A Picture and a Thousand Words: Portfolio Writing in Introductory Biology Lab

NLU为理科专业开设的第一门生物入门课程侧重于基础化学、新陈代谢、遗传学、分子生物学和进化论。实验室课程是对讲课的补充，但没有激发足够的热情，导致生物专业新生表现不佳、退学率高、保留率低。因此，为了提高研究技能、定量测量和数据展示，一种新的档案式实验室笔记本包括写作作业、成像和数据图表。与测验和基于事实的考试不同，评分的基础是实现笔记本文件夹的目标(使用红字)，以及长达一学期的小组项目的多媒体演示。这符合目前国家通过使用真实评估和绩效评估技术改善科学教育的努力。这个项目已经被改编为今天用来刺激Beyond Bio 101(HHMI)本科生生物学的活动的混合体，以及如何将写作纳入课程的建议，这些建议来自“在总课程中写作”(RH Weiss，1980)和“从写作中学习：护理和其他学科的课程战略”(GP Poirrier，1997)。生物学和英语专业的学生都担任实验室内的导师和评估员，协助讲师，为生物学和英语之间提供一种新的跨学科合作。可连接到显微镜上的计算机接口台式摄像机提供了一系列放大倍数，用于结合规模的成像和定量测量。传统的活动辅以开放式的研究和观察，以激发独立思考。从分光计和天平等仪器向计算机实时采集数据提高了技术技能。考虑水生微观世界和蕨类遗传学的长期项目培养了人们对科学研究、合作和数据合成的热情。非传统合作学习策略的使用提供了很强的社会化效果。为了进一步帮助学生，通过大学写作中心提供了特殊的辅导和互动软件。

The first introductory biology course for science majors at NLU focuses on basic chemistry, metabolism, genetics, molecular biology, and evolution. A laboratory course complements the lecture but does not generate sufficient enthusiasm, leading to poor performance, high drop rates, and low retention rates for new biology majors. Therefore, to enhance research skills, quantitative measurements, and data presentation, a new portfolio-style laboratory notebook incorporates writing assignments, imaging, and data graphs. Instead of quizzes and fact-based exams, grading is based on achieving goals for the notebook portfolio (using rubrics), and a multimedia presentation of a semester-long group project. This conforms to current national efforts to improve science education through the use of authentic assessment and performance assessment techniques. This project has been adapted as a hybrid from activities used today to stimulate undergraduate biology in Beyond Bio 101 (HHMI) and from suggestions of how to incorporate writing in courses from "Writing in the Total Curriculum" (RH Weiss, 1980) and "Writing to Learn: curricular strategies for nursing and other disciplines" (GP Poirrier, 1997). Both Biology and English majors serve as in-lab mentors and evaluators to assist the instructors, providing a new cross-disciplinary collaboration between Biology and English. Computer-interfaced desktop cameras, attachable to microscopes, provide a range of magnifications used to incorporate imaging and quantitative measurements of scale. Traditional activities are supplemented with open-ended research and observations to stimulate independent thought. Real-time data acquisition to the computers from instruments like spectrophotometers and balances enhances technology skills. Long-term projects that consider aquatic microcosms and fern genetics foster enthusiasm for scientific inquiry, collaboration, and data synthesis. The use of nontraditional, cooperative learning strategies provides strong socializing effects. To assist students further, special tutoring and interactive software is available through the University's Writing Center.