Core Course Review Documentation
Foundational Component Area: COMPONENT AREA OPTION
(Follows the core objectives of Life & Physical Sciences)
Component Area Option? Yes Undergraduate Inquiry & Creativity
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Proposed Course: NEW Interdisciplinary Science Research Course - SCIE 2103
Credit Hours:
3 (1-3)
Proposed by:
Magaly Rincon-Zachary & Michael Shipley
Date:
January 7, 2013
Please document how the proposed course meets each of the following requirements. (You
may provide a written explanation or copy and paste the appropriate information from the
syllabus.)
Content: Courses in this category focus on describing, explaining, and predicting natural phenomena
using the scientific method.
This course is intended to provide students, under faculty member supervision, the opportunity to
create, inquire, discover, and conduct research. Students should walk away from the course with an
understanding of what scientists do. It is designed to provide an overview of the sciences and
engineering by introducing students to fundamental research methods. This course is interdisciplinary,
meshing together the fields of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental
Science, and the Geosciences. The course takes the modular approach, with each module consisting of
various learning activities that often have a consistent theme. Scientific writing will be an additional area
of focus in the course. In the learning activities, data will be generated that students can manipulate in a
variety of ways. The course employs activity-based, guided-discovery methods to investigate the various
aspects of science and technology.
SKILLS: Courses involve the understanding of interactions among natural phenomena and the
implications of scientific principles on the physical world and on human experiences.
By investigating basic science concepts, students will develop an appreciation for the role of science and
technology in their lives and in society, and acquire an understanding of how investigative research is
performed. It is a further goal to instill confidence and interest in using similar methods of discovery for
students to utilize throughout their career. In the laboratory portion, students develop skills in
evaluating the chemical and physical principles associated with biological, chemical and physical
phenomena. Skills include the use of a variety of instruments such as a microscope, pH meter, UV-visual
spectrophotometer, and several other methodologies. It is a goal to instill how to apply the scientific
method, properly make solutions, calibrate instruments and follow scientific protocols, run computer
simulations, and organize and present information to a group. Students develop interpersonal skills by
working with instructors and laboratory partners.
Core Course Review Documentation
ASSESSMENT OF CORE OBJECTIVES: Assessments should be authentic, intentional and
direct. The following four Core Objectives must be addressed in each course approved to fulfill this
category requirement:
Critical Thinking Skills - to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation
and synthesis of information.
In the learning activity for Risk Management for the module on Water (see attached syllabus and
attachment: Water Module Environmental Science), students will use their five senses to evaluate
water containing various non-toxic contaminants. Our senses provide the first line of defense to water
contamination, which can occur by various transmission pathways (e.g. through surface water,
groundwater, and food). Students will learn that pollutants are not always obvious and will show that
not all contaminants pose a health risk. They will record and analyze observations. Students will then
compare these simple methods of water purity evaluation to those employed by scientists, who have
developed tests to see if various substances, whether harmful or beneficial, naturally occurring or not,
are present in water. These tests, which are part of risk assessment, involve the use of tools to
measure substances or properties that humans cannot sense directly.
Using this exercise, students make observations, construct hypotheses, make precise measurements,
test hypotheses, and evaluate data they collected. This will be assessed based on the grading of the
lab exercise. This includes identifying the problem, gathering data/evidence, developing their own
hypothesis, testing their hypothesis, and forming conclusions based on the data and outcome of their
testing. Student introduction to using the scientific method and applying it to a simplistic situation as
presented in the exercise should inherently help students in the development of critical thinking skills
that are intrinsic to science. This exercise will be used to determine if a student has met or exceeded
the Milestones #2 status of critical thinking as set by the AACU in their Critical Thinking VALUE rubric
(attached). Rows 1 (Explanation of issues), 2 (Evidence), and 5 (Conclusions and related outcomes)
will specifically be used in the evaluation.
Communication Skills - to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas
through written, oral, and visual communication.
Scientific writing and the exploration of the scientific literature is one of the focuses of this course. Goals
include familiarizing the student with primary literature in various disciplines of science and engineering
and exploring effective means of presentation of scientific results in written form. In the module on
Water: Environmental Science focus, there is a learning activity for Water Sampling in the Field (see
attached syllabus and attachment: Water Module Environmental Science). In this laboratory, students
will learn protocols for observing dissolved oxygen, temperature, electrical conductivity, pH, and water
transparency in a field setting. They will observe, record, analyze, and present data, and compare
results with teams from multiple sites. Students will write individual lab reports on the data acquired
from their sampling site, and will employ skills learned in the Scientific Writing module. This exercise will
be used to determine if a student has met or exceeded the Milestones #2 status of writing as set by the
Core Course Review Documentation
AACU in their Written Communication VALUE rubric (attached). All rows of the rubric will be used in
the evaluation.
Empirical and Quantitative Skills - to include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or
observable facts resulting in informed conclusions.
Individuals with good quantitative literacy skills possess the ability to reason and solve numerical
problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations. In the module on Water:
Chemistry focus, there is a learning activity for Analysis of Fluoride Ions in Drinking Water (see attached
syllabus and attachment: Water Module Chemistry). In this investigation, fluoride will quantitatively
analyzed through the reaction with a red colored compound. UV-visible spectrophotometer will be
utilized to find the concentration of fluoride ions in drinking water. Students will have the chance to
prepare a standard curve of known concentrations of fluoride and will determine their unknown
concentration through graphical methods. This exercise will be used to determine if a student has met
or exceeded the Milestones #2 status as set by the AACU in their Quantitative Literacy VALUE rubric
(attached). All rows of the rubric will be used in the evaluation.
Teamwork - to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with
others to support a shared purpose or goal.
The ability to work together as a team is required for most of the learning activities in this course. The
specific activity that will be used to assess teamwork will be the final one in the syllabus,
Determination of Sodium Ions in Natural Water (see attached syllabus and attachment: Water
Module Chemistry). Students will work in groups to use a series of standard solutions to obtain the
calibration curve and then use the calibration curve to determine the unknown concentration of
sodium ions in natural water. The instructor will observe the various roles played by each individual
during the laboratory session, and will determine if each student has met or exceeded the Milestones
#2 status as set by the AACU in their Teamwork VALUE rubric (attached). Rows 1 (Contributes to team
meetings), 2 (Facilitates the contributions of team members), and 4 (Fosters constructive team
climate) will specifically be used in the evaluation.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Provide any additional information supporting course
inclusion in the core (optional).
PLEASE ATTACH THE FOLLOWING
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Syllabus
Assessment for Critical Thinking Skills
Assessment for Communication Skills
Assessment for Empirical & Quantitative Skills
Assessment for Teamwork