Comprehensive Reform for Undergraduate General Education Science Instruction

一个综合的，跨学科的课程建议积极参与学生的科学过程。所有非理工科专业的学生都必须修三门课程，包括“数学与探究”、“科学与探究”和“本科研究”。本课程的目标是培养对科学过程的理解，并培养对科学学科与自然世界之间相互联系的认识。课程将由物理和生命科学家团队授课，通过开放式实验室和小组项目，使用案例研究来探索现实世界的问题。本科研究课程是本提案中最具挑战性的部分，它将要求所有学生通过参与正在进行的研究项目或通过设计和实施研究项目来参与科学过程。通过让所有学生参与科学过程来教授科学，可以彻底改变我们教育非科学专业学生的方式，实现培养更多具有科学素养的毕业生的国家目标，并使他们能够面对21世纪复杂的社会和科学问题。

An integrated, interdisciplinary curriculum is proposed to actively engage students in the scientific process. A three course sequence consisting of "Mathematics and Inquiry", "Science and Inquiry", and "Undergraduate Research", will be required of all non-science majors. The goals of this curriculum are to foster an understanding of the process of science and to develop an awareness of the interconnections between science disciplines and the natural world. Classes will be team taught by physical and life scientists, using case-studies to explore real world issues through open-ended laboratories and small group projects. The undergraduate research course is the most challenging part of this proposal, and will require all students to engage the scientific process through participation in on-going research projects, or through design and implementation of a research project. Teaching science by engaging all students in the scientific process could revolutionize the way we educate non-science majors, meeting the national goals of producing more scientifically literate graduates, and empowering them to confront the complex social and scientific problems of the 21st century.