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Orr RB, Gormally C, Brickman P. A Road Map for Planning Course Transformation Using Learning Objectives. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2024; 23:es4. [PMID: 38771262 PMCID: PMC11235115 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.23-06-0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The Vision and Change report called for biology educators to transform undergraduate biology education. The report recommended educators transparently state what students should know and be able to do and create assessments to measure student learning. Using backward design, learning objectives (LOs) can serve as the basis for course transformation. In this essay, we present a roadmap for planning successful course transformations synthesized from the literature. We identified three categories of critical features for successful course transformation. First, establishing a sense of urgency and offering faculty incentives to engage in this time-consuming work creates a needed climate for change. Second, departments are empowered in this process by including key stakeholders, building faculty teams to work collaboratively to identify LOs used to drive pedagogical change, develop assessment strategies, and engage in professional development efforts to support the process. Third, there must be intentional effort to manage resistance and ensure academic freedom and creativity in the classroom. General recommendations as well as areas for further research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca B. Orr
- Collin College, Collin Virtual Campus, McKinney, TX 75069
| | - Cara Gormally
- School of Science, Technology, Accessibility, Mathematics, and Public Health, Gallaudet University, Washington, DC 20002
| | - Peggy Brickman
- University of Georgia, Department of Plant Biology, Athens, GA 30602
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Adams PE, Granados E, Beatty AE, Ballen CJ. Teaching at the intersection of science and society: An activity on healthcare disparities. Biol Methods Protoc 2024; 9:bpad041. [PMID: 38304400 PMCID: PMC10833140 DOI: 10.1093/biomethods/bpad041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the relationship between science and society is an objective of science education and is included as a core competency in the AAAS Vision and Change guidelines for biology education. However, traditional undergraduate biology instruction emphasizes scientific practice and generally avoids potentially controversial issues at the intersection of biology and society. By including these topics in biology coursework, instructors can challenge damaging ideologies and systemic inequalities that have influenced science, such as biological essentialism and health disparities. Specifically, an ideologically aware curriculum highlights how ideologies and paradigms shape our biological knowledge base and the application of that knowledge. Ideologically aware lessons emphasize the relationship between science and society with an aim to create more transparent, scientifically accurate, and inclusive postsecondary biology classrooms. Here we expand upon our ideologically aware curriculum with a new activity that challenges undergraduate biology students to consider the impacts of healthcare disparities. This lesson allows instructors to directly address systemic inequalities and allows students to connect biomedical sciences to real-world issues. Implementing an ideologically aware curriculum enables students to challenge prevailing worldviews and better address societal problems that lead to exclusion and oppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula E Adams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Enya Granados
- Department of Curriculum and Teaching, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Abby E Beatty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
- Department of Biology, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, USA
| | - Cissy J Ballen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
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Beatty AE, Driessen EP, Clark AD, Costello RA, Ewell S, Fagbodun S, Klabacka RL, Lamb T, Mulligan K, Henning JA, Ballen CJ. Biology Instructors See Value in Discussing Controversial Topics but Fear Personal and Professional Consequences. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2023; 22:ar28. [PMID: 37279089 PMCID: PMC10424229 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.22-06-0108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Traditional biology curricula depict science as an objective field, overlooking the important influence that human values and biases have on what is studied and who can be a scientist. We can work to address this shortcoming by incorporating ideological awareness into the curriculum, which is an understanding of biases, stereotypes, and assumptions that shape contemporary and historical science. We surveyed a national sample of lower-level biology instructors to determine 1) why it is important for students to learn science, 2) the perceived educational value of ideological awareness in the classroom, and 3) hesitancies associated with ideological awareness implementation. We found that most instructors reported "understanding the world" as the main goal of science education. Despite the perceived value of ideological awareness, such as increasing student engagement and dispelling misconceptions, instructors were hesitant to implement ideological awareness modules due to potential personal and professional consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abby E. Beatty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849
| | - Emily P. Driessen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849
| | - Amanda D. Clark
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849
| | - Robin A. Costello
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849
| | - Sharday Ewell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849
| | - Sheritta Fagbodun
- Office of Inclusion, Equity and Diversity, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849
| | - Randy L. Klabacka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849
| | - Todd Lamb
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849
| | | | | | - Cissy J. Ballen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849
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Chen A, Phillips KA, Schaefer JE, Sonner PM. Community-Derived Core Concepts for Neuroscience Higher Education. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2023; 22:ar18. [PMID: 36862801 PMCID: PMC10228273 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.22-02-0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Core concepts provide a framework for organizing facts and understanding in neuroscience higher education curricula. Core concepts are overarching principles that identify patterns in neuroscience processes and phenomena and can be used as a foundational scaffold for neuroscience knowledge. The need for community-derived core concepts is pressing, because both the pace of research and number of neuroscience programs are rapidly expanding. While general biology and many subdisciplines within biology have identified core concepts, neuroscience has yet to establish a community-derived set of core concepts for neuroscience higher education. We used an empirical approach involving more than 100 neuroscience educators to identify a list of core concepts. The process of identifying neuroscience core concepts was modeled after the process used to develop physiology core concepts and involved a nationwide survey and a working session of 103 neuroscience educators. The iterative process identified eight core concepts and accompanying explanatory paragraphs. The eight core concepts are abbreviated as communication modalities, emergence, evolution, gene-environment interactions, information processing, nervous system functions, plasticity, and structure-function. Here, we describe the pedagogical research process used to establish core concepts for the neuroscience field and provide examples on how the core concepts can be embedded in neuroscience education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Chen
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697
| | | | - Jennifer E. Schaefer
- Department of Biology, College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University, Collegeville, MN 56321
| | - Patrick M. Sonner
- Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435
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Clark N, Hsu JL. Insight from Biology Program Learning Outcomes: Implications for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2023; 22:ar5. [PMID: 36637376 PMCID: PMC10074271 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.22-09-0177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Learning goals and objectives are a key part of instruction, informing curricular design, assessment, and learning. These goals and objectives are also applied at the programmatic level, with program learning outcomes (PLOs) providing insight into the skills that undergraduate biology programs intend for their students to master. PLOs are mandated by all major higher education accreditation agencies and play integral roles in programmatic assessment. Despite their importance, however, there have not been any prior attempts to characterize PLOs across undergraduate biology programs in the United States. Our study reveals that many programs may not be using PLOs to communicate learning goals with students. We also identify key themes across these PLOs and differences in skills listed between institution types. For example, some Vision & Change core competencies (e.g., interdisciplinary nature of science; connecting science to society; quantitative reasoning) are highlighted by a low percentage of programs, while others are shared more frequently between programs. Similarly, we find that biology programs at 4-year institutions likely emphasize PLOs relating to computational skills and research more than at 2-year institutions. We conclude by discussing implications for how to best use PLOs to support student learning, assessment, and curricular improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelle Clark
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866
| | - Jeremy L. Hsu
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866
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