Core Course Review Documentation
Foundational Component Area: LIFE & PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Component Area Option? No
Proposed Course: NEW Introduction to Biology (Proposed as BIOL 1103).
Credit Hours: 3 (2-2)
Proposed by: Department of Biology
Date: January 25, 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 explain biology in simpler terms to incoming freshmen students with
virtually no background in the biological sciences. The students will be able to utilize this
knowledge in their everyday lives and use this course as a stepping stone to other courses in
biology.
The lecture component of this course will provide the student with knowledge and understanding
of basic concepts in biology to include the Scientific Method, Cell, Genetics, Evolution, Origin of Life,
Taxonomy and Systematics, Kingdoms of Living Organisms, and Ecology.
The laboratory component of this course will correlate with the concepts taught in the lecture and
provide students with the understanding of the experimental side of biology.
SKILLS: Courses involve the understanding of interactions among natural phenomena and the
implications of scientific principles on the physical world and on human experiences.
At the culmination of this course, the students will be able to:
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Understand the ways in which science (i.e. biology in particular) impacts their lives
Demonstrate effective use of a compound microscope
Demonstrate the utilization of the Scientific Method in their laboratory exercises and
projects
Know and explain the different parts of the cell
Understand how genetics plays a part in: inheritance of characteristics, evolution, human
variation, and population dynamics
Understand the diversity of living organisms in existence in our world and the cause of such
diversity
Understand what role environmental factors and ecological relationships play in natural
selection and the survival of species
Understand the importance of ecology to life on earth in general
Possess the ability to work as a member of a team in a small laboratory group
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
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Using the exercise for performing quantitative skills (attachment: Metric Measurement
and the Scientific Method) taken from the lab manual used for this course, the scientific
method will be incorporated in which the 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 exercises. 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.
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This exercise includes identifying a problem, gathering data/evidence, developing
their own hypothesis, testing their hypothesis, and forming conclusions based on the
data and outcome of their testing. The exercise will be used to determine if a student
has exceeded the “benchmark” status of critical thinking as set by the AACU in their
Critical Thinking VALUE rubric (attached). This is the level of expectation of
achievement in the sciences for a freshman core class concerning this learning
objective. Four rows of the Critical Thinking Rubric will be used: Explanation of Issues,
Evidence, Student’s Position, and Conclusions and Related Outcomes.
Communication Skills - to include effective development, interpretation and expression of ideas
through written, oral, and visual communication
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Students will conduct poster presentations about a case study of interest. The student’s
grade will be determined using a standardized rubric for assembling and presenting
the poster (attachments: Introduction to Biology Poster Instructions and Introduction
to Biology Poster Presentation Rubric), but the core assessment will be from the AACU
rubrics mentioned below.
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This activity includes numerous aspects of the core objective such as organization, use
of sources as support, use of proper scientific language, informative writing, etc., and
will be used to determine if a student has exceeded the “benchmark” status of written
and oral communication as set by the AACU in their Written Communication and Oral
Communication VALUE rubrics (attached). This is the level of expectation of
achievement in the sciences for a freshman core class concerning these learning
objectives. Three rows of the Oral Communication Rubric will be used: Organization,
Language and Supporting Material. Three rows of the Written Communication Rubric
will be used: Content Development, Sources and Evidence, and Control of Syntax and
Mechanics.
Core Course Review Documentation
Empirical and Quantitative Skills - to include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or
observable facts resulting in informed conclusions
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As previously mentioned under the Critical Thinking Core Objective, students will
perform an exercise from the lab manual that involves metric conversions,
measurements and calculations of quantitative data while incorporating the scientific
method (attachment: Metric Measurement and the Scientific Method). Grading of the
exercise will be used for this assessment.
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This activity includes the ability to interpret numerical data, properly calculate,
convert, represent, and communicate numerical data through tables and graphs, as
well as use numerical data to make and support a point. This exercise will be used to
determine if a student has demonstrated at least the “benchmark” status of empirical
and quantitative skills as set by the AACU in their Quantitative Literacy VALUE rubric
(attached). This is the level of expectation of achievement for a freshman core class
concerning this learning objective. Five rows of the Quantitative Literacy Rubric will
used: Interpretation, Representation, Calculation, Application/Analysis, and
Communication.
Teamwork - to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with
others to support a shared purpose or goal
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Individual student evaluation of the teamwork objective will become a component of
the student’s grade for laboratory (10% of their lab grade for the course). Students will
each evaluate their perceived percentage contribution to the poster by each student in
their group as well as themselves. This will incorporate a “self-assessment” component
of teamwork (attachment: Student Evaluation of Contribution to Poster Presentation).
This individual assessment for teamwork will be incorporated into the grading rubric
for poster presentations (attachment: Introduction to Biology Poster Presentation
Rubric). This grading rubric will be used for grading purposes, but the core assessment
will be performed as described below.
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The specific assessment for teamwork will be the student’s work in groups to
construct and present posters, as previously mentioned under the Communication
Core Objective. This includes sharing ideas, exhibiting collegiality, and showing
responsibility in completing a task by deadline within a group. Students will be
grouped by random selection to develop fair, unbiased groupings of students. This
activity will be used to determine if a student has demonstrated at least the
“benchmark” status of teamwork as set by the AACU in their Teamwork VALUE rubric
Core Course Review Documentation
(attached). This is the level of expectation of achievement for a freshman core class
concerning this learning objective. Three rows of the Teamwork Rubric will used:
Contributes to Team Meetings, Facilitates the Contributions of Team Members, and
Fosters Constructive Team Climate.
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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