Teaching Biology through Statistics: Application of Statistical Methods in Genetics and Zoology Courses

Autor/inn/en	Colon-Berlingeri, Migdalisel; Burrowes, Patricia A.
Titel	Teaching Biology through Statistics: Application of Statistical Methods in Genetics and Zoology Courses
Quelle	In: CBE - Life Sciences Education, 10 (2011) 3, S.259-267 (9 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1931-7913
DOI	10.1187/cbe.10-11-0137
Schlagwörter	Undergraduate Students; Curriculum Design; Zoology; Genetics; Biology; Statistics; Calculus; Teaching Methods; Mathematics Education; Interdisciplinary Approach; Courses; Problem Solving; Higher Education + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Lehrplangestaltung; Zoologie; Humangenetik; Biologie; Statistik; Analysis; Differenzialrechnung; Infinitesimalrechnung; Integralrechnung; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Mathematische Bildung; Fächerübergreifender Unterricht; Fächerverbindender Unterricht; Interdisziplinarität; Kursangebot; Problemlösen; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen
Abstract	Incorporation of mathematics into biology curricula is critical to underscore for undergraduate students the relevance of mathematics to most fields of biology and the usefulness of developing quantitative process skills demanded in modern biology. At our institution, we have made significant changes to better integrate mathematics into the undergraduate biology curriculum. The curricular revision included changes in the suggested course sequence, addition of statistics and precalculus as prerequisites to core science courses, and incorporating interdisciplinary (math-biology) learning activities in genetics and zoology courses. In this article, we describe the activities developed for these two courses and the assessment tools used to measure the learning that took place with respect to biology and statistics. We distinguished the effectiveness of these learning opportunities in helping students improve their understanding of the math and statistical concepts addressed and, more importantly, their ability to apply them to solve a biological problem. We also identified areas that need emphasis in both biology and mathematics courses. In light of our observations, we recommend best practices that biology and mathematics academic departments can implement to train undergraduates for the demands of modern biology. (Contains 2 figures and 4 tables.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Society for Cell Biology. 8120 Woodmont Avenue Suite 750, Bethesda, MD 20814-2762. Tel: 301-347-9300; Fax: 301-347-9310; e-mail: ascbinfo@ascb.org; Website: http://www.ascb.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10