Jay B. Labov|Ann Reid|Keith R. Yamamoto
Integrated Biology and Undergraduate Science Education: A New Biology Education for the Twenty-First Century?
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine|University of California, San Francisco
cbelife sciences educationvol 9 1 featuresfree accessintegrated biology undergraduate science education new biology education twentyfirst centuryjay b labov ann h reid keith r yamamotojay b labovcenter education ann h reidboard life sciences national research council washington dc 20001 keith r yamamotodepartment cellular molecular pharmacology university california san francisco san francisco ca 94143published online13 oct 2017httpsdoiorg101187cbe09120092aboutsectionsview pdf toolsadd favoritesdownload citationstrack citations shareshare onfacebooktwitterlinked inredditemail introductiongiven radical changes nature science biology learned effective ways teach opportune time address biology teach better represents biology wwwvisionandchangeorgfor decade numerous reports called rethinking restructuring high school undergraduate science education make relevant accessible broader spectrum students handelsman et al 2006 hulleman harackiewicz 2009 national research council nrc 1996 1997 1998 2002 2003abc 2005 2008 national science foundation nsf 1996 base strategies expanding body research human learning cognition nrc 2000b allen tanner 2007 morse jutras 2008 dehaan 2009 pfund et al 2009 labov et al 2009 2009 several important publications conferences events pointed toward confluence around interdisciplinary interconnected approaches themes undergraduate education life sciences events included following release draft curriculum frameworks biology college boards multiyear restructuring advanced placement courses science high school students see httpapcentralcollegeboardcomapcpublicrepositorydraftrevisedapbiologycurriculumpdf restructuring closely follows recommendations report nrc 2002 calls teaching fewer concepts greater depth restructuring also requires developing implementing means measure students level conceptual understanding mervis 2009a wood 2009publication scientific foundations future physicians joint report howard hughes medical institute hhmi association american medical colleges calls change undergraduate science education away system based courses one based competencies according committee competencybased approach give learners educators flexibility premedical curriculum allow development interdisciplinary integrative courses maintain scientific rigor providing broad education executive summary p 11convening vision change undergraduate biology education summit held washington dc july 2009 organized american association advancement science support nsf summit brought together 500 people consider future pathways undergraduate education life sciences mervis 2009b woodin et al 20092 report summit planned release 2010publication september 2009 new biology twentyfirst century committee aegis nrcs board life sciences nrc 2009 podcast report available httpdelsnasedudelsviewreportcgiid5953 report proposes bold new integrated research agenda important implications future undergraduate k12 science educationconvening november 2009 interdisciplinary forum synthetic biology part annual national academies keck futures initiative3 consistent calls find ways develop science curricula conjunction cuttingedge scientific discoveries jurkowski et al 2007 forum actively considered issues education communication synthetic biology conjunction discussions scientific legal ethical aspects report event published national academies 2010 thus throughout past year life sciences community focused attention biological research likely progress next several decades education life sciences might keep pace rethinking research priorities progress nrc 2009 report offers comprehensive review sets issues recommendations research education agendas summarized belowa new biology twentyfirst century overview implications biological researchbiological research midst revolutionary change due integration powerful technologies along new concepts methods derived inclusion physical sciences mathematics computational sciences engineering never advances biological sciences hold tremendous promise surmounting many major challenges confronting united states world historically major advances science provided solutions economic social challenges time challenges inspired science focus attention critical needs scientific efforts based meeting societal needs laid foundation countless new products industries even entire economic sectors unimagined work began essence new biology integrationreintegration many subdisciplines biology integration biology physicists chemists computer scientists engineers mathematicians create research community capacity tackle broad range scientific societal problems nrc 2009 p viii new biology represents additional complementary approach biological research purposefully organized around problemsolving approach marshals basic research advance fundamental understanding brings together researchers different expertise develops technologies required task coordinates efforts ensure gaps filled problems solved resources brought bear right time nrc 2009 p 3the committee4 authored new biology nrc 2009 figure 1 asked national institutes health nsf us department energy undertake appraisal areas life sciences poised make major advances advances could contribute practical applications improved environmental stewardship human health quality life also asked examine current trends toward integration synthesis within life sciences increasingly important role interdisciplinary teams resultant implications funding strategies decision making infrastructure education life sciencesfigure 1 report cover new biology 21st centurythe report states life sciences face moment opportunity similar faced physics twentieth century members committee identified four major areas societal challenge problemfocused research incorporating emerging theory new technologies fundamental findings basic research life sciences integration life sciences physical sciences mathematics engineering could enable biology contribute rapid progress practical problemsolving broad areas fact interdependent must addressed parallel include following health emphasis developing capacity understand individual health level allows prevention diagnosis treatment based individuals unique genetic environmental characteristics rather statistical probabilityenvironment emphasis developing means monitor diagnose restore ecosystem function biodiversity face rapid environmental changeenergy emphasis expanding sustainable alternatives fossil fuels andfood emphasis developing capability adapt crop plant sustainable growth set growing conditions new biology successful would make possible quickly predictably breed food plants suitable cultivation needed committee envisioned new biology cycle encompassing four major components figure 2 integration scientific information theory technologies thinking complex problems noted figure 2 biology essential traditional form insufficient confront key problems must addressed future physical sciences mathematics engineering information sciences must integrated traditional discipline form new biology importantly committee emphasized science education must integral input interdisciplinary approach capacious problems science education also envisioned advancing result feedback loops emerge integrated approachdeeper understanding biological systems deeper understanding biological systems emerges multifaceted thinking experts variety disciplines deeper understanding advance biology era observation mechanism one deciphering design principles biological processes making accessible manipulation eventually predictablebiologically based solutions societal problems societal problems may intractable approaches deeper understanding results integrated interdisciplinary collaborations driving new biology allow rapid progress complex interrelated challenges areas health environment energy food context societal issues could considered interactive drivers large scale spurring development enabling technologies new discoveryfeedback benefits contributing disciplines education collective synergistic knowledge thinking emerge integrated approaches biological research applications societal challenges turn inform stimulate fundamental research across scientific spectrum science education education tracks projected trajectory research encompassed new biology individual disciplines also likely converge around idea integrated interconnected science technology engineering mathematics stem educationfigure 2 inputs outcomes new integrated approach biological research twentyfirst century nrc 2009 p 18a new biology twentyfirst century overview implications biological educationthe committee observed new biology presents unprecedented opportunities draw attention excitement biology require new ways thinking attract educate retain undergraduates detailed belowthe new biology initiative provides opportunity attract students science want solve realworld problemsthis approach may especially attractive students would otherwise become disenfranchised science traditional approaches teaching learning emerging research demonstrating allowing students make connections science study problems families communities face encourage greater interest science well motivation learn scientific concepts deeply nrc 2000b hulleman harackiewicz 2009the new biologist scientist knows little disciplines one deep knowledge one discipline working fluency severalalthough vision scientists participate new biology may seem support current structure science majors actually would require different thinking scientists educated solving complex interdisciplinary problems require students go far beyond life science majors understanding connections exist across disciplines make connections requiring separate courses natural behavioral sciences attempt help students make specific connections among probably insufficient preparing future life scientists without offering exposure experience engineering design computer science appreciation broader connections science technology nrc 1998 2003 national academy engineering 2002 2007 2009 constitute adequate preparation mere exposure requiring students take courses areas likely prepare make understand connections among disciplines specific efforts must made help students learn skills nrc 2000bhighly developed quantitative skills increasingly importantmathematics quantitative tools becoming increasingly important work biologists advancement field areas need become larger part undergraduate biology education nrc 2003a bialek botstein 20045 brent 2004 cohen 2004 hoy 2004 gross 2004 steen 2005 however many structural systemic impediments limit true integration mathematics quantitative literacy undergraduate biology education include lack communication biology mathematics departments better integrate mathematical concepts examples biology courses appropriate examples involving biology mathematics courses biology majors enroll also persistent misperceptions kinds mathematics required prepare premedical students medical college admission test currently none specifically required6 entrance medical schools requirements vary widely urging preparation mathematics one two semesters calculus algebra statistics7 recent report association american medical colleges hhmi 2009 recommends students able apply quantitative reasoning appropriate mathematics describe explain phenomena natural world p 22 competency could demonstrated students able demonstrate quantitative numeracy facility language mathematicsinterpret data sets communicate interpretations using visual appropriate toolsmake statistical inferences data setsextract relevant information large data setsmake inferences natural phenomena using mathematical modelsapply algorithmic approaches principles logic including distinction causeeffect association problemsolvingquantify interpret changes dynamical systems pp 2224 new thinking ways integrate connect two disciplines serve basis departments biology mathematics professional societies disciplines work together toward improvement undergraduate education envisioned new biologydevelopment implementation genuinely interdisciplinary undergraduate courses curricula prepare students careers new biology researchers educate new generation science teachers well versed new biology approachesthe preparation future science teachers must become joint responsibility faculties science departments schools education nrc 1998 2000a 2003a templates syllabi interdisciplinary undergraduate courses would benefit teachers science especially elementary middle grades published8 science mathematics engineering faculty academic leaders higher education must recognize roles preparing future teachers well future researchers consideration must given undergraduates need learn teach science way envisioned new biology respect necessary scientific knowledge base familiarity scientifically based pedagogical techniques effective teaching sciencesimilar attention needs paid preparing graduate students become next generation faculty turn assume responsibility k12 teacher preparation graduate students encouraged pursue quality teaching experiences provided training new approaches teaching learning exposure research literature human learning cognition part preparationwhat characteristics might undergraduate courses emphasize interdisciplinary approach envisioned new biology report provides example introductory courses harvard university see box 2 additional models offered sencer see footnote 9 include courses biological emphases cellular molecular biology cancerlife science context subsaharan africa hivaidsthe science sleepslow foodaddiction biology psychology societyenvironment diseasenutrition wellness iowa environmenthuman geneticstuberculosisbiomedical issues hivaidsmysteries migrationbox 1 connecting bio 101 realworld issues interdisciplinary approachin 20052006 harvard university launched two semesterlong introductory courses provide interdisciplinary introduction biology chemistry first course synthesizes essential topics chemistry molecular biology cell biology second course synthesizes essential topics genetics genomics probability evolutionary biology scientific facts concepts introduced context exciting interdisciplinary questions understanding possibility synthetic life biology treatment aids cancer human population genetics malaria interdisciplinary teaching students grasp fundamental concepts reinforced encounter principles multiple situations course taught small team faculty multiple departments members teaching team attend lectures participate entire term preparation teaching effort course offering integrated teaching assistants also drawn different departments work small interdepartmental teamsdevelopment courses required institutional support president dean faculty chair life sciences council provided funds support oneyear curriculum development effort lab renovations lower teaching fellowstudent ratios equipment development teaching materials one founding faculty members hhmi undergraduate education award contributed developing specific sets teaching materialssuccess depended finding faculty members personal commitments principles courses willingness work team build new courses scratch effort rewarded individual departments agreed count interdepartmental interdisciplinary courses toward respective departmental teaching expectationssince courses implemented undergraduate enrollment introductory life sciences courses 30 number life sciences majors risen 18 nrc 2009 p 80the life sciences science education communities made significant advances articulating undergraduate biology education made accessible students varying education needs learning styles beginnings real consensus future course life sciences education emerging year 2010 opens ideas transforming undergraduate education future research biologists envisioned bio 2010 report considered seriously implemented widely many imagined report published 2003 eg pfund et al 2009 new biology report emphasized ongoing lasting relevance bio 2010 also noted incomplete implementation recommendations date much work remainsthe findings recommendations emerged 2009 offer collective coherent vision improving undergraduate science education general biology education specifically community must work toward implementation visions articulated new biology recent initiatives scaled encompass areas biology undergraduates enroll biology courses programsfootnotes1 separate executive summary report available wwwhhmiorggrantspdf08209execsummarypdf2 additional information available wwwvisionandchangeorg3 additional information available wwwkeckfuturesorgconferencessyntheticbiologyhtml4 list committee members institutional affiliations available httpbooksnapeduopenbookphprecordid12764pager55 editorial part special issue science mathematics biology relevant papers issue available links 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