The Molecules of Life: A Lecture and Laboratory Course for Non-Science Majors

生物科学(61)本提案描述了一门名为《生命分子》的创新课程的教材开发，该课程面向本科生的非理科专业。该项目针对的是迫切需要改善对非科学专业但必须具备科学素养的学生的科学教育，以便作为公民在其个人生活和未来职业生涯中作出明智的决定。该课程的目标受众包括文科本科生、商科专业学生和接受教师培训的学生。生命分子利用现代主题，如蛋白质结构、药物设计和免疫反应，传达我们对生物分子功能的理解，以及这些知识如何应用于抗击人类疾病。现有的生物化学教学资源不适合这门课程，因为它们是为理科专业的学生或卫生专业的学生设计的。因此，我们正在为生命分子开发三种类型的教育材料：书面教学模块；包含分子图形练习的互动网站；以及为期数周的、基于探究的酶结构和功能实验室项目。教学模块是与纽约大学研究学院合作编写的，从而加强了教师发展，并将研究和教学活动联系起来。在非理科专业的课程中使用复杂的图形软件是对一项目前在这方面未得到充分利用的技术的创造性应用。实验室项目是在研究生的帮助下设计的，研究生然后教授实验室部分，这是一种加强他们作为教师的培训的综合经验。教学材料由纽约大学内外的教师评估，课程的有效性由学生评估。这些材料和课程结果通过商业出版物、研讨会和科学教育期刊上的文章进行传播。

Biological Sciences (61) This proposal describes the development of instructional materials for an innovative course, entitled The Molecules of Life, which is aimed at undergraduate non-science majors. The project addresses an urgent need to improve science education for students who do not specialize in science but must be scientifically literate in order to make informed decisions as citizens in their personal lives and future careers. The target audience for the course includes undergraduates in the liberal arts, business majors, and students training to be teachers. The Molecules of Life uses modern topics such as protein structure, drug design, and the immune response to convey our understanding of biomolecular function and how this knowledge is applied in combating human disease. Existing resources for biochemistry instruction are not suitable for this course since they are designed for science majors or students studying for health professions. Therefore, we are developing three types of educational materials for The Molecules of Life: written instructional modules; an interactive web site incorporating molecular graphics exercises; and multi-week, inquiry-based laboratory projects on enzyme structure and function. The instructional modules are being written in collaboration with NYU research faculty, thereby enhancing faculty development and connecting research and teaching activities. Utilizing sophisticated graphics software in a course for non-science majors is a creative application of a technology that is currently underutilized in this context. Laboratory projects are being designed with the assistance of graduate students who then teach the laboratory sections, a combined experience that enhances their training as teachers. Instructional materials are evaluated by faculty both within and outside NYU, and the effectiveness of the course is assessed from student evaluations. The materials and course results are disseminated via commercial publication, workshops, and articles in science education journals.