1. Khrys Duddleston Professor of biological sciences
Biological Sciences: Developing Better Biologists through Coordinated Curriculum Revision and Assessment
Khrys Duddleston
Professor of biological sciences

2. Identify the Problem(s): Faculty Discussions
Concerns and consistent problems
Competencies
Content
Time to completion
Modern biology?
Why these problems?
Disconnect between faculty expectation and student ability at the outset
How we teach
“Old curriculum”: lengthy pre-req chains, too many required classes (labs), too few choices

3. The Solution: Curriculum Revision
Short answer: Change everything
Long answer:
Improve time to completion
Incorporate more choice
Be true to the breadth that is the biological sciences
Change what and how we teach
Active and Experiential Learning
Shift focus toward more concepts and competencies, not just content
Threading and scaffolding throughout the curriculum
Assessment

4. The Solution: Curriculum Revision
Short answer: Change everything
Long answer:
Improve time to completion
Incorporate more choice
Be true to the breadth that is the biological sciences
Change what and how we teach
Active and Experiential Learning
Shift focus toward more concepts and competencies, not just content
Threading and scaffolding throughout the curriculum
Assessment
Short term goals

5. The Solution: Curriculum Revision
Short answer: Change everything
Long answer:
Improve time to completion
Incorporate more choice
Be true to the breadth that is the biological sciences
Change what and how we teach
Active and Experiential Learning
Shift focus toward more concepts and competencies, not just content
Threading and scaffolding throughout the curriculum
Assessment
Long term
goals

6. The Process: “Short Term” Goals
Curriculum retreat in fall 2012
Discuss and vote
Program structure and requirements
Core courses
Come up with a plan
Create subcommittees
Course committees
Disciplinary committees
Create a timeline
Generate paperwork (60 CARs and CCGs!)
Push it through the system
Curriculum began fall 2015

7. The Process: Long Term Goals
Faculty meetings dedicated to curriculum issues
Assessing approaches
Sharing ideas
Faculty meetings dedicated to assessment issues
Student learning outcomes
Where
How

8. The Curriculum: Requirements, Progression
Old
New
Intro I/L
Intro II/L
Cell/L
Ecology/L
Genetics/L
Physiology/L
Evolution
Microbiology/L
Senior Seminar
UD Electives
Intro/EL
Cell
Genetics
Ecology
Evolution
**EL
Senior Seminar
Phys Electives
Eco/Evo Electives
Cell/Gen Electives
UG Research
ELs
UG Research

9. Long Term Goals: Teaching and SLOs
Vision and Change (and the biologist of the 21st century) [1]
Concepts vs Content
Experiential Learning
Student Learning Outcomes
Demonstrate an understanding of the core concepts in the biological sciences: evolution; structure and function relationships; information flow, exchange and storage; transformation of energy and matter.
Apply the process of science and construct knowledge through observations, experimentation, quantitative reasoning and hypothesis testing.
Read, analyze and synthesize primary literature, and communicate scientific concepts and data in written and oral form.
[1] Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action AAAS

10. SLOs: Threading Concepts
Demonstrate an understanding of the core concepts in the biological sciences: evolution; structure and function relationships; information flow, exchange and storage; transformation of energy and matter
BIOL A108 Principles and Methods in Biology
Team taught, module (3) based
Module 1: Evolution plus 1 more concept
Module 2: Two concepts
Module 3: Two concepts
Sophomore level requirements: Concepts within discipline-specific content
Upper division selectives/electives: Concepts within discipline-specific content
Senior seminar: Write a proposal: demonstrate conceptual and content knowledge

11. SLOs: Scaffolding Competencies
Apply the process of science and construct knowledge through observations, experimentation, quantitative reasoning and hypothesis testing
BIOL A108: Each module develops competencies in hypothesis development and testing, experimental design, data collection and analysis
Sophomore and upper division Els build and further develop competencies within a disciplinary context
Authentic research experiences, increased independence
Increased expectation
Undergraduate research
Senior Seminar: Write and defend a proposal

12. SLOs: Threading and Scaffolding
Read, analyze and synthesize primary literature, and communicate scientific concepts and data in written and oral form
BIOL 108: Scientific writing and oral presentations
Sophomore level lectures: analyze literature, writing within the disciplines
Sophomore level ELs: writing and presenting original data in the disciplines
Upper division/UG Research: analyze literature, lead discussions, oral and written communication, research presentations and papers
Senior Seminar: Write a proposal, present and defend to the class

13. Integrated Assessment: Still in Development
ePortfolios
Assess through required courses in the program via artifacts uploaded by students into ePortfolios
Concepts
Competencies
Content
Program exit exam
Enable comparison to old curriculum