ERIC Number: EJ1306811
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2572-6412
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Enhancing Interdisciplinary Attitudes and Achievement via Integrated Biology and Chemistry
Guo, Ying; Huey, Pat Uelmen; Pursell, David P.
Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference, v1 Article 4 p19-33 2017
Success in undergraduate biology courses relies upon a firm grounding in chemical principles. We sought to raise students' awareness of the connection between these two disciplines and to improve their understanding of each by carrying out a pilot project that integrated the curricula of Principles of Chemistry II (CHEM1212K) and Principles of Biology I (BIOL1107K) during the Fall 2016 semester. The study involved two course pairs: one section of each course delivered in the traditional non-integrated manner and a second pair of sections that were integrated across the chemistry and biology disciplines in both the scope and sequence of the content delivery. Both integrated and non-integrated sections were taught by the same instructors, who have expertise in both chemistry and biology to ensure a full understanding of both courses' content. Attitudinal surveys administered at the beginning and end of the semester showed that students in the integrated BIOL/CHEM section of our pilot study appreciated the delivery of an integrated curriculum and improved their awareness of the connections between the two disciplines. End-of-course assessments of topic mastery demonstrated improvements in the integrated students' capacity to understand and apply both biology and chemistry topics compared to students in the non-integrated sections.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Interdisciplinary Approach, Teaching Methods, Science Instruction, Chemistry, Biology, Student Attitudes, Course Content, Pilot Projects, Integrated Curriculum, Course Evaluation, Mastery Learning, Comparative Analysis, Outcomes of Education, Science Achievement, Course Descriptions
Proceedings of the Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching and Learning Conference. Tel: 912-478-4056; e-mail: digitalcommons@georgiasouthern.edu; Web site: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/stem_proceedings/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Georgia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A