Paula Wilson

Teaching Interests and Scholarship

Teaching Interests and Scholarship
I am a cell biologist, with an interest and research background in the cytoskeleton and cell motility. I teach primarily large first and second year biology courses with some experience teaching peer leadership. As a professor in the teaching stream my career has focussed on undergraduate teaching, curriculum development and administration. My current interests are in undergraduate science education, transition to university and first year experience.

My scholarship has focused on a number of aspects of undergraduate teaching:

• Best practises for teaching large undergraduate biology courses
• Effective use of evidence-based approaches to teaching
• Helping students develop learning & metacognitive skills
• Inclusive teaching practises and laboratory experiences
• Exploring the changing workload associated with changes in science teaching

As the current Head of Bethune College, my responsibilities and interests include:

• Academic orientation
• First year experience and transition
• Academic support programs (supplemental instruction, peer mentoring, etc)
• Helping students develop peer leadership skills

Much of my work is collaborative in nature because, well, it’s just more fun.

Teaching Awards

• 2017 York University, Faculty of Science Excellence in Teaching Award
• 2020 York University, President’s University-Wide Teaching Award

External Activities

Past President and Treasurer of the Open Consortium for Biology Educators (oCUBE)

Research Areas