The Design of an Integrated Core Curriculum for Mathematics,Physics, and Chemistry

这个项目将把普通化学、大学物理和微积分数学各两个学期整合成一个为期四个学期的专业前科学课程，包括讲课和实验室。这一戏剧性的科学入门课程重组实验的动机是我们的标准入门课程的巨大失败率。目前，我们市中心校区的这些不合格率超过60%。这些学生中有不成比例的女性和/或少数民族。尽管我们将这些不及格率归因于许多因素，但突出的特征似乎是学生无法在一门课程内的主题之间以及跨学科(如数学和化学)的主题之间传递和应用他们的知识。综合序列的主要目标是明确地转移和应用分析科学和数学所共有的知识。这种方法将使学生在自然科学中成为有效的问题解决者和批判性思考者。这一整合的目标是1)利用数学、物理和化学之间的自然联系，以加强定量科学中使用的物理概念和数学技术；2)促进所有定量科学共同的有效学习策略的发展；3)利用化学和物理的背景来激励学生学习、应用、强化和转移数学方法；4)以统一、逻辑和连贯的方式介绍构成化学基础的基本物理概念；以及5)创造一个在整个定量科学中保持统一学生群体的整体学习环境。我们清楚地认识到，坚持一个综合的、跨部门的课程是一个重大挑战。然而，高失败率问题的解决方案对学院和所涉及的三个系都有明显的好处。我们得到了所有相关学科的主席和学院行政部门的热情支持。对学生数量推理能力的提高进行仔细的评估和记录是该提案不可或缺的部分。改进的证据显然可以对定量科学的本科生科学教育产生深远的影响。

This project will integrate two semesters each of General Chemistry, College Physics and Precalculus Mathematics into one four-semester pre-professional science course, including both lectures and laboratories. This dramatic restructuring experiment with the introductory level science courses is motivated by the enormous failure rates in our standard introductory courses. At present, these failure rates in our inner-city campus exceed 60%. A disproportionate number of these students are women and/or minorities. Although we attribute these failure rates to a multitude of factors, the salient feature appears to be the students' inability to transfer and apply their knowledge among topics within one course and between topics across disciplines (such as mathematics and chemistry). The primary goal of an integrated sequence is the explicit transfer and application of knowledge common to the analytical sciences and mathematics. This approach will empower students to become effective problem-solvers and critical thinkers in the physical sciences. The objectives of this integration are 1) to take advantage of the natural connections among mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to reinforce the physical concepts and the mathematical techniques employed in the quantitative sciences; 2) to promote the development of effective learning strategies common to all quantitative sciences; 3) to use the context of chemistry and physics to motivate students to learn, apply, reinforce and transfer mathematical methods; 4) to introduce the fundamental physical concepts that underlie chemistry in a unified, logical and coherent fashion; and 5) to create a block learning environment that maintains a unified student population throughout the quantitative sciences. We are well aware that the persistence of an integrated, interdepartmental course is a major challenge. However, a solution to the problem of high failure rates has clear advantages for the College and for each of the three departments involved. We have received enthusiastic support from the Chairs of all the involved disciplines and from the College Administration. A careful assessment and documentation of improvement in the quantitative reasoning skills of students are integral parts of the proposal. Evidence of improvement can clearly have far-reaching impact on undergraduate science education in the quantitative sciences.