|
Biology
Prepared by Beverly
Shue, Los Angeles Harbor College, Lead Discipline Faculty
for Biology
Prepared by Beverly Shue, Los Angeles Harbor
College, Lead Discipline Faculty for Biology
Summary of Identified Issues
The biology faculty discussed the final report prepared from
the first year IMPAC pilot project 1999-2000, including early
findings and cross-disciplinary issues to be examined further
in 2000-2001. The issues identified and discussed include
the biology course content for the required year majors sequence,
whether to add a third required course for biology majors
in molecular genetics, the appropriate pre-requisite(s) if
colleges adopt a third required biology course, reviewing
and revising as needed the CAN biology descriptors, content
areas, and sequences, and adding new CAN biology courses and/or
sequences. Issues dealing with interdisciplinary issues included
when should organic chemistry be taught, lower division or
upper division, the amount of biochemistry that should be
included in organic chemistry if it is taught at the lower
division level, and the type of physics course required for
biology major and the math requirement, i.e., three-semester
calculus-based, two semester algebra-trigonometry based, or
two semester calculus-based physics requirement. Courses in
the biological sciences serve as requirements in other programs,
including RN nursing, nutrition, and agricultural sciences.
Most of the biology-related interdisciplinary issues dealt
with the RN program and pressure from both colleges and external
accrediting agencies concerned about the number of units required
to complete the RN major. These issues are elaborated later
in this report.
In particular, the discussions in 1999-2000 by the chemistry
faculty on whether to teach organic chemistry as lower division
or upper division have an impact on the biology majors in
two respects. The first affects how much of the major preparation
can be completed prior to transfer; especially at the four-year
colleges that have a lower division organic chemistry that
is a pre-requisite for an upper division organic chemistry
required for biology majors. The second concern affects colleges
adding a required third biology course for majors where organic
chemistry has been established as a pre-requisite. Discussion
of organic chemistry is recommended for 2001-2002.
Concerns surfaced about the biology major that did not deal
with articulation, prerequisites, and/or majors' preparation,
but rather with administrative issues of enrollment, class
size and attaining additional fiscal resources such as Partnership
for Excellence (PFE) funding at community colleges. Although
these factors influence some biology departments in their
decision-making process, the biology faculty agreed that concerns
about class size and graduating more biology majors should
not influence curriculum quality or academic rigor.
The differences in the approach and emphasis in teaching
lower division biology majors courses were noted, where the
community colleges and CSUs both strongly emphasize the lecture-laboratory
approach, while many UCs have designed their lower division
biology course as lecture courses. At many UCs, the approach
to teaching lower division introductory biology may involve
several lecture-only quarter courses and as few as only one
introductory laboratory course.
Identified
Trends/Future Directions
Several large urban community colleges have recently added
a molecular genetics course as a third course requirement
for their biology majors, increasing the unit requirement
from 10 units to 13 or 14 units. The pre-requisite for this
third course is completion of the two semester courses in
biology; one college additionally requires organic chemistry
as a pre-requisite for this third course. There are importance
implications for students when colleges add a third course
requirement, especially if the student wishes to transfer
in two years.
Comments
from Statewide Meetings and the General Field
The 1999-2000 recommendations on updating the CAN descriptions
and developing new CAN sequences were reaffirmed in this year's
discussions. There is a strong need to update the existing
CAN descriptions and develop new CAN biology courses to more
accurately reflect changes in biology, especially in the field
of molecular genetics. The current CAN Biology course descriptions
were developed when the discipline focused on botany-zoology.
Since then great strides in molecular genetics research have
emerged, and updating CAN descriptors are greatly needed.
The new CAN sequences in biology proposed in 1999-2000 were
reaffirmed, and faculty are still interested in having further
discussion and finalization of these sequences. The biology
faculty discussed and identified content areas taught in CAN
Biol 2, 4, and 6 and identified twenty-five content topics
or modules to use in describing BIOL CAN SEQ A. The discipline
faculty recommended using more current terms to describe the
biology courses and content in sequence A. (See Can
Biology Changes.)
The introduction of Science Cluster II, particularly nursing,
to a lesser extent agriculture and nutrition, shifted the
dynamic of the discussion from the initial IMPAC pilot year.
The dialogue expanded from the courses required for biology
majors to discussing biology courses to require for the nursing
curriculum. Microbiology, anatomy, physiology courses are
required for RN Nursing majors. Of the three course microbiology
is the least affected by the concerns expressed by nursing
faculty about the total number of units required to complete
the RN program. Microbiology is a four-unit course or a five-unit
course with chemistry pre-requisite and no concerns were expressed
about this RN requirement.
Some community college biology departments reported being
pressured by their nursing colleagues to re-evaluate their
anatomy and/or physiology courses. The total number of units
for anatomy-physiology varies from five to ten units of lecture
and laboratory, taught either as a single course, two separate
courses, or two semester integrated courses. This pressure
comes from two sources: the college itself and external accrediting
agencies that certify RN programs. There is increasing concern
among the community college nursing faculty about the total
number of units students must take to complete the RN degree.
While the biology faculty are concerned about the number
of units in anatomy and physiology, they strongly advocate
maintaining instructional quality and rigor. Some reported
pressure to reduce the number of units in anatomy, to teach
specific anatomy content, and to eliminate or de-emphasize
other topics. Others reported that requests were made to rearrange
and restructure their anatomy and physiology courses. There
was no general consensus on how to solve the problem of high-unit
majors; at present each community college responds to specific
local concerns.
The prerequisites for anatomy, physiology, and microbiology
were discussed at all regional meetings. The pre-requisite
course for anatomy on one community college required biology
with a lab course. Chemistry was most commonly a required
pre-requisite course for physiology. An anatomy course was
strongly recommended before taking physiology. Chemistry is
required as a pre-requisite for the microbiology course that
is required for nursing or biology majors.
The biology faculty at the regional and statewide meetings
met with other disciplines to discuss interdisciplinary issues.
The following is a summary of those discussions.
Physics: The physics requirement
for biology majors continues to be a dilemma for community
colleges and their students.
The issue for the college is the ability to offer a three-semester,
calculus-based sequence, compared to a two-semester algebra-trig
based physics. Biology faculty expressed concerns about the
purpose of the physics requirement for biology majors. Several
issues emerged and remain unanswered, including discussing
the student goal of pursuing a biology major (professional
school or pursuit of knowledge in biology), identifying the
role of physics as a requirement for the biology major, and
identifying the appropriate level of physics to require for
biology majors.
Unsubstantiated opinions and statements from faculty at four-year
institutions that biology majors were pre-med students who
did not make it to medical school were not well received by
the biology and agriculture faculty. Conflicting comments
from one regional meeting to the next dealt with whether or
not calculus-based physics is required for admission to medical
school.
This discussion stimulated comments on colleges structuring
a course requirement to a specific student audience, i.e.,
focusing in on the relevance of topics in physics for the
biology students. Negative comments were heard from some physics
faculty who taught "Physics for Biologists"_it was
asserted that there were no suitable texts available using
this applied approach, and the physics faculty teaching the
course were not satisfied with the teaching process or the
student learning. The unresolved issues include: 1) Which
physics course to require for biology majors, three-semester
calculus-based physics or two-semester algebra-trig based
physics? 2) When should students take physics (before or after
transferring)? and 3) Why do biology students take physics
(biology majors with a pre-med focus vs. biology majors with
multiple goals other than applying for medical school)?
Chemistry: Because of the number
of chemistry and biology courses required in lower division
(two to four chemistry courses and two to three biology courses,
plus several math courses) the groups discussed the fact that
many community college students defer taking physics until
after they transfer. Biology faculty accept the importance
of completing the first semester majors chemistry course as
a pre-requisite for cell and molecular biology, but the pre-requisite
for the emerging third biology course requirement of molecular
genetics is an unresolved issue. Community colleges requiring
the molecular genetics course for their biology majors are
generally in urban areas with large student populations, located
near a UC and several CSU. These colleges have a high number
of transfers to the UC system. In addition, the chemistry
pre-requisite for the molecular genetics course varies, but
may include completion of organic chemistry. If the latter
is required, this presents an additional barrier to completing
the entire lower division requirements before transferring.
The biology faculty questioned the organic chemistry requirement
for biology majors in terms of the course content, which only
lightly touches upon topics of greatest concern for biology
majors (i.e., biochemistry). It appears that this organic
chemistry requirement is related to medical school, dental
school, and pharmacy school, though the biology faculty agreed
that the strong emphasis on synthesis organic is not as important
as a more thorough discussion of biochemistry: carbohydrates,
proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. These topics are of great
value to biologists in understanding metabolism, molecular
genetics, cell physiology, and microbiology. A review of the
two-semester organic chemistry required for chemistry majors,
medical and pharmacy students ended in a difference of opinion
between the biology and chemistry faculty as they did not
agree on the depth of coverage. The biology faculty felt there
were too much emphasis on synthesis and too little coverage
of biochemistry (one or two weeks in the second semester and
no coverage in the first semester of organic chemistry). This
topic should be discussed next year.
Nursing: The interdisciplinary
meetings with the biology and nursing faculty dealt with the
tough issues of high-unit RN requirements for the community
college nursing programs that received accreditation from
the National League for Nursing Organization. Much of this
dialogue originated from biology departments that were asked
by their RN faculty colleagues to offer an anatomy course
without a biology course pre-requisite for RN students. The
biology faculty agreed, however, that pre-RN students who
took a biology course before they took anatomy were much better
prepared to succeed in the anatomy course.
There were also concerns about the balance of topics covered
in the chemistry course for nursing students who need a brief
introduction to basic chemistry, more organic chemistry coverage,
and significant biochemistry coverage. The chemistry course
deemed "ideal" for nursing students could affect
the content of the chemistry pre-requisite course for microbiology
and/or physiology and course transferability.
No one disputed the value and importance of chemistry as
a pre-requisite for microbiology or physiology; the number
of laboratory hours per week for these two courses varied
from three to six hours per week. A limited number of community
colleges have a physiology course without a chemistry pre-requisite.
The groups felt that an analysis of the content of anatomy
and physiology courses, the appropriate prerequisites for
each course, and the number of units, lecture hours and laboratory
hours should be undertaken.
Agriculture: The agriculture
faculty expressed a concern about the prerequisites for the
biology courses their majors might take as electives. The
main courses of interest to the agriculture faculty were botany/plant
science/applied botany, entomology, and certain ecology courses.
These courses had prerequisites that are achievable by agriculture
majors (i.e., these courses usually did not require the 5-unit
majors Chemistry as a pre-requisite) and the cell and molecular
biology course was not a pre-requisite to taking the specialty
biology courses of interest to agriculture majors.
Nutrition: Microbiology and
physiology are the two main cross-disciplinary courses that
nutrition and/or food science students take with respect to
courses in biology discipline. This is especially true for
dietetics majors. There were few concerns expressed about
these courses; however, the chemistry pre-requisite for nutrition,
food science, and dietetics majors was discussed. As with
the RN concerns, the content and ability of these majors to
complete the chemistry required for physiology and microbiology
was discussed. Because the number of units was not an issue,
the nutrition faculty more readily accepted the introductory
chemistry courses required for their majors. The introductory
level chemistry course is not the standard Chemistry 1A level,
but a course that includes inorganic and a discussion of some
organic/biochemistry. This course appears to satisfy the microbiology
and physiology course prerequisites as well.
Recommendations
for the Discipline
1. Research the latest changes in lower division biology
courses at the CSU campuses and determine if the CSU system
is planning to realign and reconfigure their biology courses
and the chemistry pre-requisite(s). Identify the content of
any realigned biology courses.
2. Research the latest changes at the UC level (see Recommendation
No. 1).
3. Resolve conflicting data on the physic sequence required
for biology majors and the mathematics prerequisites for these
physics courses.
4. Resolve the chemistry requirements for the various sub-specialties
(majors) within the biology discipline.
5. Identify the direction for possible changes in CAN biology
courses: descriptions of the majors sequence A, new CAN courses
and CAN sequences, identifying topics or content modules.
6. Determine the status of CAN in relationship to biology.
7. Work on completing, revising, and updating the grids in
biology, unless the UC and/or CSU plan major biology course
restructuring at the lower division level.
8. Continue refining the interdisciplinary dialogues with
nursing, physics, and chemistry.
9. Undertake an analysis of the content of anatomy and physiology
courses, the appropriate prerequisites for each course, and
the number of units, lecture hours and laboratory hours.
Recommendations
for Support Courses (if discussed):
Topics for Further
Discussions
- High unit majors such as nursing and the role of prerequisites.
- Physics questions referenced above.
- Emerging third biology course requirement of molecular
genetics.
- Inclusion of more topics in biochemistry in the organic
chemistry course(s).
- Deciding if organic chemistry is lower division or upper
division.
Recommendations
Forwarded to CAN:
See below.
Outreach Presentations
Los Angeles Community College District Academic Senate was
informed of each Los Angeles region IMPAC meeting and the
final statewide meeting. This included a regular agenda item
at two or three District Academic Senate meetings. In addition,
the Local Senate was informed of each LA region IMPAC meeting
and statewide meeting.
Can Biology Changes
Red: proposed new language
Strikethrough : proposed deletion of existing
CAN description
CAN Biol 2: Principles
of Biology: Cell/Molecular Biology
This course will cover principles and applications of basic
chemistry, biochemistry, procaryotic and eucaryotic cell structure and function,
homeostasis, cell division cycling, molecular biology, molecular genetics including signal transduction and transcription, Mendelian
genetics, cellular respiration metabolism including both photosynthesis and respiration, virology, and immunology. The philosophy and methods
of science, scientific method and experimental design are emphasized
foundational to the course. Lab course.
The following eleven topics or content
modules make up CAN Biol 2:
Basic chemistry
Biochemistry
Molecular biology
Procaryotic and Eucaryotic Cell Structure
and function
Cell Cycling
Cell Metabolism: photosynthesis
and respiration
Homeostasis
Molecular Genetics: signal transduction
and transcription
Mendelian Genetics
Virology
Immunology
CAN Biol 4: Principles of Animal Diversity
This course covers protists and
the comparative structure, organ system functions, development,
evolutionary history, taxonomy and systematics, and behavior of animals. Population genetics, and mechanisms of evolution including
speciation and natural selection, and
environmental impact are also considered
emphasized. Lab course.
The following eight topics or content
modules make up CAN Biol 4:
Protists
Comparative organ systems: structures and functions
Animal Development
Mechanisms of evolution: population
genetics, speciation and natural selection
Phylogeny
Animal taxonomy and systematics
Behavior
Environmental Impact
CAN Biol 6: Principles
of Plant Diversity
This course covers photosynthesis,
algal protests, fungi, comparative plant structure, organ system functions, development, evolution,
phylogeny, and taxonomy of plants. Principles of population
and community ecology and ecosystem interactions are also
considered emphasized. Lab course.
The following eight topics or content
modules make up CAN Biol 6:
Protists (algae)
Fungi
Comparative plant structure and organ system function
Phylogeny
Plant taxonomy and systematics
Photosynthesis
Population and community ecology
Ecosystem interactions
CAN BIOL SEQUENCE A: CAN BIOL Sequence
A consists of the twenty-five topics (or content modules)
listed for CAN Biol 2 + 4 + 6. Community colleges and the
CSU campuses may offer the topics in their Biology Majors
course year in any sequence (two semesters or three quarters),
may combine their content topics or modules in different courses,
and may use slightly different terms to describe their college's
content topics or modules. At a minimum most community colleges
offer the year major sequence as two courses, each consisting
of three lecture and six laboratory hours per week. The purpose of identifying
content topics or modules is to enable four year universities
to identify specific gaps in content coverage that could be
used in course articulation; colleges could offer special
topics courses in Biology to fill in on the content gaps.
CAN BIOL 12 Human
Physiology
This course covers basic biochemistry,
cell metabolism, acid-base relationships, membrane function,
basic genetics, alleles, and inherited disorders. The nine
body systems are studied in the context The
study of function, integration, and homeostasis of
organ systems. Lecture/Lab. Recommended: one college level
course in each in anatomy and chemistry.
The following seven content topics or modules make up CAN Biol
12:
Basic biochemistry
Acid-base relationships
Basic cell metabolism
Membrane function
Basic genetics, alleles
Inherited disorders
The nine body systems: function, integration,
homeostasis of organ systems
Recommended: Consider adding another new CAN Biology course
(in addition to the molecular genetics recommended in 1999-2000:
CAN BIOL ZZ:
Biodiversity and Evolution
Course description to follow
Findings from 1999-2000; Reaffirmed 2000-01
Prerequisites for the Major
Biology Majors
Courses
Content Distribution:
Biology Courses—
two semesters; many are adding a 3rd semester
course Molecular Genetics
1. Biology Principles, Cell, Respiration, Energy, Mendelian
Genetics CAN Bio 2
2. Animal, Physiology Survey CAN Bio 4
3. Plant, Ecology, Evolution CAN Bio 6
4. New Course: Molecular Genetics CAN Bio X
("X" = identify a new CAN
number)
CAN Biology Descriptors
CAN Bio 2: Principles of Biology: Cell/Molecular Biology
CAN Bio 4: Principles of Animal Diversity (Zoology)
CAN Bio 6: Principles of Plant Diversity (Botany)
CAN Bio Seq A = CAN Bio 2 + 4 + 6
CAN Bio 10: Human Anatomy
CAN Bio 12: Human Physiology
CAN Bio Seq B = CAN Bio 10 + 12
CAN Bio 14: Principles of Microbiology
[See Discussion below: Additional CAN
Biology Courses and changes in content and descriptions are
recommended]
Sequence for taking the classes CAN Sequence A [CAN Bio 2,
4 + 6]: there is no common order or sequence for enrolling
in Biology courses for the major
a) Some colleges allow these three courses to be taken in
any sequence
b) Most require CAN Bio 2 first, then the other two in any
sequence
c) Some require the opposite of #b: CAN Bio 4 or 6 first,
then CAN Bio 2 as the last course in the sequence
The Chemistry Pre-requisite for CAN Bio 2, 4, and/or 6: Most
require Chemistry as a pre-requisite to CAN Bio 2 [commonly
known as "Cell and Molecular"], but this varies
depending on content alignment for these lower division Biology
majors courses at each individual college [mainly where the
"Cell and Molecular" are taught, i.e. in the colleges
equivalent to CAN Bio 2, 4, or 6].
General Conclusion on Biology CAN Sequence A as currently
configured:
a) The most important transfer and articulation factor for
students is to complete the entire sequence before transferring;
articulation agreements are very important, but some have
not been honored
b) The challenge for CCs: to convince CSU, but especially
UC, that the content covered in CAN Bio Sequence A is "close
enough" preparation for success as a Biology major after
transfer.
Chemistry Pre-requisite
for Biology Major Courses
1. 1 Semester of non-Chemistry major Chemistry course
CAN Chem 6
2. 1 Co-requisite of Majors Chemistry course CAN Chem 2
3. 1 Pre-requisite of Majors Chemistry course CAN Chem 2
4. Chemistry Descriptions
CAN Chem 2 = 1st semester for the Science Major
* Required for Bio 2, 4, or 6
CAN Chem 4 = 2nd semester for the Science Major
CAN Chem Sequence A = CAN Chem 2 + 4
** Required for the Biology Majors,
but not for CAN Bio A
CAN Chem 6 = 1st semester for Allied Health Majors
CAN Chem 8 = 2nd semester for Allied Health Majors
CAN Chem Sequence B = CAN Chem 6 + 8
CAN Chem 12 = Quantitative Analysis (Most colleges do not
offer)
CAN Chem Sequence C = CAN Seq. A + CAN Chem 12
CAN Chem 14 = 1st semester Organic Chem for Science
Majors
*** Some colleges that have adopted
a three-semester lower division Biology sequence are considering
requiring CAN Chem 14 for this "new" third "Cell
and Molecular" _ CAN Bio X course
CAN Chem 16 = 2nd Semester Organic Chem for Science
Majors
*, **, *** are comments from the 1999-2000
and reaffirmed in the 2000-2001 discussions
Physics Requirement for Biology Majors
1. Most require 1 year of Physics w/o Calculus CAN Phys A
2. Some require 1 semester of Physics + allow 1 additional
unit
CAN Phys 2 to be taken after transfer to "make up for
content gaps" missed
CAN Phy 2
3. Physics Course Descriptors
CAN Phys 2 = General Physics (Algebra/Trig based) Mechanics,
Heat
CAN Phys 4 = General Physics (Algebra/Trig based) Electricity,
Optics, Modern Physics
CAN Phys A = CAN Phys 2 + 4
CAN Phys 8 General Physics (Calculus based) for Physical
Sci/Engineering majors
CAN Phys 12 General Physics (Calculus based) for Physical
Sci/Engineering majors
CAN Phys 14 General Physics (Calculus based) for Physical
Sci/Engineering majors
CAN Phys B: CAN Phys 8 +12 + 14
Comments:
1. The physics requirement for Biology majors presents a
major problem because of the wide variation among CSU and
UC on what math is required for the Physics course and why.
2. The Physics requirement varies from the three-semester,
calculus-based Physics to one semester of Physics plus one
additional unit to make up for content gaps at the CC.
3. The rationale for requiring Biology majors to take CAN
Phys B is to ensure the university that the Pre-Med majors
"do well" on the MCAT exam. No comments were put
forth on the value of the content for Biology majors.
4. One CC had great difficulty in scheduling physics course
sequences due to the polemic of wanting to offer courses required
for the major juxtapositioned against administrative concerns
for small class size and the cost involved in offering three
semesters of low enrollment classes.
Math Requirement
for Biology Majors Varies
1. Semester of Calculus
2. A GE Math Course
Statistics Requirement
for Biology Majors
1. 2 require statistics
2. 1 has no statistics requirement
There was very little discussion on the math requirements
for Biology
Recommended:
1. Add CAN Bio X _Molecular Genetics
2. Develop new CAN Biology Sequences
a) Organismic Biology: CAN Sequence A = CAN Bio 2 + 4 + 6
b) Allied Health Biology Preparation: CAN Sequence B = CAN
Bio 10 + 12
c) Molecular Biology: new CAN Molecular Sequence 2 + 4 +
6 + X
d) Human Biology: new CAN Sequence 2 + 10 + 12 (Intro + Anatomy
[10] + Physiology [12])
e) Biotechnology Track: new CAN Sequence 2 + X + 14 (Intro
+ Molec Gen. + Micro)
Discussion from 1999-2000—Issues
in physics are still unresolved; New Can Biology has not occurred,
Math requirements vary greatly with no general pattern
|
