scholarly journals Correlation between MCAT Biology Content Specifications and Topic Scope and Sequence of General Education College Biology Textbooks

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven W. Rissing
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Science Texts ◽  
College Biology ◽  
Biology Textbooks ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Admissions Test ◽  
Importance Ratings ◽  
Related Science ◽  
Technological World

Most American colleges and universities offer gateway biology courses to meet the needs of three undergraduate audiences: biology and related science majors, many of whom will become biomedical researchers; premedical students meeting medical school requirements and preparing for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT); and students completing general education (GE) graduation requirements. Biology textbooks for these three audiences present a topic scope and sequence that correlates with the topic scope and importance ratings of the biology content specifications for the MCAT regardless of the intended audience. Texts for “nonmajors,” GE courses appear derived directly from their publisher's majors text. Topic scope and sequence of GE texts reflect those of “their” majors text and, indirectly, the MCAT. MCAT term density of GE texts equals or exceeds that of their corresponding majors text. Most American universities require a GE curriculum to promote a core level of academic understanding among their graduates. This includes civic scientific literacy, recognized as an essential competence for the development of public policies in an increasingly scientific and technological world. Deriving GE biology and related science texts from majors texts designed to meet very different learning objectives may defeat the scientific literacy goals of most schools’ GE curricula.

scholarly journals Can an Inquiry Approach Improve College Student Learning in a Teaching Laboratory?

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven W. Rissing ◽  
John G. Cogan
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Laboratory Exercise ◽  
College Biology ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Admissions Test ◽  
Inquiry Approach ◽  
Introductory College Biology ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Science Classes

We present an inquiry-based, hands-on laboratory exercise on enzyme activity for an introductory college biology course for science majors. We measure student performance on a series of objective and subjective questions before and after completion of this exercise; we also measure performance of a similar cohort of students before and after completion of an existing, standard, “direct” exercise over the same topics. Although student performance on these questions increased significantly after completion of the inquiry exercise, it did not increase after completion of the control, standard exercise. Pressure to “cover” many complex topics as preparation for high-stakes examinations such as the Medical College Admissions Test may account for persistence of highly efficient, yet dubiously effective “cookbook” laboratory exercises in many science classes.

Less teaching, more learning: 10-yr study supports increasing student learning through less coverage and more inquiry

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 325-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas B. Luckie ◽  
Jacob R. Aubry ◽  
Benjamin J. Marengo ◽  
Aaron M. Rivkin ◽  
Lindsey A. Foos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Learning ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Introductory Biology ◽  
Student Opinions ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Admissions Test ◽  
Content Coverage ◽  
Classroom Laboratory ◽  
Biology Laboratory ◽  
Increasing Student Learning

In this study, we compared gains in student content learning over a 10-yr period in which the introductory biology laboratory curriculum was changed in two ways: an increase of inquiry and a reduction of content. Three laboratory formats were tested: traditional 1-wk-long cookbook laboratories, two 7-wk-long inquiry laboratories, and one 14-wk-long inquiry laboratory. As the level of inquiry increased, student learning gains on content exams trended upward even while traditional content coverage taught decreased. In a quantitative assessment of content knowledge, students who participated in the 14-wk-long inquiry laboratory format outscored their peers in both 7- and 1-wk-long lab formats on Medical College Admissions Test exam questions (scores of 64.73%, 61.97%, and 53.48%, respectively, P < 0.01). In a qualitative study of student opinions, surveys conducted at the end of semesters where traditional 1-wk laboratories ( n = 167 students) were used had low response rates and predominately negative opinions (only 20% of responses were positive), whereas those who participated in 7-wk ( n = 543) or 14-wk ( n = 308) inquiry laboratories had high response rates and 71% and 96% positive reviews, respectively. In an assessment of traditional content coverage in courses, three indexes were averaged to calculate traditional forms of coverage and showed a decrease by 44% over the study period. We believe that the quantitative and qualitative data support greater student-driven inquiry in the classroom laboratory, which leads to deeper learning in fewer topic areas (less teaching) and can reap gains in scientific thinking and fundamental understanding applicable to a broader range of topic areas (more learning) in introductory biology.

scholarly journals Developing a Test of Scientific Literacy Skills (TOSLS): Measuring Undergraduates’ Evaluation of Scientific Information and Arguments

2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 364-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cara Gormally ◽  
Peggy Brickman ◽  
Mary Lutz
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
National Research Council ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Curricular Reform ◽  
Undergraduate Biology ◽  
Student Demographics ◽  
Information Measures ◽  
Undergraduate Institutions

Life sciences faculty agree that developing scientific literacy is an integral part of undergraduate education and report that they teach these skills. However, few measures of scientific literacy are available to assess students’ proficiency in using scientific literacy skills to solve scenarios in and beyond the undergraduate biology classroom. In this paper, we describe the development, validation, and testing of the Test of Scientific Literacy Skills (TOSLS) in five general education biology classes at three undergraduate institutions. The test measures skills related to major aspects of scientific literacy: recognizing and analyzing the use of methods of inquiry that lead to scientific knowledge and the ability to organize, analyze, and interpret quantitative data and scientific information. Measures of validity included correspondence between items and scientific literacy goals of the National Research Council and Project 2061, findings from a survey of biology faculty, expert biology educator reviews, student interviews, and statistical analyses. Classroom testing contexts varied both in terms of student demographics and pedagogical approaches. We propose that biology instructors can use the TOSLS to evaluate their students’ proficiencies in using scientific literacy skills and to document the impacts of curricular reform on students’ scientific literacy.

scholarly journals Teachers’ approaches to genetics teaching mirror their choice of content and avoidance of sensitive issues

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuomas Aivelo ◽  
Anna Uitto
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Human Genetics ◽  
Upper Secondary School ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Biology Textbooks ◽  
Upper Secondary ◽  
Hereditary Disorders

AbstractThe skills required to understand genetic phenomena and transfer knowledge to real world situations are an important part of 21st century scientific literacy. While socio-scientific issues (SSI) are increasingly emphasised in science curricula, teachers have low interest in adopting SSI in teaching. Little is known about how teachers choose content for their teaching, although this process translates curricula to teaching practice. We explored how teachers choose content and contexts for biology courses on cells, heredity, and biotechnology by interviewing ten Finnish upper-secondary school teachers. We studied how the teachers described teaching on genetically modified organisms, hereditary disorders, and human traits. Teachers’ perceptions on genetics teaching were classified to Developmental, Structural and Hereditary approaches. The approaches were connected not only to the teachers’ perceptions of the more important content, but also teacher inclinations towards teaching genetics in the human context and perceptions of students’ interest in different topics. Teachers’ justified their choices by national, local school, and teacher’s personal-level factors. While teachers mentioned that SSI are important, they were never mentioned among the important contexts. Nevertheless, some teachers embraced teaching genetics in the human context while others avoided them. Teachers justified their avoidance for personal and pedagogical factors, such as their competence in dealing with these contexts. Experience played a part in the approach that teachers had, and contrary to the results of previous research, the less experienced teachers were more open to discussing human genetics. We conclude that curriculum development is important to encourage teachers to adopt more SSI-oriented teaching.Disclosure statementTuomas Aivelo has participated in writing biology textbooks for upper-secondary school biology for eOppi Oy. None of the teachers involved in this study used biology textbooks from eOppi Oy.

The Natural Sciences

2021 ◽  
pp. 227-255
Author(s):  
Philip Kitcher
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
General Education ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Human Population ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Natural Sciences ◽  
Turn On ◽  
Policy Debates ◽  
Material Benefits ◽  
New Research

Part II of the book takes up questions of curriculum, beginning with the natural sciences. The aim throughout Part II is to identify what all students should share. The sciences bring material benefits, not only to the societies out of which new research comes but also to the entire human population. Hence it is important to train young people who can build on past achievements to make new advances in the future. Scientific education is not merely for the few who fill this important role, or even for the larger number who will draw on established science in their daily employment. The results of science should be as widely available as possible, not simply because of the intrinsic value of understanding but, more importantly, because policy debates often turn on scientific details. General education in science should preserve the curiosity most children have, and instill scientific literacy. The chapter argues that this is best done by distinguishing the curriculum for specialists from a broad general education in science, and it formulates concrete proposals for how this might be achieved.

Media-Savvy Scientific Literacy: Developing Critical Evaluation Skills by Investigating Scientific Claims

2012 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 374-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peggy Brickman ◽  
Cara Gormally ◽  
Greg Francom ◽  
Sarah E. Jardeleza ◽  
Virginia G.W. Schutte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Applied Learning ◽  
Education College ◽  
Scientific Claims

Students must learn content knowledge and develop scientific literacy skills to evaluate and use scientific information in real-world situations. Recognizing the accessibility of scientific information to the average citizen, we developed an instructional approach to help students learn how to judge the quality of claims. We describe a project-based applied learning (PAL) approach that utilizes engaging questions about biological issues relevant to students. Working through these projects, students are challenged to evaluate sources of information and communicate their understanding of scientific claims. We discuss challenges that students encounter and offer suggestions for enacting this approach in a general-education college classroom.

scholarly journals Redesigning a General Education Science Course to Promote Critical Thinking

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. ar30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew P. Rowe ◽  
B. Marcus Gillespie ◽  
Kevin R. Harris ◽  
Steven D. Koether ◽  
Li-Jen Y. Shannon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
General Education ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
University Curriculum ◽  
Logical Fallacies ◽  
Scientific Facts ◽  
Education Science ◽  
Scientific Ideas

Recent studies question the effectiveness of a traditional university curriculum in helping students improve their critical thinking and scientific literacy. We developed an introductory, general education (gen ed) science course to overcome both deficiencies. The course, titled Foundations of Science, differs from most gen ed science offerings in that it is interdisciplinary; emphasizes the nature of science along with, rather than primarily, the findings of science; incorporates case studies, such as the vaccine-autism controversy; teaches the basics of argumentation and logical fallacies; contrasts science with pseudoscience; and addresses psychological factors that might otherwise lead students to reject scientific ideas they find uncomfortable. Using a pretest versus posttest design, we show that students who completed the experimental course significantly improved their critical-thinking skills and were more willing to engage scientific theories the general public finds controversial (e.g., evolution), while students who completed a traditional gen ed science course did not. Our results demonstrate that a gen ed science course emphasizing the process and application of science rather than just scientific facts can lead to improved critical thinking and scientific literacy.

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