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

生物科学(61)卡尔文学院正在设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(东北大学、纽约州立大学弗雷多尼亚分校、费里斯州立大学和詹姆斯·麦迪逊大学)现有生物技术专业的实验室课程；(2)在三门新的以实验室为基础的课程中实施修订后的课程：生物技术概论、细胞和组织培养、DNA技术，以及一门顶峰课程--生物技术法规与伦理；以及(3)引入先进生物技术仪器的使用。这个新的专业牢固地植根于强大的文科传统，其独特之处在于它包括植物和动物细胞培养经验，提供了在本科水平使用先进设备的实践，并解决了生物技术从业者的社会背景和责任。课程结构反映了加尔文对文科的重视和对探究式学习的重视，包括了从使用探究式小组活动发展基本生物技术实验室能力到学生设计的实验以及跨越几个实验室阶段的数据分析和解释机会的经验进步。课程序列的顶峰是一套长达一学期的学生设计的研究项目，并以口头和书面形式交流结果。

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.