Infusing quantitative approaches throughout the biological sciences curriculum

被引:20
作者
Thompson, Katerina V. [1 ]
Cooke, Todd J. [2 ]
Fagan, William F. [3 ]
Gulick, Denny [4 ]
Levy, Doron [4 ,5 ]
Nelson, Karen C. [1 ]
Redish, Edward F. [6 ]
Smith, Robert F. [7 ]
Presson, Joelle [1 ]
机构
[1] Univ Maryland, Coll Comp Math & Nat Sci, College Pk, MD 20742 USA
[2] Univ Maryland, Dept Cell Biol & Mol Genet, College Pk, MD 20742 USA
[3] Univ Maryland, Dept Biol, College Pk, MD 20742 USA
[4] Univ Maryland, Dept Math, College Pk, MD 20742 USA
[5] Univ Maryland, Ctr Sci Comp & Math Modeling, College Pk, MD 20742 USA
[6] Univ Maryland, Dept Phys, College Pk, MD 20742 USA
[7] Univ Maryland, Dept Entomol, College Pk, MD 20742 USA
基金
美国国家科学基金会;
关键词
biological sciences; quantitative skills; science education; higher education; curriculum; online modules;
D O I
10.1080/0020739X.2013.812754
中图分类号
G40 [教育学];
学科分类号
040101 ; 120403 ;
摘要
A major curriculum redesign effort at the University of Maryland is infusing all levels of our undergraduate biological sciences curriculum with increased emphasis on interdisciplinary connections and quantitative approaches. The curriculum development efforts have largely been guided by recommendations in the National Research Council's Bio 2010 report and have resulted in revisions to courses in biology, mathematics, and physics over a period of 10 years. Important components of this effort included (1) developing online modules to infuse more mathematical content into six biology courses taken by biological sciences majors during their first 2 years of study; (2) strengthening the interdisciplinary connections of ancillary courses in mathematics and physics to support the development of quantitative skills in biological contexts; and (3) creating more quantitatively intensive courses for the final 2 years of the bachelors of science programme. These efforts, carried out by a large, multidisciplinary team of faculty, have resulted in increased coherence in the undergraduate biological sciences curriculum, increased quantitative skills in first-and second-year students, and a greater appreciation among graduates for the essential relationship between mathematics and modern biology.
引用
收藏
页码:817 / 833
页数:17
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