques and basic testing procedures.
Then if i do extra mentorship that will get hands on experience with lab equipment and have a person to ask questions who could answer in a quick manner.

Medical Laboratory Importance and Roles

What is the first thing you think of a medical lab well for me it was a place were blood and other biological samples are analyse. Now from this first month of senior project behind me I have gained knowledge that I will like to share with you. So back to the first question I ask at the beginning of this post but let me add to my answer the month of research i have done. I have learned that a lab is an amazing place were the lab workers have an equal  role of importance compared to a Doctor. In a lab the workers analyse samples ordered from a clients doctor they file their findings in a lab report then finally send the results back to the doctors to decide what should be done to help client.

The nest question I will like you to ponder on is, What are the many different roles do you think people in a lab will have. There are many different specialty roles like a phlebotomist specialist or a microbiology specialist but in every labs there are three main important roles that each have their own individual roles in a sense like the group roles given for projects at iPoly. The roles are stated below.

Lab Director - A lab director responsibility is that they must direct orders given to all workers of a lab. they must keep the lab in task and make sure everyone in the lab understands what they need and give help to anyone who needs it. A lab director must make sure the lab is running its full potential. This role is similar to the Facilitator role in class in a sense both roles make sure that their co-workers understands what they are analyzing

Lab Scientist - A lab scientist responsibility is they must analyse the analyst and write reports to give to the doctor. This role is similar to the Reporter role in that both roles look at the data given and organize the groups report.

Lab Technician - A lab technician  responsibility is that they must make sure all lab devices work and then us the devices to gather information for the lab scientist to write their lab report. They are responsibility is also they must make sure the lab scientist understands what he is giving them to analyse. This role is similar to the Research Manager both roles get data for the group to look over and draw the details to write a good report.

Lab Assistant - A lab assistant responsibility is to listen to the need of all other lab workers and make sure that everybody in the lab is working at their full potential. The lab assistant also is the person who get specimens from clients they must have good people skills and must be able to report everything important in the client's record to better help the client later. Their role is similar to the Harmonizer role both must make sure the lab gets consensus an be an active listener to the other workers of the lab

So now you know how each role learned at iPoly has been preparing us for the real world in which we must take up one of these roles for actual pay. You have also learned the importance of a lab tech and the process in which specimens are processed



  

Blog 6: Second Interview Questions

1 Who is your mentor and where do they work.

I am still waiting for a response from quest diagnostics so i my by paid with a Clinical Lab Scientist. If they don't reply then i am going to ask the person i mentor with during the summer if there is a possibility i could mentor with her or someone in the lab for my senior project 

2 What five questions would you ask them about their background?

What college majors or degrees do you have?
Where did you acquire those majors or degrees?
What do you like about your job and why? 
What is your average day here at______?
How many years have you been in this medical field?
Why did you decide to become what you are?
Who inspired you or made you think that a job as a clinical lab tech is what you want to do in your life?
Were you always interested in a medical field when you were younger?
On a scaled of 1-10, 1 being i really don't care for about my job and 10 being i love my job i wouldn't want to work any where else, what would you rank you love( or hatred) for this career?

  

Blog 5 Project Reflection and Working EQ

The Pentagon

1 What positive thing happen as a result of what you have completed so far?

The most positive skill that have came out of the first few weeks of my senior project is that thanks to my summer mentorship i have been able to manage my time more efficiently and learn how to prioritize certain task that i need to do.

2 Pick a piece of research or your interview.  How has it helped you improve your understanding of your topic? 

I think source number 4 " Medical Laboratory Technology", This article breaks down the term Lab Technician into its many sub positions and talks about what individual tasks each position have and their importance in the lab. The article also give traits on what kind of people fit each position

3 What has worked for you so far in the senior project?

The interview worked perfectly for me the person I interview was so nice and gave me a lot of useful information and things i could do within the year to help me answer my EQ  

4 What hasn't worked so far?

I still cant find a mentor due to most medical volunteer programs starting in the spring. Also I haven't been able to find a lot of  good quality research that also is including my time limited amount of time on the library's database on Friday.

5A What is a potential question you would like to study this year? 

My potential question i would like to use is " How can a lab tech work diligently and still have efficient data"

5B What do you plan to do for mentorship?  

I plan to try to get into one of the main processing lab over at quest diagnostics. I am talking to one of my dad's old high school friend who is the regional director in charge of all the Quest Diagnostics in the LA country. 

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

1. Who do you plan to Interview, why?

I plan to interview phlembotomist Lab Assistant. My topic is a Clinical Laboratory Technician they mostly analyses specimens but they do not gather and prepare. Her job at Lab department at the Kaiser Permanente in San Dimas is she draws blood and prepare blood and other specimens that she then sends to the main lab. I think she is a reliable interviewee because she could tell me how it is to work in a lab and help me find connections to a CLT.

2. What additional questions do you plan to ask? 

How would you describe a medical lab in Laymen's terms ?
What part of your job do you find most interesting or enjoyable?
How much does your job depend on the completion of task by other workers?

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Semester 1 ESLR Goals

1. List your topic. 

My Topic is a Lab Technician, in layman's term a person who collects bodily sample like blood or body tissues and perform test and analyse the samples collected.

2. What do you plan to do this year to show growth in each of the ESLR ?

     I-poly Citizen
          -   This year I plan to participate in as many clubs and senior committee I can in Senior year. On top that I would participate in the many school wide activities that give back to the community like can food drives and toy drives . I also would give my time helping out fellow classmates who need help in any of their core classes and/or projects

     Effective Learner
          -  This year I plan to study more and take put more time in all my work I do. I also plan to go ask all my core teachers, current and previous for help on topics that i am having problems with or just need review with.

     Effective User Of Technology
          - This year I plan to use all available resources at my disposable including using the Cal Poly Library to look up articles and books the I may need to use within this year. I also plan in my core classes to go more in depth in topics that i may be struggling using online sources like textbook sites and online lesson sites such as Khan academy.

     Effective Communicator
          -  This year I plan to practice more on my IEP for speech and try let my voice be heard loudly and clearly. I also plan to talk to my fellow classmates for anything that I may need help in whether it be a topic in a core class or within a committee. On top of the I plan to try to speak more in class and try not to much to stay in my comfort zone and talk to people i don't normal talk to.

Blog 2: Summer Mentorship Component

1.  Make a log of the specific hours and description of your duties.

The Link below will direct you to my Log on Google Docs.

Mentorship Log

2. What is the Contact name and number of where you volunteered ?

My Contact's name is Mary Martinez and her Number is (909)-917-2780.

3. What questions were raised because of the 10 hour experience ?

My mentor said that she was only able to get me in for the 10 hours and i wanted to know when would I need to start getting hours again?

Is there any special degree one will need to do to become a full time lad tech ?

What is the career growth outlook for a Lad tech in the next 10 years?

What is the main difference in degrees between a Lab Tech and a person who creates Medicines in a lab.

4. What is the most important thing you gained from this experience ?

I leaned that it is important to managed your time efficiently and plan ahead on what i am going to do. I learned this on my first time I volunteer on the 30th of July when my mentor told me to clean the room and stock up on supplies I ended up doing it one by one and only finish 2 rooms out of 5 within the time. The second time around i came up with a plan and finish all the rooms on time. This is important because during the year i will need to think ahead and have a plan on how to tackle my many projects and tasks.

5. How did what you did help you choose a topic?

The tasks that I did help me come to the choice that I want as a topic is a lab tech. I enjoyed collecting and preparing the specimens for the lab to process and the last day in which i actually got to go in the lab was fun and i enjoyed learning on how the instruments work and how they clean them once they are done.

Blog 1: 2013 2-Hour Presentation Reflections

1.   What presentations did you see?  

• Consultation Pharmacist - Gina T.
• Special Needs Behavior Consultant - Clara A.
• Real Estate - Teo C.
• Web Design - Xavier A.
• Forensic Photography - Nicole D.
• Recreation Centers - Isaiah C. 
• Film Directing - Amanda N.
• Video Game Journalism - Christoper H.
• Deaf Culture - Rachael H.
• Mexican Folk Art - Gohan Q.
• Molecular Biology - Alissa M.
• Theoretical Particle Physics - Hannah S.
• Teaching Mathematics - Alexis A.
• Violin - Alexa C. 

2.   What questions do you have that haven't been answered about the senior project? This can be about the senior project in general, any components or about a presentation topic you saw or what they said.  

What goes it mean to "make time" does it mean you presented for enough time or didn't go over the set time limit?
Does there have to be three answers to our personal E Q or can there be more than three like in Hannah's Theoretical physics presentation?
Is there a minimum and maximum number of activities needed to get a P or even an AE?

3.    What has the most important part of the senior project based on what you are seeing in the 2-hour presentations?

The presentations that I found really good was the ones in which the students bring up Mentor ship and the knowledge gain while under there mentor. That is why i believe that the time a student spends with there mentor and the quality of knowledge given to there student is probably the most important part of the Senior Project

4.      What topic are you considering doing and why?

The topic I am considering doing is Biochemistry and that is because my two favorite classes at I-poly were Biology and Chemistry and the topic deals with those two topics and how chemicals and advancements in Biology and Chemistry can help humans live longer.