Staff Sgt. Jenny Krause and Capt. Andrew Kennedy of Fort Sam Houston dissect a pig November 2010 for Human Anatomy and Physiology 2 in the BioSpot lab in Room 305 of Chance. File photo
Faculty schedule part of office hours to work with students at lab.
By Priscilla Galarza
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
For students having trouble understanding their natural science courses, help is available.
Students can get free science tutoring at the BioSpot in Room 350 of Chance Academic Center.
The BioSpot began in the late 1990s when the department wanted to create an environment for students to be able to collaborate, network, study and receive tutoring.
In 2006, the biology department revitalized the area thanks to an Achieving the Dream grant and renamed it the BioSpot.
This semester, the BioSpot has had 2,200 visits.
The multipurpose center that began as a study area has evolved into a tutoring lab, biology Professor Shelly Sheppard said.
“It’s a resource area for students,” she said.
The BioSpot offers tutoring for natural science courses such as physical geology and microbiology.
It also serves as an area for student networking.
“I would say the lab is improving the students’ performance because these students are spending extra time studying and getting tutoring and that is always a positive,” Sheppard said.
Books, lab manuals, models of body systems, microscopes, and educational DVDs are available for checkout with a valid Alamo Colleges ID.
Students also are allowed to book a conference room for group meetings.
The BioSpot has a computer lab that students can use for any course work.
Exam make-ups can be scheduled if a student misses an exam.
Some faculty members of the natural sciences department schedule some of their office hours in the facility to offer assistance on their subjects.
BioSpot Lab hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday
Students should call ahead before visiting the lab because student tutors and faculty members occasionally step out, Sheppard said.
For more information, call 210-486-0860.
