Adaptation and Implementation of Inquiry-based and Investigative Laboratories in a Biotechnology Major for Liberal Arts Undergraduates

生物科学（61）卡尔文学院正在建立一个新的四年制生物技术专业。 为此，它们是：（1）调整四所大学现有生物技术课程的实验室课程（东北，纽约州立大学弗雷多尼亚，费里斯州立大学和詹姆斯麦迪逊），（2）实施修订后的课程，在三个新的实验室为基础的课程，介绍生物技术，细胞和组织培养，DNA技术，以及一个顶点课程，生物技术法规和伦理，（3）引进先进的生物技术仪器。这个新的专业是牢牢植根于一个强大的文科传统，独特的是，它包括植物和动物细胞培养的经验，在本科阶段提供先进设备的使用手，并解决了社会背景和生物技术从业者的责任。课程结构反映了卡尔文的重点是文科和强调探究式学习，包括从基本的生物技术实验室能力的发展经验的进展，使用基于探究的小组活动，以学生设计的实验和机会，数据分析和解释，延长了几个实验室期间。课程序列的高潮是一个学期的学生设计的研究项目与口头和书面交流的结果。

iological Sciences (61) Calvin College is establishing a new four-year Biotechnology major. To do so they are: (1) adapting laboratory curricula from existing biotechnology programs at four universities (Northeastern, SUNY-Fredonia, Ferris State and James Madison), (2) implementing the revised curriculum in three new laboratory-based courses, Introduction to Biotechnology, Cell and Tissue Culture, and DNA Technology, as well as one capstone course, Biotechnology Regulations and Ethics, and (3) introducing the use of advanced biotechnology instrumentation. This new major is firmly rooted in a strong liberal arts tradition, unique in that it includes both plant- and animal-cell culture experiences, provides hands on use of advanced equipment at the undergraduate level, and addresses the social context and responsibilities of biotechnology practitioners. Course structure reflects Calvin's focus on the liberal arts and emphasis on inquiry-based learning by including a progression of experiences from the development of basic biotechnology laboratory competencies using inquiry-based group activities to student-designed experiments and opportunities for data analysis and interpretation that extend over several laboratory periods. The culmination of the sequence of courses is a semester-long set of student-designed research projects with oral and written communication of results.