W. W. NORTON & COMPANY

Norton Biology believes in fostering a community of biologists through high-impact teaching workshops. We’d love for you to join us!

Biology Workshops and Lectures for Faculty

Norton is offering workshops from authors, fellow instructors, and Norton team members to help support you and your teaching goals.

Featured Events

Universal Design in Nonmajors Biology

Hosted by Erin Baumgartner

Friday, March 22nd at 12 p.m. ET

Do you want to give your nonmajor biology students more flexibility in how they access material and demonstrate knowledge without making your job harder? If so, we hope you'll join us for a discussion led by Erin Baumgartner, Norton Biology's in-house PhD.

In this workshop, Erin will share tested strategies from her 15+ years of teaching experience about how to incorporate various entry points and approaches that will inspire different students.

Using Simulations in Your Ecology Course

Hosted by the Norton Biology Team

The date of this workshop has passed.

Join Norton Biology to explore our brand-new simulations for the ecology classroom. We have five simulations, covering: Exponential Growth, Logistic Growth (Continuous), Logistic Growth (Discrete), Lotka-Volterra Competition, and Lotka-Volterra Predation. The simulations are available with the First Edition of our textbook, "Ecology in a Changing World". We'll be covering where to access the simulations, how to use them, their pedagogical value, and how to make them assignable through Smartwork online homework.

Evaluating Scientific Claims in Nonmajors Biology

Hosted by the Norton Biology Team

The date of this workshop has passed.

Join Norton Biology to learn more about the "Evaluating Scientific Claims" interactive activities found in our Norton Illumine Ebook platform with the Fourth Edition of "Biology Now". In the workshop, we will dig into this unique and exciting feature that helps students build their scientific literacy and gets them more comfortable engaging with scientific evidence, data, and claims. You will gain strategies on how you can support students as you push them to go beyond believing what they see/hear in the media and learn how to unpack misinformation.

Building Metacognition & Student Ownership of Learning in Nonmajors Biology

Hosted by Erin Baumgartner

The date of this workshop has passed.

Nonmajors biology isn't just a science class, it's a thinking class. In this workshop, Norton Biology's in-house PhD, Erin Baumgartner, will share easy-to-incorporate instructional strategies that encourage students to become more involved in not only learning content but building their own mental "workouts" for lifelong learning.

You will walk away from this discussion with strategies on how to help students strengthen their metacognition and tips on how to empower them to take ownership of their learning. We hope to see you there!

Archived Events

"Inclusive Teaching Practices for Nonmajors Biology" Hosted by Erin Baumgartner

The nonmajors biology course is often a capstone science course for many of your students. Because of that, it’s important that your course is inclusive to all types of learners. The practices presented in this webinar will help ensure that your students walk away feeling confident and capable in their abilities to understand scientific claims and make informed decisions.

Erin Baumgartner will share some inclusive teaching practices that she developed from her own 15+ years of teaching experience and give you strategies on how to implement them in your classroom.

"Fostering Scientific Literacy in the Biology Classroom" Hosted by Erin Baumgartner

If you teach the non-majors biology course, you likely aim to help students build their scientific literacy. Given that course may be the only science class they take in college, it's crucial that students walk away as more informed citizens and with an understanding of how to evaluate scientific claims that they hear in the news and on social media.

Join the Norton Biology team to learn how "Biology Now" Fourth Edition can help you meet these goals. Erin Baumgartner will share tangible tools and tips from her own 15+ years of teaching experience, including: how to highlight the relevancy of science, the importance of objectivity, and activities/assignments that help build skills.

"Engage your non-major biology students with Biology Now, Fourth Edition" Hosted by Erin Baumgartner

We know that getting your non-major biology students excited about science can be a challenge. Join Norton Biology's Content Development Specialist, Erin Baumgartner, in this workshop to learn strategies on how to engage your students effectively using the content and digital learning tools available with Biology Now, 4e.

Erin has 14 years of experience coordinating and teaching the introductory biology course at Western Oregon University and is an expert in engaging learners at every level and making complex concepts approachable. She joins Norton Biology after an impressive career as an award-winning teacher and biology education researcher..

"IQ Workshop w/ Chris Andrews" Hosted by Chris Andrews

InQuizitive workshop with Chris Andrews for Evolution, Third Edition.

"Evaluating Scientific Claims in a Noisy World" Hosted by Karla Fuller, February 2021

In this Course Challenges workshop from Norton Biology, Karla Fuller, associate professor of biology and program coordinator of liberal arts and sciences at Guttman Community College (CUNY), will discuss techniques that she uses to help her students learn how to evaluate scientific claims in the media and develop their scientific literacy. We will share hands-on activities that you can use in your course this semester. We will also debut the new Evaluating Scientific Claims interactives that are available with Biology Now, Third Edition (Houtman, Scudellari, Malone).

"Creating an Active Non-Majors Biology Classroom" Hosted by Laura Christian, March 2021

In this Course Challenges workshop from Norton Biology, Laura Christian (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) will share techniques for engaging non-majors biology students with active learning. We will share tips for bringing these activities into online classrooms and strategies for following up to assess how much your students learned from the activity.

"Being Flexible for Fall: Teaching Non-Majors Biology Online and in Person" Hosted by Todd Pearson, June 2020

In this online workshop, Todd Pearson, PhD, will discuss how online assessment such as Smartwork and InQuizitive can be used in a variety of classroom settings—from in-person courses to fully online courses. Topics we will discuss include how critical thinking questions can help build your students' problem-solving skills, and how online assessment can be used in a testing environment. We will also discuss the Interactive Instructor's Guide and how its active learning resources can be adapted for online settings. Related to Biology Now, Third Edition (Houtman, Scudellari, Malone).

"Using Online Assessment in the Biology Classroom" Hosted by Todd Pearson, April 2020

In this online workshop, Todd will discuss how using online assessment can help ensure that your students are getting the coaching and support they need as you switch to an online model of instruction. He will also show how the gradebook can give you the tools to make sure your students are on track. Last, he will walk through Norton’s online assessment tool, Smartwork, and will be answering your questions.

"Success in the Microbiology Classroom: How can we better support students?" with Gina Forsythe and Courtney Zanosky

The authors of Microbiology: An Evolving Science (Slonczewski, Foster, & Zinser) know how challenging microbiology can be for students. In the new Sixth Edition, they've added numerous digital resources that are designed to help students stay on track with the material, study better, and make sure they can visualize and apply critical course concepts. In line with our efforts to support equity-minded teaching practices, these learning resources level the playing field for all of your students and ensure no one gets left behind. Join the W. W. Norton Biology team for a deep-dive into these digital tools and learn how they can not only help your students succeed, but also make your life a bit easier.

"What's New in the Sixth Edition of Microbiology: An Evolving Science"

Science Specialist Emily Erickson and Media Editor Gina Forsythe will describe all the exciting new features of the Sixth Edition of Microbiology: An Evolving Science, coming this fall of 2023. They will discuss the new Norton Illumine Ebook, Smartwork questions, new research, including COVID-19 coverage, and more.

"Online Demo for Digital Microbiology Laboratory Exercises"

Thoroughly and enthusiastically class-tested by many instructors and hundreds of students this fall, our new, easy-to-assign Digital Microbiology Laboratory Exercises can be used for both in-person and online lab courses. Each lab introduces students to the different microbes they are analyzing, models proper procedure, and asks students to analyze results. We’ll be hosting a brief online demo this Friday to show you how these digital labs can work in your course.

"Creating an Active Intro Microbiology Classroom" with Debra Scheiwe

In this Course Challenges workshop from Norton Biology, Debra Scheiwe, assistant professor of biology at Tarrant County College, will share techniques for engaging intro microbiology students with active learning. We will share tips for bringing these activities into online classrooms and strategies for following up to assess how much your students learned from the activity.

"Digital Microbiology Laboratory Exercises for All Classrooms" with Amber Miller and Todd Pearson

In this workshop, Amber Miller (Lecturer, Pennsylvania State University) and Todd Pearson, Ph.D (Media Editor, W. W. Norton and Company) will discuss the Digital Microbiology Laboratory Exercises that they have created for introductory and majors microbiology students. These online exercises—which are based on Steve Keating’s Microbiology: The Laboratory Experience—introduce students to a variety of microorganisms and their growth characteristics, model proper lab techniques, and teach students to analyze results.

"Creating an Active Intro Microbiology Classroom" Hosted by Debra Scheiwe, March 2021

In this Course Challenges workshop from Norton Biology, Debra Scheiwe, assistant professor of biology at Tarrant County College, will share techniques for engaging intro microbiology students with active learning. We will share tips for bringing these activities into online classrooms and strategies for following up to assess how much your students learned from the activity.

"Making Connections in the Intro Microbiology Course through Online Assessment" Hosted by Jordan Moberg-Parker, December 2020

In this Course Challenges workshop from Norton Biology, Jordan Moberg-Parker, Director of Undergraduate Laboratory Curriculum and Assessment for the microbiology department at UCLA, will share how she uses online tools—particularly Smartwork for Microbiology: The Human Experience—to help her intro microbiology students make connections between different microbiology topics. We will also debut the new Making Connections Tutorials that will accompany the Smartwork course for the Second Edition of Microbiology: The Human Experience.

"Reinforcing Concepts and Increasing Course Preparedness in Your Intro Microbiology Class" Hosted by Jarrett Whelan, October 2020

Professor Jarrett Whelan, Natural Sciences Chair at Lenoir Community College, will share his experience using online assessment to reinforce course concepts in his intro microbiology class. We will discuss how giving students assignments with personalized learning pathways—specifically focusing on InQuizitive for Microbiology: The Human Experience—can help students make connections with real-world applications.

"COVID-19 and Active Learning in the Introductory Microbiology Classroom" Hosted by Heather Seitz, September 2020

In this online workshop, Heather Seitz, professor of biology at Johnson County Community College and lead author of the Interactive Instructor's Guide for Microbiology: The Human Experience, will discuss strategies for discussing the COVID-19 pandemic in ways that sharpen students' problem-solving skills.

"Being Flexible for Fall: Using Smartwork to Teach Microbiology" Hosted by Todd Pearson, June 2020

In this online workshop, Todd Pearson, PhD, will discuss how online assessment such as Smartwork can be used in a variety of classroom settings—from in-person courses to fully online courses. Topics we will discuss include how tutorial questions can help build your students' problem-solving skills and how online assessment can be used in a testing environment. We will also discuss the Interactive Instructor's Guide and how its active learning resources can be adapted for online settings.

"Being Flexible for Fall: Teaching Microbiology Online and in Person" Hosted by Todd Pearson, June 2020

In this online workshop, Todd Pearson, PhD, will discuss how online assessment such as Smartwork and InQuizitive can be used in a variety of classroom settings—from in-person courses to fully online courses. Topics we will discuss include how critical thinking questions can help build your students' problem-solving skills, and how online assessment can be used in a testing environment. We will also discuss the Interactive Instructor's Guide and how its active learning resources can be adapted for online settings.

"New Advances in the Field: Updates in Janeway's Immunobiology"

In this round-table discussion hosted by Norton Biology, Janeway’s Immunobiology authors Ken Murphy, Casey Weaver, and Leslie Berg will discuss some of the new advances in the field highlighted in the Tenth Edition. We will debut the new personalized online learning-tool for Janeway’s Immunobiology, InQuizitive, which helps students work through immunological concepts and apply them to new examples.

"Building Mastery of Immunology Concepts through Adaptive Quizzing" Hosted by Denise Slayback-Barry and Todd Pearson, February 2021

In this Course Challenges workshop from Norton Biology, Denise Slayback-Barry, PhD, Course Director of Graduate and Undergraduate Immunology at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, and Todd Pearson, PhD, discuss how adaptive quizzing can help immunology students learn and master key concepts.

Using the Online Resources for The Immune System, Fifth Edition" Hosted by Todd Pearson, PhD, February 2021

In this Course Challenges workshop from Norton Biology, Todd Pearson, PhD, will walk through InQuizitive and the Interactive Instructor's Guide for The Immune System, Fifth Edition. He will highlight how each can be used to build students' conceptual understanding of immunology and engage them with active learning. We will provide tips and resources for implementing these materials in your course this fall.

Advancing Biology Education: A conversation with Bruce Alberts & Keith Roberts.

Join the Norton Biology team in a conversation with Bruce Alberts and Keith Roberts to learn about how they've reimagined biology education over the past 40 years, starting with the original publications of Molecular Biology of the Cell and Essential Cell Biology. Their dedication to improving how the next generation of biologists are educated, both in the US and across the globe, is a continual effort that is built into the newest Sixth Edition of Essential Cell Biology. We will discuss some of the features that put student learning at the forefront, including a new "Why Trust Science?" web resource that exemplifies how educators can refine the way they teach science at all levels in reaction to what's happening in the world today.

NEW: A behind-the-scenes look at the art of Molecular Biology of the Cell

Author Keith Roberts and artist Nigel Orme will discuss their unique partnership that underpins Molecular Biology of the Cell’s distinctive art program. They’ll explain the key pedagogical principles they employ in creating their distinct cell biology illustrations, and show how their art in the text is specifically designed to provide students with a clear and reinforcing understanding of the course material both within and across chapters.

Why a Cell Biology Textbook?: New Research in Molecular Biology of the Cell, Seventh Edition

In this round-table discussion hosted by Norton Biology, Molecular Biology of the Cell authors Bruce Alberts, Rebecca Heald, Peter Walter, David Morgan, and Sandy Alexander will discuss the value a cell biology textbook can continue to hold in a world of online resources. They will discuss some of the new research findings highlighted in the Seventh Edition, and we will debut the new Digital Problems Book in Smartwork. There will be time for questions at the end.

"Being Flexible for Fall: Teaching Essential Cell Biology Online and in Person" Hosted by Todd Pearson, June 2020

In this workshop, Todd Pearson, PhD, will discuss how online assessment such as Smartwork can be used in a variety of classroom settings—from in-person courses to fully online courses. Topics we will discuss include how to use the Smartwork gradebook and how online assessment can be used as homework and in a testing environment. We will also discuss the Interactive Instructor's Guide and how its active learning resources can be adapted for online settings.

"Using Online Assessment to Build Critical Thinking Skills in the Cell Biology Classroom" Hosted by Eric Rutledge, November 2020

In this Course Challenges workshop from Norton Biology, Eric Rutledge, lecturer of biology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will discuss how he uses online resources to engage his cell biology students. We will walk through the critical thinking questions in Smartwork online assessment for Essential Cell Biology (Alberts et al.).

"Simulations to Enrich Your Ecology Classroom Hosted by Erin Baumgartner and Gina Forsythe

Join the Norton Biology team as we reveal and tour our NEW ecology simulations available with our First Edition textbook, Ecology in a Changing World.

These five new interactive simulations are based on classic and complex ecological models to give your students a hands-on approach to learning difficult concepts and ensure they’re coming to class better prepared. The simulations include: Exponential Growth, Logistic Growth (Continuous), Logistic Growth (Discrete), Lotka-Volterra Competition, and Lotka-Volterra Predation.

We will discuss where to access the simulations, how to use them, their pedagogical value, and how to make them assignable through Smartwork online homework.

"Meet the authors of Ecology in a Changing World" Hosted by Michael Marchetti, Julia Lockwood, and Martha Hoopes

Learn all about Norton Biology's newest offering directly from two of its authors: Michael Marchetti, Julie Lockwood, and Martha Hoopes. Ecology in a Changing World is an ecology text for biology majors, and the authors, all of whom teach the course regularly, will share a little about their motivations for writing the book and what makes it unique.

"An Introduction to Ecology in a Changing World and an Overview of the Class-Test Process" Hosted by Norton Speakers: Abby Kehoe and Gina Forsythe

An introduction to the book and media features of Ecology in a Changing World, along with a description of the class test process, to try to schedule class testers for spring.

"Engage Your Environmental Science Students Online with InQuizitive" Hosted by Norton Environmental Science Team, June 2020

Keep your students engaged outside of class with What Would You Do? activities and use the InQuizitive gradebook to keep students on track and inform what you review in lecture.

"Environmental Policy, Impacts, and You" Hosted by Daniel J. Sherman, October 2020

Daniel J. Sherman, director of the Sound Policy Institute, will illustrate the ways that environmental policies shape our individual and collective environmental impacts, and then reflect on the ways that individual actions can also influence the adoption of future environmental policies. This webinar is intended for students of environmental science.

"Growing a Revolution" Hosted by David R. Montgomery, October 2020

Norton author David R. Montgomery discusses his journey traveling the world meeting farmers at the forefront of an agricultural movement to restore soil health. From Kansas to Ghana, he explains why adopting the three tenets of conservation agriculture—ditching the plow, planting cover crops, and growing a diversity of crops—is the solution.

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Image Credit: (Illustration) Eric Nyquist
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