A First Course Based on Complex Problem-Solving Within a Simulated Entrepreneurial Market

华盛顿大学工程学院提出了一项重大的新倡议，将生物学纳入本科生和研究生的工程课程。他们将分阶段制定这一举措。在第一阶段，将在《行动议程》支助下制定关键要素。在以后的阶段中，一个三层体系被提出，将影响所有本科工程专业的学生在华盛顿大学。第一层：第一层将包括所有工程专业的本科生，并将涉及到工程概念（“迷你模块”）的有趣的生物学的例子整合到现有的核心工程课程在大一和大二的水平。此外，他们还将创建ENGR/BIO新生兴趣小组，为对工程/生物学接口感兴趣的学生创建一个论坛。第二层：第二层将涉及开发一个新的初级课程，名为“工程师的生物学框架”。“这将是一个基于实践项目的课程，以基础工程为基础的生物学概念，将在工程师中发展生物学的共同语言和概念。第三层：第三个层次是生物学和工程学之间的接口更深入的学习经验。这些经验有多种形式：1）大量现有和计划中的更专业的课程，2）本科研究机会，3）工程/生物界面的工业实习。一旦学生参加了新的初级课程，他们将更好地准备利用这些机会。

The University of Washington College of Engineering proposes to mount a major new initiative to integrate biology into the engineering curriculum for undergraduate and graduate students. They will develop this initiative in phases. In the first phase, key elements will be developed under Action Agenda support. In later phases A three-tiered system is proposed that will affect all undergraduate engineering students at the University of Washington.First Tier: The first level will include all engineering undergraduates, and will involve the integration of intriguing biological examples of engineering concepts ("mini-modules") into the existing core engineering curriculum at the Freshman and Sophomore levels. In addition, they will create ENGR/BIO Freshman Interest Groups to create a forum for students with early interest in the engineering/biology interface to interact.Second Tier: The second level will involve development of a new Junior-level course entitled,"Biological Frameworks for Engineers." This will be a hands-on project based course in fundamental engineering-based biological concepts that will develop in engineers the common language and concepts of biology. Third Tier: The third level is a more in-depth learning experience in the interface between biology and engineering. These experiences take many forms: 1) a large number of existing and planned courses in more specialized subjects, 2) undergraduate research opportunities, and 3) industrial internships at the engineering/biology interface. Once students have taken the new junior-level course, they will be better prepared to take advantage of each of these opportunities.