Biological Inquiry: A New Course and Assessment Plan in Response to the Call to Transform Undergraduate Biology

Abstract

We transformed our first-year curriculum in biology with a new course, Biological Inquiry, in which >50% of all incoming, first-year students enroll. The course replaced a traditional, content-driven course that relied on outdated approaches to teaching and learning. We diversified pedagogical practices by adopting guided inquiry in class and in labs, which are devoted to building authentic research skills through open-ended experiments. Students develop core biological knowledge, from the ecosystem to molecular level, and core skills through regular practice in hypothesis testing, reading primary literature, analyzing data, interpreting results, writing in disciplinary style, and working in teams. Assignments and exams require higher-order cognitive processes, and students build new knowledge and skills through investigation of real-world problems (e.g., malaria), which engages students’ interest. Evidence from direct and indirect assessment has guided continuous course revision and has revealed that compared with the course it replaced, Biological Inquiry produces significant learning gains in all targeted areas. It also retains 94% of students (both BA and BS track) compared with 79% in the majors-only course it replaced. The project has had broad impact across the entire college and reflects the input of numerous constituencies and close collaboration among biology professors and students.

Leadership for Undergraduate STEM Reform: Weaving a Communal Web

“…In two major curriculum reform initiatives at Wofford College, groups of students were invited to partner with faculty members to develop new curricula, and these students then served as teaching and lab assistants and peer tutors for the new courses. These students energized and stretched their faculty partners, garnered campus support for the work, and developed remarkable leadership skills of their own (Goldey, ; Goldey et al, ).…”

“…Tempered radicals may not expect to find themselves in leadership roles. As principal investigator on two NSF grants for curricular reform at Wofford College (Goldey, ; Goldey et al, ), I developed leadership skills as a byproduct of learning beyond my disciplinary training. As I overcame my ignorance and negative biases regarding pedagogy and assessment, my view of what defines and supports excellence in teaching and learning expanded dramatically.…”

A module integrating conventional teaching and student‐centered approach for critical reading of scientific literature

“…It is more so in the current era of easy access to information on the internet. Several different approaches have been proposed to make the biology classroom more interactive and interesting . These include combining hands on activities/practical sessions with lectures, field trips, group discussions/assignments, critical reading of primary literature to name a few.…”

Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge of Biology Prospective Teachers

“…(McConnell et al, 2013) state that assessment of teacher content knowledge poses several challenges. Educators and researchers need a strategy for assessing teacher content knowledge that is efficient but authentic, offers some level of standardization, can be applied to multiple content areas, and provides insight into teachers deep understandings of science concepts, even when applied to small sample groups (Goldey et al, 2012). Biological Inquiry, in which >50% of all incoming, first-year students enroll.…”