Story & Photo By ROBBY GAL

Casa Grande Valley Newspapers

May 06, 2009

PHOTO:  Sixth graders David Burruel and Javier Casares watch a concentrating Marlene Martinez as she makes precision cuts on a pig heart during a dissection led by a university professor using I-Tv technology.

ELOY - Last week, Eloy students got to see what really makes a pig tick.

In St. Louis Missouri, Ray Vollmer, Director of Surgery for Saint Louis University of Medicine, was dissecting a human heart via satellite in a lab at Saint Louis University. At the same time, students from Eloy Jr. High were dissecting pig hearts. 

In the Jr. High School Activities Room, sixth grade teachers Kevin Oursler and Jennifer Barnard took their students through the dissection of pig hearts on Tuesday, April 28. The students from the Junior High were treated to a satellite demonstration, as well as communication from Ray Vollmer. Vollmer's instruction was projected onto a screen the size of the blackboard in front of the classroom packed with students, as he walked them through the procedure. The instruction and lecture was so close and clear that the students felt like Mr. Vollmer was physically in the room with them.

Bill Steber, the Director of the Technology Department at the Jr. High, was able to communicate with Vollmer in real time, and if needed, they could stop the demonstration at any point and give more instruction to the students. Mr. Oursler and Mrs. Barnard walked around giving instruction and observing the students as they navigated their way through the swine muscle. Students randomly raised hands and asked questions throughout the class.

"The students had diagrams and charts of the heart that they studied in preparation for today. They get to use the skills they've been studying today," Mr. Oursler explained as he walked around.

The students were broken up into two groups, so one group could dissect along with Mr. Vollmer and the other group could observe both the satellite dissection and their classmates. Then they switched the operation after one group's completion. In each of the two groups, students were split into four at a table, each table having one pig heart to examine. Students watched their classmates closely, knowing that they were next and tried to catch a few tricks before getting their chance to cut.

"The kids are lucky to have Ray here with them to instruct as well as their teachers. It's not something that everyone gets to do," Steber said excitedly.

The project was a huge success, linking the worlds of science and technology so that the students could have the ultimate in hands-on learning. The classes didn't take the lesson for granted. At all times, they were attentive to their teachers and Mr. Vollmer. All involved seemed very excited by the opportunity given to the sixth graders.

"With their teachers Mr. Oursler and Mrs. Barnard walking around helping them with special instruction, and Ray Vollmer walking them through the dissection, it's quite an opportunity," Steber said.