Core Course Review Documentation
Foundational Component Area: LIFE & PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Component Area Option? No
Yes Cultural & Global Understanding
Yes Undergraduate Inquiry & Creativity
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Proposed Course: BIOL 1144 General Zoology
Credit Hours: 4
Proposed by: Department of Biology
Date: September 17, 2012
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 involves the study of the vast diversity of life in the Kingdom Animalia (all major phyla)
and related protists as well as emphasis on compared anatomy, morphology, physiology, and
ecological relationships among those groups being studied.
SKILLS: Courses involve the understanding of interactions among natural phenomena and the
implications of scientific principles on the physical world and on human experiences.
Students in this course will:
- Learn about phylogenetic relationships among animals and protists and their
classification.
- Learn about the medical and economic importance of certain animals and protists.
- Develop basic laboratory skills necessary for success in further studies in the biological
sciences.
- Develop an appreciation and understanding of what science is and how it is conducted.
- Develop an appreciation and understanding of what biological evolution is and how it
proceeds as a continuum.
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), 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 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 includes identifying a problem, gathering data/evidence, developing
their own hypothesis, testing their hypothesis, forming conclusions based on the data
and outcome of their testing. This is the level of expectation of achievement in the
sciences for a freshman core class concerning this learning objective.
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 an animal or protist that was not
covered in class or lab. A standardized rubric will be used to assess the communication
skills required for assembling and presenting the poster (attachment: General Zoology
Poster Presentation).
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These assessment tools will be used to determine if a student has exceeded the
“benchmark” status of written, oral, and visual communication as set by the AACU in
their Written and Oral Communication VALUE rubrics (attached). This includes
numerous aspects of these objectives such as organization, use of sources as support,
use of proper scientific language, informative writing, etc. This is the level of
expectation of achievement in the sciences for a freshman core class concerning these
learning objectives.
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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Students will perform an exercise involving 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
assessment.
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This exercise will be used to determine if a student has demonstrated at least the
“benchmark” status of quantitative skills as set by the AACU in their Quantitative
Literacy VALUE rubric (attached). This includes ability to calculate, interpret numerical
data, convert, represent, and communicate numerical data through tables and graphs,
and use numerical data to make and support a point. This is the level of expectation of
achievement for a freshman core class concerning this learning objective.
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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Students will work in groups to construct and present posters. Students will be
grouped by random selection to develop fair, unbiased groupings of students.
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Students will each evaluate their perceived percentage contribution to the poster by
each student in their group as well as themselves. Students will also assess the quality
of 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: General Zoology Poster Presentation).
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Students will work in groups while performing observations of preserved and living
protist and animal specimens under the microscope as well as while conducting
dissections of select animal specimens throughout the semester. Laboratory teaching
assistants will observe students’ group performance over the course of the semester
and subjectively assess that performance based on observations of the students to
assign a grade for teamwork at the end of the semester (attachment: TA Evaluation of
Student Teamwork in a Course).
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These assessment tools 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 (attached). This includes sharing ideas, exhibiting collegiality, and
showing responsibility in completing a task by deadline within a group. This is the
level of expectation of achievement for a freshman core class concerning this learning
objective.
Core Course Review Documentation
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