Thomas A. Pressley July 11, 2015

1957 National Defense Education Act of 1958

“An act to strengthen the national defense and to encourage and assist in the expansion and improvement of educational programs to meet critical national needs” “Curriculum reformers of the Sputnik era shared a common vision…. They would replace the current content of topics and information with a curriculum based on the conceptually fundamental ideas and the modes of scientific inquiry and mathematical problem solving.” --Rodger W. Bybee, National Research Council

Physical Science Study Committee (PSSC Physics) Chemical Education Materials Study (Chem Study) Earth Sciences Curriculum Project (ESCP Earth Science) Biological Sciences Curriculum Study National Defense Education Act of 1958

The BSCS matrix for the design of biological curriculum materials (circa 1960) The BSCS Story

“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.” --Jean-Baptise Karr 2003 “The ways in which most future research biologists are educated are geared to the biology of the past, rather than to the biology of the present or future.” “Colleges and universities should reexamine current curricula in light of changing practices in biological research.”

“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.” --Jean-Baptise Karr 2009 “The essence of the New Biology, as defined by the committee, is integration—re-integration of the many sub-disciplines of biology, and the integration into biology of physicists, chemists, computer scientists, engineers, and mathematicians to create a research community with the capacity to tackle a broad range of scientific and societal problems.”

The AAAS and NSF organized a series of regional meetings of undergraduate biology educators with the goal of improving biology education. They then hosted a larger conference that included more than 500 faculty members, administrators, and students from undergraduate biology programs, along with representatives from relevant professional societies. The outcome of these meetings was the Vision and Change report.

Action Items from the Meetings: 1.Integrate Core Concepts and Competencies throughout the Curriculum 2.Focus on Student-Centered Learning 3.Promote a Campuswide Commitment to Change 4.Engage the Biology Community in the Implementation of Change “The time has come for all biology faculty, particularly those who teach undergraduates, to develop a coordinated and sustainable plan for implementing sound principles of teaching and learning to improve the quality of undergraduate biology education nationwide.”

Core Concepts for Biological Literacy 1.Evolution: The diversity of life evolved over time by processes of mutation, selection, and genetic change. 2.Structure and Function: Basic units of structure define the function of all living things. 3.Information Flow, Exchange, and Storage: The growth and behavior of organisms are activated through the expression of genetic information in context. 4.Pathways and Transformations of Energy and Matter: Biological systems grow and change by processes based upon chemical transformation pathways and are governed by the laws of thermodynamics. 5.Systems: Living systems are interconnected and interacting.

Case Study: USAFA Department of Biology, 2013 Vision and Change Core Concepts 1.Evolution 2.Structure and Function 3.Information Flow, Exchange, and Storage 4.Pathways and Transformations of Energy and Matter 5.Systems USAFA Conceptual Knowledge A.Organisms B.Cell & Molecular Biology C.Genetics D.Ecology E.Evolution F.Human Physiology

1.Ability to Apply the Process of Science: Biology is evidence based and grounded in the formal practices of observation, experimentation, and hypothesis testing. 2.Ability to Use Quantitative Reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning. 3.Ability to Use Modeling and Simulation: Biology focuses on the study of complex systems. 4.Ability to Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science: Biology is an interdisciplinary science. 5.Ability to Communicate and Collaborate with Other Disciplines: Biology is a collaborative scientific discipline. 6.Ability to Understand the Relationship between Science and Society: Biology is conducted in a societal context. Core Competencies and Disciplinary Practice

Case Study: USAFA Department of Biology, 2013 V & C Core Competencies Ability to 1.Apply the Process of Science 2.Use Quantitative Reasoning 3.Use Modeling and Simulation 4.Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science 5.Communicate and Collaborate with Other Disciplines 6.Understand the Relationship between Science and Society USAFA Learning Goals 1.Cadets will develop the ability to THINK as biologists do. A.Nature of Science B.Scientific Thinking C.Ethical & Social Controversies 2.Cadets will develop the ability to effectively COMMUNICATE as biologists do. A.Scientific Writing B.Scientific Presentation C.Discussion & Dialog 3.Cadets will cultivate ATTITUDES and VALUES consistent with the biological sciences community. A.Curiosity of the Natural World B.Appreciation of the Natural World

Impact on Curriculum Learning Goals

Impact on Curriculum

Impact on Industry

Case Study: USAFA Implementation, Ability to Apply the Process of Science: Biology is evidence based and grounded in the formal practices of observation, experimentation, and hypothesis testing. 2.Ability to Use Quantitative Reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning. 3.Ability to Use Modeling and Simulation: Biology focuses on the study of complex systems. 4.Ability to Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science: Biology is an interdisciplinary science. 5.Ability to Communicate and Collaborate with Other Disciplines: Biology is a collaborative scientific discipline. 6.Ability to Understand the Relationship between Science and Society: Biology is conducted in a societal context. 2.Ability to Use Quantitative Reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning. 4.Ability to Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science: Biology is an interdisciplinary science.

Case Study: USAFA Implementation, Ability to Apply the Process of Science: Biology is evidence based and grounded in the formal practices of observation, experimentation, and hypothesis testing. 2.Ability to Use Quantitative Reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning. 3.Ability to Use Modeling and Simulation: Biology focuses on the study of complex systems. 4.Ability to Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science: Biology is an interdisciplinary science. 5.Ability to Communicate and Collaborate with Other Disciplines: Biology is a collaborative scientific discipline. 6.Ability to Understand the Relationship between Science and Society: Biology is conducted in a societal context. 2.Ability to Use Quantitative Reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning. 4.Ability to Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science: Biology is an interdisciplinary science.

Case Study: USAFA Implementation, Ability to Apply the Process of Science: Biology is evidence based and grounded in the formal practices of observation, experimentation, and hypothesis testing. 2.Ability to Use Quantitative Reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning. 3.Ability to Use Modeling and Simulation: Biology focuses on the study of complex systems. 4.Ability to Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science: Biology is an interdisciplinary science. 5.Ability to Communicate and Collaborate with Other Disciplines: Biology is a collaborative scientific discipline. 6.Ability to Understand the Relationship between Science and Society: Biology is conducted in a societal context. 2.Ability to Use Quantitative Reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning. 4.Ability to Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science: Biology is an interdisciplinary science.

Case Study: USAFA Implementation, Ability to Apply the Process of Science: Biology is evidence based and grounded in the formal practices of observation, experimentation, and hypothesis testing. 2.Ability to Use Quantitative Reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning. 3.Ability to Use Modeling and Simulation: Biology focuses on the study of complex systems. 4.Ability to Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science: Biology is an interdisciplinary science. 5.Ability to Communicate and Collaborate with Other Disciplines: Biology is a collaborative scientific discipline. 6.Ability to Understand the Relationship between Science and Society: Biology is conducted in a societal context. 2.Ability to Use Quantitative Reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning. 4.Ability to Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science: Biology is an interdisciplinary science.

Case Study: USAFA Implementation, Ability to Apply the Process of Science: Biology is evidence based and grounded in the formal practices of observation, experimentation, and hypothesis testing. 2.Ability to Use Quantitative Reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning. 3.Ability to Use Modeling and Simulation: Biology focuses on the study of complex systems. 4.Ability to Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science: Biology is an interdisciplinary science. 5.Ability to Communicate and Collaborate with Other Disciplines: Biology is a collaborative scientific discipline. 6.Ability to Understand the Relationship between Science and Society: Biology is conducted in a societal context. 2.Ability to Use Quantitative Reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning. 4.Ability to Tap into the Interdisciplinary Nature of Science: Biology is an interdisciplinary science.

The outcomes and feedback suggest that cadets finished the course with a better understanding of both the quantitative basis and the interdisciplinary nature of modern biology. With a lesson structure appropriate for undergraduates, a course in general physiology provides an opportunity to explore core competencies advocated by the Vision and Change document that have been problematic in most undergraduate biology curricula. For graduate programs, adoption of Vision and Change recommendations by undergraduate schools should produce students with better preparation and appreciation of the scientific method.

Educational reform is an ongoing process. It is always coming, so we must be prepared to use the best and discard the worse. Innovations