VISION AND CHANGE IN UNDERGRADUATE BIOLOGY EDUCATION: A Call to Action 2009 2011 Carol Brewer AAAS Annual Meeting Feb 2011 2010 C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011 1

Acknowledgments V&C Authors Funders: NSF, HHMI, NIH Conference Advisory Board Hundreds of faculty and administrators Scores of students AAAS staff, especially Yolanda George C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011

Biology is in transition Science education is in transition 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 C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011

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… Frederico Unglaub, Student, University of Colorado … 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 5

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 C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011

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. C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011 7

Disciplinary Practice 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. C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011 8

Connecting Teaching with Learning students as active participants, not passive recipients multiple modes of instruction within a cooperative context courses are active, outcome oriented, inquiry driven, and relevant integrate research experiences as an integral component ongoing, frequent, and multiple forms of feedback and multiple forms of assessment linked to predetermined learning outcomes apply assessment data to improve and enhance the learning environment encourage application of teaching and learning research when developing courses C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011 9

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 must be responsive to the needs of the community for developing tools and approaches to support these changes C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011

An Agenda for Change C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011

An Agenda for Change If not now, when? If not us, then who? C. Brewer, PERG, 2/2011