CLASS GOALS & OBJECTIVES
The primary mission of this course is to
encourage mastery of the subject matter related to functioning of the human
body. Specific goals and objectives are listed below.
Goal 1. Provide a conceptual background in
organismal biology (Biology Goal 1b)
- Provide
a detailed picture of the structure and function of the human body
(Biology Objective 1b3)
Goal 2. Initiate the development of
problem-solving skills and critical thinking (Biology Goal 2)
- Provide
a gradient of experimental experiences from simple exercises to
experiments with potentially complex results (Biology Objective 2a)
- Pose
and explain classical biological questions in class (Biology Objective 2b)
- Raise
questions that require students to synthesize concepts and deduce answers
based on underlying scientific principles (Biology Objective 2c)
- Utilize
examples and problems that have quantifiable parameters to emphasize the
importance of mathematics and statistics (Biology Objective 2d)
Goal 3. Provide an appropriate foundation for
future activities, such as allied health fields (Biology Goal 3)
Goal 4. Present biology as a science
involving divergent concepts, imagination, design, exploration, and the
scientific method (Biology Goal 4)
- Provide
hands-on experiments (Biology Objective 4a)
- Provide
a historical perspective (Biology Objective 4b)
- Provide
students an opportunity to investigate experimental design (Biology
Objective 4c)
Goal 5. Develop within students an appreciation
of life (Biology Goal 5)
- Provide
students a perspective of the uniqueness and complexity of life (Biology
Objective 5a)
Goal 6. Encourage the development and
application of communication skills (Biology Goal 6)
- Organizational
and leadership skills will be promoted by group and paired laboratory
activities (Biology Objective 6b)
- Students
will analyze case studies and present the results in class orally (Biology
Objective 6c)
Goal 7. Develop an integrated understanding
of the discipline and its relationship to technology and society (Biology Goal
7)
- Abstract
biological concepts will be related to real and potential applications
(Biology Objective 7b)
- Students
will be introduced to computer applications in biology, including word
processing, data analysis, and graphing (Biology Objective 7c).
In addition, students completing BIO 270 should meet
many, if not most, of the Cluster Three objectives listed below taken from the
Cluster Three web site http://www.jmu.edu/gened/cluster3.html
.
After completing Cluster Three: The Natural World,
students should be able to meet the following objectives grouped under three
learning goals:
·
Describe the methods of inquiry that lead to mathematical truth
and scientific knowledge and be able to distinguish science from pseudoscience.
·
Use theories and models as unifying principles that help us
understand natural phenomena and make predictions.
·
Recognize the interdependence of applied research, basic research,
and technology, and how they affect society.
·
Illustrate the interdependence between developments in science and
social and ethical issues.
·
Use graphical, symbolic, and numerical methods to analyze,
organize, and interpret natural phenomena.
·
Discriminate between association and causation, and identify the
types of evidence used to establish causation.
·
Formulate hypotheses, identify relevant variables, and design
experiments to test hypotheses.
·
Evaluate the credibility, use, and misuse of scientific and
mathematical information in scientific developments and public-policy issues.
These objectives may be assessed by (1) a
pretest - post test procedure; and (2) an attitude survey administered at the
end of the course.
