1 / 10

Major Models for Non-Majors Science Courses

Major Models for Non-Majors Science Courses. Course Design & Assessment Workshop Rollins College January, 2004 Preston Miles, Centre College, Danville, KY. Considerations in Course Design. institutional context course goals pedagogy content

feleti
Download Presentation

Major Models for Non-Majors Science Courses

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Major Models for Non-Majors Science Courses Course Design & Assessment Workshop Rollins College January, 2004 Preston Miles, Centre College, Danville, KY

  2. Considerations in Course Design • institutional context • course goals • pedagogy • content • course structure – the topic of this discussion • assessment

  3. Six Models Currently Utilized for Non-Majors Science Courses • The Science Majors Model • The Current Events Model • The Thematic Approach • The Fundamentals of Science Model • A Disciplinary Approach Designed for General Education Students • The Science-Technology-Public Policy Model

  4. The Science Majors Model • Strengths high & uniform expectations (rigor) cohesive material process skills (critical thinking skills) can catch potential majors available resources (instructors & textual) • Limitations does not address the differing learning goals of major and non-major students material important for students not continuing in the field is often not included in the first course taken by disciplinary majors

  5. The Current Events Model • Description the “hot topics” approach, e.g. HIV-AIDS, or genetic engineering • Strengths stimulates student interest science process skills relevance • Limitations breadth and balance of coverage limited lifetime resources

  6. The Thematic Approach(a.k.a. case study or web design) • Description similar to Current Events Model e.g. “Ecosystem of Walden Pond” • Strengths allows tailoring to institutional setting begins with narrow topic and explores outward, the “web” approach currency and timeliness are less essential • Limitations can be instructor-specific

  7. Fundamentals of Science Model • Description • built upon major concepts of science, c.f. National Science Education Standards • Strengths • illustrates connections between concepts • science literacy • avoids the cafeteria choice dilemma • Limitations • danger of becoming too thin • background of instructors • availability of resources

  8. Disciplinary Course Redesigned for Non-Major Students • Strengths • a familiar approach • allows separation of major and non-major students • availability of resources • Limitations • science literacy • validity of the cafeteria model

  9. The Science-Technology-Public Policy Model • Description structured around issue of critical importance, e.g. energy policy could be described as the “newspaper headlines” approach • Strengths almost assures that connections be made • Limitations demanding of instructor breadth of coverage

  10. Other Models The great books approach History of science format Philosophy of science these approaches tend to be “about science” and may not meet institutional goals for science literacy

More Related