BIO2010 Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists (2003) / Chapter Skim
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3. Instructional Materials and Approaches for Interdisciplinary Teaching
3. Instructional Materials and Approaches for Interdisciplinary Teaching
Pages 60-74
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From page 60... ...
First, new architectures that encompass the highly interdisciplinary character of biology can accelerate the learning process and enable students to exercise their talents earlier in their careers. Second, new technologies provide exceptional opportunities for enhancing the learning process.
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From page 61... ...
This chapter highlights some opportunities, starting with interdisciplinary modules. The physical science and mathematics background of life science majors should be markedly strengthened by bringing principles and examples drawn from these disciplines into the teaching of biology courses.
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From page 62... ...
The mathematics, physics, chemistry, or engineering background needed for each module could be succinctly developed in the context of a biological question. Adaptable modules for course enrichment that take full advantage of interactive computer programs and multimedia educational tools are a very attractive complementary means of strengthening undergraduate biology education.
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From page 64... ...
64 BIO2010 Some other ideas for modules to enrich the teaching of biology include the following: · What determines whether an epidLemic waxes or wanes? In a simple model, a population consists of susceptibles who can contract a disease, infectives who can transmit it, and removals who have had the disease and are neither susceptible nor infective.
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From page 65... ...
Students can explore the following questions by carrying out interactive computer simulations: What gives rise to the all-or-none nature of action potentials? What accounts for the threshold in generating action potentials?
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From page 66... ...
LEGOO bricks are used to build models demonstrating pertinent physical and chemical principles. This site also demonstrates how a laser pointer and an optical transform slide can be used to show how Watson and Crick deduced that DNA is double helical.
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From page 67... ...
Such a course would serve a dual role: biology students would see that mathematics and computation play an important role in their future work, and mathematics and computer science students would get a taste of how quantitative methods (statistics, applied mathematics, computer science) can be fruitfully applied in biology and medicine.
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From page 70... ...
. Such interdisciplinary courses could provide excellent opportunities to learn important mathematical skills, such as deriving equations, using computer simulations, and working in teams.
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From page 71... ...
Simulations involving random numbers can be done with only an intuitive introduction to probability and the use of a random number generator. A computer language such as Matlab makes it easy to write programs that implement Euler's method (and other similar methods)
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From page 72... ...
For example, it is especially rare to find detailed mention of physical science or mathematical principles in introductory biology texts. The committee is not aware of any comparative analysis of biology textbooks for the college level; however, two different groups, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Institute of Biological Sciences, have evaluated biology textbooks used in high schools.
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From page 74... ...
Because of the huge commitment, it is efficient for two or more faculty to collaborate in development, and for the results to be widely disseminated. This is only possible if they receive adequate support from their own institution and other organizations that fund biology education.
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