Skip to main content

Dr. Lori J. Kayes

Dr. Lori J. Kayes

Associate Department Head, Director of Undergraduate Studies
BI22x Course Coordinator and Senior Instructor II
Department of Integrative Biology
Oregon State University

Image
Photo of Lori Kayes with students.

Course Coordination

I am currently the Co-Coordinator for BI22x at Oregon State University. I oversee all aspects of the instruction of Principles of Biology (BI22x), the life-science majors introductory biology course. Some of my responsibilities include: preparing curricular materials, including the course laboratory manual; organizing and leading weekly GTA preparation sessions; mentoring GTAs in teaching; assist with GTA professional development program; teaching the undergraduate teaching intern (UTI) course that accompanies BI22X; preparing and delivering lectures in BI221; designing and preparing Mastering Biology and laboratory assignment; preparing grading rubrics for GTAs; proofing and administring exams; compiling and managing grades; managing course Blackboard sites; developing and maintaining course policies; overseeing the BI22x prep staff; and maintaining biology facilities and supplies.

Current Research

Biology Education Research/Best Practices in Teaching

I am interested in the way that we teach large lecture (500+) course and the challenges associate with our growing student body. We have been examining the effectiveness of implementation of evidence-based teaching practices in large lecture classes. Some examples of this work and others:

  1. With Krissi Hewitt (College of Education, Science College Teaching), we have been assessing the effectiveness of implementing inquiry-based and issues-based curriculum into lower-division biology laboratories with interest in student engagement and motivation.
  2. With the Northwest Biosciences Consortium, we received an NSF – Research Coordination Network in Undergraduate Biology Education grant with faculty from 6 different undergraduate institution across the Willamette Valley to work towards the implementation and integration of the AAAS Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education across a board spectrum of institution types in the Pacific Northwest. With this grant, we will create and expand the Northwest Biosciences Consortium to create a regional database of instructional, assessment, and pedagogical information.
  3. As part of Oregon State's NSF WIDER grant (PI Milo Koretsky) together with Devon Quick and Dennis Bennet, we aim to increase the use of peer teaching to facilitate active learning activities in the large lecture. To accomplish this we are developing a Learning Assistant program to train successful undergraduate in peer facilitation and utilize them in our classroom.
  4. Together with Adam Chouinard, we run a GTA development seminar to train the 29 GTAs (from Integrative Biology and many other departments across campus) per term that teach in our course about best practices in teaching.

Forest Ecology Research

I am interested in how land management and anthropogenic based change effects native vegetation and plant communities. Specifically, I am interested in how communities and species change due to disturbance (fire and insect outbreaks). I am also incorporating a study of invasive species removal effects on plant communities into our BI22x lab curriculum.

Contact Information

Office: 117 Weniger Hall
E-mail: Lori.kayes@oregonstate.edu
Phone: 541-737-1734

Mailing Address

Lori Kayes
Department of Integrative Biology
Oregon State University
3029 Cordley Hall
Corvallis, Oregon 97331

Courses

Bi221 - I coordinate and co-instruct the fall and summer Bi221

Bi222 - I coordinate the fall and summer Bi222

Bi223 - I coordinate the spring and summer Bi223

Bi409 - I instruct the BI409 - BI22x Undergraduate Teaching Internship and Learning Assistant Program

IB512 - I assist with the planning of the GTA Teaching Professional Development Program that is associated with this course

Previous courses taught

BI213 - Principles of Biology (team taught, I taught evolution and ecology portion)

BI211 - Principles of BIology (team taught, I taught animal diversity portion)

GRAD561 - Course Design and Methods of College and University Teaching - part of the Graduate Certificate in College and University Teaching