The Unity of Science: A Year-Long, Exploration-Oriented Interdisciplinary Science Course

本课程的目标是为大学一年级学生开设一门跨学科的科学入门课程，强调科学探究的方法和相关性。目标学生主要是那些不打算主修科学的学生。课程内容旨在包括对逻辑序列广泛感兴趣的跨学科主题。例如，我们从色觉（生理学、知觉、光学、光谱学）、秋天的树叶（叶绿素的分离、光合作用、光作为能量）和富氧大气的起源（呼吸作用、生物圈的能量流动、生态系统）开始。这个主题（光、能量和物质）然后引导我们通过天文学、物理学、化学、地质学和生物学的主题，所有这些主题都在上下文中，没有传统的学科界限。实验室演示和练习将以探索为导向，学生积极参与定义所问的问题以及我们如何寻找答案。在下半年，学生小组将进行自主研究项目，并向全班展示他们的成果。来自不同学科的三位教员将通过对全班授课（大约三分之一的会议）和小组讨论（三分之二的会议）的方式教授这门课程。课程内容可以根据某一年所涉及的教师而发展和变化。实验室主任将指导每周的实验练习，所有学科的高年级学生将担任助教和榜样。学生将根据探索报告、项目和个人日志的质量进行评分（没有定时考试）。由外部人士组成的咨询委员会将对课程内容和评价提供意见。

The goal of this course is to develop an interdisciplinary introductory science course for first-year college students that will emphasize the methods and relevance of scientific inquiry. Target students are primarily those students that do not intend to major in a science. The course content is intended to include interdisciplinary topics of broad interest in logical sequences. We start, for example, with color vision (physiology, perception, optics, spectroscopy), autumn foliage (isolation of chlorophyll, photosynthesis, light as energy), and the origin of oxygen-rich atmosphere (respiration, flow of energy through biosphere, ecosystems). This theme (light, energy, and matter) then leads us through topics in astronomy, physics, chemistry, geology, and biology, all in context and without traditional discipline boundaries. Laboratory demonstrations and exercises will be exploration-driven with students actively participating in defining the questions that are asked and how we look for answers. In the last half of the year, small groups of students will carry out self-directed research projects and present their results to the class. Three faculty from different disciplines will teach the course through lectures to the entire class (approximately 1/3 of the meetings) and in smaller discussion groups (2/3 of the meetings). Course content is able to evolve and change depending on the faculty involved in a given year. A lab director will facilitate weekly lab exercises, and senior students from all disciplines will serve as teaching assistants and role models. Students will be graded by the quality of exploration reports, projects, and personal journals (no timed exams). An Advisory Committee of outside persons will provide input on course content and evaluation.