BioMass No. 2 page 1 Spring 2000 

Biology Establishes Learning Goals

In addition to the acquisition of facts and concepts, Biology undergraduate majors should also acquire skills and perspectives relevant to the study of Biology. The learning goals described here not only prepare students for a variety of career paths, but also provide them with the tools to be life-long learners in the rapidly evolving world of biological sciences. The following skills and perspectives are necessary for students graduating with a degree in Biology.

I. Skills

  1. Ability to observe and describe nature accurately
  2. Ability to construct logical arguments in biology
    1. Generate and state testable hypotheses
    2. Develop and elaborate models
  3. Ability to critique logical arguments in biology
    1. Design experiments to test hypotheses
    2. Recognize possible outcomes & assess the probability of occurrences
    3. Collect, organize, and analyze relevant data
    4. Draw conclusions and evaluate their relative quality
  4. Ability to communicate ideas and arguments effectively both orally and in writing
  5. Ability to work effectively in a team
  6. Ability to apply problem-solving to learning
    1. Develop strategies for identifying deficits in knowledge
    2. Acquire information gathering and study skills
    3. Self-assess progress in learning
  7. Ability to apply quantitative reasoning to biological questions
    1. Construct and interpret graphs and plots
    2. Analyze data using statistical methods
II. Perspectives
  1. Appreciation that learning changes "how one thinks" as well as "what one knows"
  2. Appreciation for self-motivated, curiosity-driven learning
  3. Ability to approach novel problems with flexibility, creativity, and confidence
  4. Appreciation for the interconnectedness of knowledge
  5. Appreciation that the pursuit of science can be exciting and fulfilling
  6. Confidence in oneself as a college-trained biologist
  7. Appreciation for the diversity of living things and the diversity of approaches used to study them
  8. Appreciation for the impact of biological science on the environment and society

These Learning Goals feature the overriding importance of skills and perspectives, and, by implication, the secondary nature of the knowledge base. Indeed, many fields within Biology are advancing so rapidly that a curriculum based primarily on factual content is outdated within a short period of time; in contrast, skills relating to the scientific method, logical reasoning, problem solving, communication, and sources of information, have an indefinite life span.

At a recent end of year awards ceremony, Dean Linda Slakey pointed to the Biology Departments efforts to establish learning goals as a model by which the departmental curricula might be refreshed.

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