Active Learning in Biology Lecture & Lab

An interdisciplinary team of faculty are collaborating to redesign two frequently offered, heavily-enrolled non-majors’ biology courses: Biology 1001, Introduction to Biology lecture, and Biology 1002, Introduction to Biology Lab/Activity section. These two biology courses primarily serve students fulfilling their lower division GE science (lecture and lab/activity) requirement. As is typical with science GE courses, students taking these courses show a wide range of scientific literacy and confidence in their scientific knowledge. This, in addition to large class sizes, non-coordinated laboratory instructors, non-alignment of lecture and laboratory, and curriculum consisting of didactic presentations and canned labs exercises, comprise just some of the challenges inherent to this course. The redesign of this course will address these and other issues and will result in greater engagement and learning in the courses, greater connection of the course material to the world and daily life, increased interest in STEM-related courses and fields, improved critical thinking, greater information literacy in the sciences, and improved reading and writing skills. These courses serve over 600 CSUEB students each academic year (AY) and a minimum of 150 students every quarter, and, thus, their redesign will have a significant impact on a large number of students.