The AAAS Community College Forum:Lessons Learned about Biotechnology Education

Carol Brewer, University of Montana

AAAS Annual Meeting

Feb 2011

C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011

Acknowledgments• V&C Authors

• NSF, HHMI, NIH

• Conference Advisory Board

• Hundreds of faculty and administrators

• Scores of students

• AAAS staff, especially Yolanda George

C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011

WHY CHANGE? WHY NOW?

Biology is in transition

Science education is in transition

Society is in transition

Great need for biologically literate citizens

Education must change to meet the promise of science to society in the future

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Vision and Change Initiative

Seven conversations held around the nation in 2007 - 2008 to identify issues and needs in undergraduate biology education

Nearly 600 biology faculty, researchers, administrators, and students from around the country attend July 2009 Vision and Change Conference

C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011

Frederico Unglaub, Student, University of Colorado

• Challenge us

• Help us develop critical thinking, analytical and communication skills

• Provide opportunities for research experiences and/or designing our own experiments

• Use analogies, NOT jargon

• Make it relevant

What Students Said…

… Tie what we’re learning into the Big Picture. Why is this important? Where did this come from (i.e., original literature)? Where does it fit in real life? And how does this

relate to what we’re learning in other classes? ….

C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011

Identifying Core Concepts and Competencies, Best Practices and Teaching Innovations,

Tools for Change

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Concepts and Competencies

Core Concepts Overarching principles relevant throughout

living world

Lend meaning and organize facts

Core Competencies Relate to the practice of biology

Relevant skills

Core Concepts and Competencies Linked with Well-Defined learning Outcomes and Assessment

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Core Concepts for Biological Literacy

1. EVOLUTION: The diversity of life evolved over time by processes of mutation, selection, and genetic change.

2. STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: Basic units of structure define the function of all living things.

3. INFORMATION FLOW, EXCHANGE, AND STORAGE: The growth and behavior of organisms are activated through the expression of genetic information in context.

4. PATHWAYS AND TRANSFORMATIONS OF ENERGY AND MATTER: Biological systems grow and change by processes based upon chemical transformation pathways and are governed by the laws of thermodynamics. 5. SYSTEMS: Living systems are interconnected and interacting.

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Core Competencies and Disciplinary Practice

1. ABILITY TO APPLY THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE: Biology is evidence based and grounded in the formal practices of observation, experimentation, and hypothesis testing.

2. ABILITY TO USE QUANTITATIVE REASONING: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning.

3. ABILITY TO USE MODELING AND SIMULATION: Biology focuses on the study of complex systems.

4. ABILITY TO TAP INTO THE INTERDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF SCIENCE: Biology is an interdisciplinary science.

5. ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE WITH OTHER DISCIPLINES: Biology is a collaborative scientific discipline.

6. ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCIENCE AND SOCIETY: Biology is conducted in a societal context.

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Student-Centered Classrooms and Learning Outcomes

• Research experiences are integral for all students, regardless of major

• Active, outcome-oriented, inquiry-driven and relevant courses

• Define learning goals and align assessments to focus on conceptual understanding - use data to improve and enhance learning

• Apply assessment data to improve and enhance the learning environment.

• Encourage application of teaching and learning research when developing courses.

• Ignite the passion for learning in our studentsC. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011

Key Messages from Vision and Change

• Biology courses play critical role in undergraduate education for all students

• Students must be active, engaged partners in the educational mission of their campus

• Faculty need communities focused on teaching and learning

• Administrators must emphasize demonstrable excellence in teaching and learning in their strategic plans and value, promote, and reward teaching excellence

• Professional societies can increase awareness of the critical nature of undergraduate biology education, and contribute to the professional development of their members in this arena.

• Funding agencies can value teaching and learning via review criteria in grant applications

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VISION AND CHANGE IN UNDERGRADUATE BIOLOGY EDUCATION:

A Call to Action

2009

2010

2011

C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011