Initiating Change in Biology Curriculum: University of Oregon Case Study

1. NW-PULSE @ NW BIO 2014 STARTING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT VISION AND CHANGE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON ELEANOR VANDEGRIFT & KAREN GUILLEMIN VISION – Our vision was to explore the adoption of a new early course focused on quantitative biology. MAIN GOAL – We planned and facilitated a biology department retreat focused on curriculum, teaching and learning. We are participating in an ad hoc committee to explore the pre-requisites required for a biology major. BARRIERS & CHALLENGES ACTIONS ACCOUNTABILITY • Biology faculty retreat planning and facilitation. • Modified Vision and Change rubrics for interactive activity. • Ad hoc curriculum committee to explore alignment of biology pre-requisite courses. Products: Biology faculty retreat; Ad hoc committee looking at pre-requisites and curriculum requirements. Assessments: Initial faculty survey of biology course concepts and competencies. Challenges: Faculty range of familiarity and comfort with evidence-based student-centered pedagogy; Biology curriculum constrained by general and organic chemistry, physics, and calculus pre-requisite courses. Barriers: Lower division quantitative course not supported without analysis of entire biology major pre-requisite requirements; Curricular alignment with Vision and Change will require coordination with other departments and post-graduate programs. 100 200 300 400 Figure 1. Faculty perspectives of their own teaching on a instructor- to student-centered scale. Figure 2. Vision and Change core concepts taught in different course levels identified at faculty retreat. SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCES & ALLIES STRENGTHS Team: Perspectives of a faculty development professional and a research active faculty member. Institution: Resources committed to student-centered curricular design and development; History of interdisciplinary research collaboration; Momentum around bioinformatics education. Resources: Science Literacy Program; Interdisciplinary environment on campus to support interdepartmental curricular conversations; College General Education Renaissance. Allies: Department head; Retreat planning and curriculum committees. • Department head committed to having an annual biology retreat with faculty professional development on teaching. • Visit each other’s institutions as the faculty professional development expert. • Expand regional conversation to address pre-requisite barriers. This work was supported in part by NSF EAGER #51588