Learning Objectives in Year One Biology, UMF

Drew Barton & Ron Butler

April 2004

 

Introduction

This document is divided into four parts.  In the first part, the learning strategies used to teach students and evaluate their learning are listed.  In the second part, the content objectives are listed, along with their emphasis in the course and the applicable learning strategies.  Emphasis is indicated as follows: *topic introduced, **topic covered in some detail, ***topic a major emphasis of course.  Learning objectives are provided to the right of each major content heading.  In the third part of the document, the skills objectives are listed and described.  The description used for each skill by the entire university as well as a description particular to biology are provided.  In the final section, the skills are again listed along with their emphasis in the course and the applicable learning strategies.  The same system of emphasis and learning strategies used for content objectives is used for this skills objectives section.

 

 

I. Learning-teaching Strategies & Performance Indicators

1.      Lecture Exams (based on reading and lectures)

1. Multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, etc. questions
2. Short answer and essays
3. Quantitative problems

 

2.      Quizzes (based on reading and lectures)

 

3.      Discussion of reading material or issues (e.g., environmental)

 

4.      Lab and field exams (based on lab and field material)

1. Microscopic identification, comparison, and contrast
2. Macroscopic identification, comparison, and contrast
3. Species identification

 

5.      Oral presentations

1. Quality of literature research
2. Quality of presentation
3. Peer critique

 

6.      Technical Papers

1. Quality of literature research
2. Analysis
3. Data presentation
4. Writing
5. Interpretation
6. Adherence to technical guidelines

 

7.      Review Papers

1. Quality of literature research
2. Organization
3. Integration
4. Writing
5. Adherence to technical guidelines

 

8.      Lab worksheets

1. Correct identification and interpretation
2. Quality of drawings
3. Effort and attention to detail

 

9.      Lab notebooks

1. Correct identification and interpretation
2. Quality of drawings
3. Effort and attention to detail
4. Research synthesis essays

 

10.  Lab participation (attendance mandatory)

 

II. Content Objectives

 

	BOTANY (BIO 172)	ZOOLOGY (BIO 161)
Species and ecological systems change through time as a result of evolution.	1,2,3,8,10	1,3
Historical background	***	**
The history of life on Earth	*	***
Forces of evolutionary change	**	***
Speciation	**	***
The evolution of biological diversity	*	***
Extinction	**	***
Conservation of biological diversity	***	***
Evolution has produced diverse species on Earth.	1,2,3,4,5,8,10	1,3,5,9,10
Characteristics of Life	**	**
The fossil record	*	**
Taxonomy and phylogeny	**	***
Prokaryotes		**
Protists		**
Fungi	**
Plants	***
Animals		***
Biogeography		*
Ecological systems involve interdependence between organisms and their environment and other systems.	1,2,3,5,6,8,10	1,3,5,6,9,10
Environmental factors, adaptation, and the niche	***	*
Population ecology and human population growth		***
Community interactions	**	***
Species diversity	*	**
Biomes	**
Energy flow through ecosystems	**
Disturbance and succession	***
Chemical Cycles	***
Human perturbations of Earth systems	***	***
Organisms are related to other generations by genetic material passed on through reproduction.	1,2,8,10	1,3
Historical development of the concept of the gene	*	**
Molecular structure of the gene	**	**
DNA replication	*
Mutations and mutagens	*	**
Gene action through transcription and translation	*
Interaction of genotype and environment		**
Mendelian genetics	**	***
Non-Mendelian genetics		***
Asexual reproduction	*	**
Sexual reproduction	***	***
Reproductive systems	***	***
Genetics and biotechnology	*
Organisms grow, develop, and differentiate during their lifetimes	1,2,4,5,6,8,10	1,3,5,6,8,10
Growth rates	**
Life cycles	***	***
Stages of development	***	***
Division of labor		**
Genetic basis of development		*
Environmental influences on development	**
Tissues and Organs	***	***
Morphological adaptation	***	***
Living organisms are complex and highly organized and they require energy and matter to maintain this organization	1,2,4,5,8,10	1,3
Chemical and physical basis of biology	**	**
Assimilation, ingestion, digestion		***
Transport of materials	***	***
Digestive, gas exchange, and circulatory systems	***	***
Enzymes	**	*
ATP and transformation	*	*
Photosynthesis	***
Aerobic respiration	**
Living organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment.	1,2,4,5,8,10	1,3,5,6
Effectors and muscular systems		**
Skeletal and support systems		**
Feedback mechanisms	*	**
Nervous systems		**
Endocrine and hormone systems	**	**
Human health		*
Temperature regulation		*
Water balance and excretory systems	**	**
Tropisms	**
Communication		***
Animal behavior		***
Human behavior		*

 

 

III. Skills Objectives: Description

 

WRITING SKILLS REQUIREMENT

Any graduate of a four-year liberal arts institution is expected to be a competent writer.  Regardless of the graduate's future field of endeavor, from graduate school to business to teaching, writing skills will be needed.

            The development of writing skills varies according to the discipline, and may include such assignments as research papers, reflective essays, lab reports, creative pieces, position papers, and journals.  Students need varied writing assignments and timely and constructive feedback in order to develop these skills.

 

Learning Outcomes

1.The student will use prewriting and revising techniques to produce a polished piece of writing that meets the standards in the discipline.

Scientific writing is key to all disciplines and programs within the natural sciences. Students will effectively master, over the course of their program of study, the method of writing used in published papers in their discipline.  This may include both reports of scientific research (e.g., technical, lab, or field report) and review papers.  Students will write and revise papers to attain a level of competence acceptable in the discipline.

 

2. The student will use writing to make personal connections with course materials, develop critical thinking skills, and enrich the learning process.

Scientific writing is an excellent means of developing and assessing critical thinking, in that the author needs to clearly articulate the problem at hand or objective of a study, and then analyze and discuss the available data, drawing conclusions warranted by the evidence. Thus, writing is a key component to the learning of biology, and students must master the relationships between the process of science and formal science writing. 

 

3. The student will be able to write Standard American English.

            Through their English Composition course and other courses, both within and outside of the biology major, students will gain mastery of Standard American English.

 

4. The student will communicate effectively in response to the demands of a specific audience.

Communication of research findings in biology includes writing intended for a variety of audiences, although of greatest importance is the peer-reviewed technical article, which has a highly structured format corresponding closely to the process of science itself.  Most scientific paper writing follows this format, with the intended audience being the author’s peers (i.e., other scientists). It is expected that biology majors master this form of communication. Other forms of writing in science include review papers, book chapters, persuasive writing, and informal essays intended either for peers or for a lay audience.

 

5. The student will become proficient in various forms of writing within the discipline.

As indicated in outcomes #1and #4 above, students will become proficient in the method of writing used in published papers in their discipline.  This will include the standard, highly structured technical report, but may also include review papers and essays.

 

 

RESEARCH SKILLS REQUIREMENT

The ability to develop and evaluate concepts and information is the keystone skill of academic disciplines.  This skill is also central to everyday problem-solving and life-long learning.  Research can be conceived of as the skill of developing relevant questions, seeking out information beyond oneself to address those questions, and systematically evaluating the information.  As the amount and types of information expand, it becomes increasingly important to develop the skills required to seek out and evaluate the quality of relevant resources and ideas.  The goal of the Research Skills requirement is to expose the student to the role of research and the thinking tools necessary to critically evaluate ideas, concepts, and information.

 

Learning Outcomes:

1. The student will be able to develop a clear, relevant research question, hypothesis, or topic.  The question should address precisely what the student wants to know.  Properly formulated, a well constructed question will guide the research process.

            Hypotheses in the biological sciences arise from observations of nature, at both a macro- and micro-scale, and from previous research communicated in published studies.  Students must, therefore, acquire substantial content knowledge and observational skills for biological systems ranging in scale from molecules to ecosystems.

 

2. The student will be able to compile information relevant to the research question.  Information can include written materials, data, and other forms of information from sources external to the student.

            The primary method of acquiring information to test hypotheses in biology is through structured collection of data, usually in the field or lab, but also in published studies.  Student success in this skill requires the ability to design effective experiments and observations and mastery of measurement and observational techniques.  Students are also expected to attain the skills of reading and analyzing published papers and carrying out literature searches.  As part of this skill, students should develop the ability to distinguish between rigorous, peer-reviewed information and biased or incorrect information not subject to the peer-review process.

 

3. The student will be able to analyze the information and apply it to the original question.  Analysis may be statistical or conceptual but must include critical and systematic evaluation of the information gathered with regard to the research question.  As part of this analysis, the student should be able to determine the quality of information and its applicability to their topic.

            Analysis of biological data is usually statistical in nature.  Students will effectively master basic statistics and the philosophical rationale for statistical approaches to hypothesis testing.  Students must then learn how to apply statistics to results in rigorous and meaningful ways that address the research hypotheses.  Effective assessment of hypotheses with data also demands an ability to explore conclusions in terms of their broader implications and their relationships to published studies.  Success at these endeavors requires deep content knowledge and literature search and analysis skills, respectively.

 

4. The student will be able to communicate the research process and their conclusions.  No research project is complete until the final product is disseminated in a format suitable for presentation to an interested community.  A presentation may be written, visual, verbal or use other means consistent with professional norms as long as the final product adequately communicates to the intended audience.

            Communication of research in science occurs in two main ways: writing and oral presentation.  Progress in science is based on the peer-reviewed technical article, which has a highly structured format corresponding closely to the process of science.  It is expected that majors in biology master this form of communication.  Because of its central role in rapid communication in all areas of biology, effective oral presentation is an essential skill for all biology majors.  Oral presentations in biology generally communicate a single study, a review of a narrow area of the field, or an application of research to management or human health.

 

 

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS REQUIREMENT

Technology is rapidly changing all aspects of modern society.  An important attribute of an educated person in modern society is the ability to be comfortable and competent in using a variety of technologies.

 

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to identify appropriate uses of technologies associated with the student's field of study.

            Students will learn about the use of technology as part of the scientific process in biology and how technology has advanced scientific knowledge.

 

2.  Students will be able to use the Internet and other technologies for information, research and communication.

            Students will engage in the process of biological research using laboratory, field, computer, and other technologies for information gathering, analysis, and communication.

 

3.  Students will be able to use hardware and software commonly found in the student's field of study.

            Students will gain familiarity with processes and protocols and proper operation of instrumentation and software that provide them with information and analyses on biological phenomena.

 

4.  Students will understand and practice legal, moral and ethical standards regarding the research and use of electronically available information and electronic written expression.

            Students should understand that scientists and science students work within a societal framework that holds us legally and ethically accountable for the practices we employ in the pursuit and creation of knowledge.  Additionally, students will learn the importance of crediting those whose creativity and effort have furthered our knowledge.

 

 

PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS SKILLS

In the workplace, classroom, and public life, the ability to present information and ideas to an audience is an essential skill.  Although disciplines vary in the style and content of public presentation, it is imperative that educated citizens have the confidence and capacity to express their opinions and present information in a coherent, honest, and persuasive manner.  This skill further enhances self-confidence, providing a long-term benefit to the student.

 

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be acquainted with the use of multi-media tools to enhance their presentations.  Depending on the requirements of the discipline, this can range from posters and overheads to presentation software and video.

Presentations in the biological sciences are generally accompanied by multi-media aids, especially visual ones.  Students will effectively master the use of tools for capturing and developing images, such as computer graphing software, digital cameras, scanners, and image manipulation software.  Professional presentations include formal talks in front of a seated audience as well as interactive poster presentations.  Students must gain proficiency at using presentation software and more traditional techniques for both types of presentations.

 

 

2. Students will be able to write, organize and deliver presentations in a coherent, persuasive and articulate manner.

Presentations in the biological sciences are generally highly-structured and data-intensive.  Students will effectively master the structure and logic of the variety of types of presentation, including reports of research projects, reviews of literature, formal posters, persuasive talks on environmental and bioethical concerns, and presentations to non-scientists.  Students must become proficient in techniques for analysing and presenting complex data.  Students will develop a personal presentation style that is clear, compelling, and persuasive.  Finally, students will develop the skill of engaging audience questions in a thorough and constructive manner.

 

 

3. Students will be able to critique and assess the presentations of others, including both fellow students and professionals.

Progress in biology, like in all sciences, relies on continuous scrutiny, testing, and reformulation of ideas.  An important part of this process occurs as an interplay between presenter and audience at public presentations.  Students will develop the ability to follow the structure and content of presentations, to formulate constructive criticism, and to offer their opinions clearly.

 

4. When designing presentations students will be able to take into account the characteristics, knowledge and interests of their audience.

Audiences for public presentations in the biological sciences range from research collaborators to non-scientists.  Students will develop an ability to gear the depth, breadth, complexity, and multi-media aids to these various audiences.