Biology Report Summary - December 31, 2002

Progress Report - Fall Semester 2002
MnSCU Office of Transfer and Collaboration
Biology Discipline
Facilitator - Dave Ongaro

Issues identified were as follows:

The disparity that exists in course content for Allied Health (e.g. nursing) students vs. biology majors is a transfer problem in regard to course equivalency.
The course numbering and credit length of similar courses may not match the pathway of instruction, especially in regards to transfer articulation.
The completion of an AS degree for a biology major does not allow for a balance of Minnesota Transfer Curriculum core competencies to be completed (the AA degree).
Many students are unprepared for introductory courses and/or are attempting to complete upper division courses without the knowledge/skills that the prerequisites should have provided.
On-line courses may not be providing students with a working knowledge of scientific investigation that they would get through laboratory experiments/experiences.

The discussion that followed, mostly from the Nov. 22 statewide meeting but also from the lead group meeting of Oct. 10 and through the listserve and personal correspondence, centered on the background for each of the issues and led into activities and plans to resolve them. Receiving course outlines from representative colleges and universities allowed the biology group to identify common course material, compare content and credits, and discuss strategies for the sequence of delivery that would enhance transfer. As all schools are contacted, we will get a clearer picture of the best common practices and then create content and assessment criteria on which to base decisions of transferability. Progress on these related issues included an agreement that the details on course content and time spent on each topic were not as important as the construct of a student as an engaged learner in the practices of the field of biology. With this said, all schools agreed to accept a full year introductory sequence in general biology or anatomy/physiology (of at least 8 credits) from all other schools.

Other activities/ideas that came out of our meetings and correspondence were to find a placement exam or screening assessment for majors biology courses and the anatomy/physiology sequence, working towards all college level biology courses with lab to be at least 4 credits, establish an articulation agreement from each 2 year school to a 4 year school for an AS in biology (working toward a BS in biology), and to keep all discipline issues on the forefront and active through continued statewide meetings. Some of these are on the table or nearly ready with some refinement needed. Others, like the on-line issue, require some research to see what is being done and what the data shows for success of on-line students.

Work that still needs to be done includes getting all schools, if not all faculty, into the discussion and researching the information from them regarding the issues listed. The search for, or construction of, a placement exam that could be used for the biological sciences is also a priority, and of course meeting to report on and resolve as many of these as we can. Perhaps the biggest task is to get this information used, which means implementing the changes necessary at each school. In some cases, this will include changes in courses and addressing the curriculum committee (Academic Affairs and Standards) meetings as due process.

Overall, everything accomplished so far has been done in an open and positive environment. Those in attendance at the meetings, and others who contributed, see the importance of this task and are committed to helping. The mutual trust and respect that faculty have for each others work allows this undertaking to proceed and will show fruit beyond the intended outcome. Finally, if the bottom line is to serve the students, making transfer easier and increasing student success, then they must be informed. Communication at all levels becomes key and it must be done up front to assure they are in appropriate courses, both for their level of preparedness and for the intended career track or major. Instructors, as well as counselors/advisors/transfer people, need to articulate this information to students as a “guarantee” that their course will transfer.

As a summary/list of recommendations:

Students should complete the full introductory sequence in general biology or anatomy and physiology if they plan to transfer and have them “match” the courses at the receiving institution.
Core courses for biology majors and medical fields should be a minimum of 4 credits in they include labs.
There should be placement exams or “screening” of students before registration for the major’s biology courses and anatomy & physiology.
We do not support on-line laboratory courses unless the lab component is in a face to face format.
There is a priority for increased communication between all parties (advisors/counselors, students, instructors, transfer specialists, & those who determine transferability) and that this "advising" be done up front (first on the list) as a matter of course.