Anthony DePass
Long Island University
Vision & Change Conference Advisory Board
Chairs
Carol A. Brewer – University of Montana
Alan I. Leshner – AAAS
Members
Peter J. Bruns - HHMI
Ingrid C. Burke - University of Wyoming
Alan P. Covich – University of Georgia
Lynn W. Enquist – Princeton Neuroscience Inst
Louis J. Gross - University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Felicia Keesing - Bard College
Jay B. Labov – NAS/National Research Council
Thomas Pollard –Yale University
Cliff Poodry - NIH
Mary Poss – Pennsylvania State University
Muriel E. Poston – Skidmore College
Robert S. Seville – University of Wyoming
Daniel Udovic - University of Oregon
Thomas A. Woolsey – Washington University St. Louis
Maria Elena Zavala - Cal State University Northridge
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2007 AAAS, NSF, HHMI, and NIH supported
regional conversations
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>200 faculty administrators and other
stakeholders nationwide
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How do we improve biology education to better
prepare undergraduates for the biology related
challenges of the 21st century?
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July 2009 NSF and AAAS host invitational
conference on Vision and Change in
Undergraduate Biology
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>500 biology faculty, administrators, professional
society reps, students and postdocs
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Aim- to develop recommendations about….
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What students should know and be able to do for
biology curriculum
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Innovative pedagogy and integration of authentic
research experience
Faculty professional development
Institutional level changes
Tools to facilitate and support change
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A Summary of
Recommendations
From the
National Conference
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Evolution
Pathways and transformation of energy and
matter
Information flow, exchange, and storage
Structure and function
Systems
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Undergraduates need to understand the process
of science
Interdisciplinary nature of the “new biology”
The role of science in society
and have
Competence in communication and collaboration
Some level of quantitative competency
A basic ability to understand and interpret data.
Experience with:
! Modeling
! Simulation
! Computational and systems-level approaches to
biological discovery
Student centered classrooms and learning
outcomes
! Active
! Include research activities
! Real world examples
! On going effective feedback and assessment to improve
student learning
! View assessment of the course as similar to scientific
research
Faculty’s passion for the subject can drive change if
they can be shown what to try and much more the
students understand
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Editors: Carol A. Brewer and Diane Smith
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Co-Authors: Cynthia Bauerle, Anthony DePass,
David Lynn, Clare O’Connor, Susan Singer, and
Michelle Withers
And
Charles A. Anderson, Sam Donovan, Shawn
Drew, Diane Ebert-May, Louis Gross, Sally G.
Hoskins, Jay Labov, David Lopatto, Will
McClatchey, Pratibha Varma-Nelson, Nancy
Pelaez, Muriel Poston, Kimberly Tanner, David
Wessner, Harold White, William Wood, and Daniel
Wubah
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UNDERGRADUATE BIOLOGY EDUCATION FOR ALL
STUDENTS
CULTIVATING BIOLOGICAL LITERACY
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STUDENT-CENTERED UNDERGRADUATE BIOLOGY
EDUCATION
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PREPARING CAMPUSES FOR THE CHALLENGES
AHEAD
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UNITY OF PURPOSE
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College students usually take at least one biology
course
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Students need to be informed citizens
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Unique opportunity and responsibility to impart
understanding science as a way to learn about the
natural world
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Growing body of evidence on how students learn
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Approaches to better engage URM
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Reliance on lectures and text books for
encyclopedic coverage
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Student miss out on cutting edge discoveries that
make biology exciting
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5 organizing themes………
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Accompanying competences and disciplinary
practices
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Evolution- All diversity of life evolved over time by
processes of mutation, selection and genetic
change
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Structure and Function- Basic units of structure
define the function of all living things
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Information flow, exchange, and storage- The
growth and behavior of organisms are enacted
though expression of genetic information in
context
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Pathways and transformation of energy and
matter- Biological systems grow and change by
processes based upon chemical transformation
pathways, and are governed by the laws of
thermodynamics
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Systems-Living systems are interconnected and
interacting
FEWER CONCEPTS, GREATER DEPTH
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Shift focus from faculty centered teaching to
student centered learning
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Revision of course curriculum based on evidence
of student learning-ASSESSMENTS
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Engage students in critical thinking
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Give ongoing frequent, and multiple forms of
feedback
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Incorporate research (SURE survey)
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Possible even for large classes!
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Professional development for biology faculty
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Roles for Professional Societies
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Developing future faculty with relevant training
(IRACDA, graduate student involvement in k-12)
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Institutional recognition of successful teaching
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reward incorporation of successful innovations
and improving student learning outcomes
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Life sciences education should be a more active
process
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Undergraduate biology education more concept
oriented
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Blend content and processes of science
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Learn how students learn
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Promote active engagement
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Depth vs. Breath
THANK YOU