ATF Meeting Report
Biology
October 18, 2014   Rio Salado Conference Center

Originator: Marius Begay
Submitter: Marius Begay  
Date Created: 11/07/2014           Date Submitted: 11/07/2014           Status: Approved
Attendance : Arizona State University   Arizona Western College   AZTransfer Staff   Central Arizona College   Cochise College   Coconino Community College   Eastern Arizona College   Maricopa Community Colleges   Mohave Community College   Northern Arizona University   Northland Pioneer College   Pima Community College   Tohono O'odham Community College   University of Arizona   Yavapai Community College    
Next Fall Meeting Date : October 17, 2015  
Next Fall Meeting Time : 10:00am  
Next Meeting Location : Rio Salado  
Meeting Type : Hybrid (both In Person and Online)  
Next Meeting Chair and Institution : Beth Krueger  
Next Meeting Host and Institution : Robert Semmler  
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Changes to Majors on Common Course Matrix :  
Changes to AGEC : AGEC-S  
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Changes to Exam Equivalency Matrices : Biology CLEP - There was brief mention of concern regarding AP exams being equivalent to Bio 181/182. No changes were proposed.

Natural Sciences CLEP- Cochise is NT for all exam scores, they no longer offer SCE 100, so students cannot receive credit for this course. Cochise, AWC and Pima will go discuss with departments and evaluate their NT designation to see if they want to award the same credit as the Universities do. These schools will report back by the end of Dec. or Jan.

Env and Humanity DSST--Cochise also has SCE here so they will change to NT for now, but will discuss with department and report back.

Biology IB - no changes

Env Systems IB ?-ASU will report back to see if there is an ENV course (Bio 130?) that would work for this. CCs will leave as NT for now, but it was mentioned that ENV 101 might fit here for credit.

No further changes.
 
Which Matrix for AGEC Changes : ASU-Tempe: Molecular Biosciences and Biotechnology is not listed.  
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Curriculum Planning : Emerging Curriculum: Undergraduate research discussion: Coconino brought forth the idea of undergraduate research course and associated grants, how would this transfer? Yavapai is doing this as BIO 299 (Independent Research), small enrollment, but works well. GCC is doing this with Biotechnology students associated with a CRI grant, summer project, was Independent Study. Pima has Bio 295LB Independent Research, depends upon faculty availability, student driven, rarely enrollment. There is also 296 Special Projects, usually not research based. ASU very supportive, research opportunities encouraged, very interested in students with research experience. ASU West open to collaboration on course-based research experience. NAU also very interested in students with research experience. U of A teaches 1-unit, 300-level course that facilitates student contact with faculty members and emphasizes research skills MCB 396 (course meets national retention efforts, limited enrollment to 19 per section). CAC noted that ties to university labs can assist with this, having success with ASU.
Karen Cozelman brought up Az Nev Acad of Sci (AZNVAS.org) meetings in April at ASU West.
Where is our field/profession going and what are the implications to curriculum? GCC brought up the issue of Bio 181/182 massive content and what to do. ASU West has same issue. ASU Downtown asked if this was driven by lack of student preparation and the need to cover more and more remedial information GCC says this is part of this. ASU Tempe uses Math placement as a guide. If they place into statistics, then they can take Bio 281. If not, they take Bio 151 along with their remedial Math. At U of A, they are looking at 181 and trying to figure out what is ?essential?, lack of coordination among lecturers and content, trying to identify learning objectives that can help to streamline the course and maintain consistency from semester to semester. ASU asked if 181 should be a pre-req for 182. Some do require 181 first (Cochise, Eastern, Northland Pioneer, Maricopa, CAC, AWC, NAU, Pima recommended), many of the CCs have a reading level requirement as a pre-req for 181 (Coconino requires or placement out of ENG 100, MAT 121/122; Mohave test into 181 or 182, UofA testing into College Algebra for either 181 and 182, Chem 151 and Reading 112, Writing 100 and 106, recommended Bio 100/156 if no HS Bio, B or better, Northland similar, uses Compass Scores, Maricopa uses reading scores, CAC reading scores, Yavapai reading scores, AWC reading scores, NAU requires HS Algebra, Bio and Chem).
Question about degree of overlap among institutions in Bio 181 content. Learning Objectives for Bio 181 and 182. Beth offered to see if we can locate agreed upon learning objectives and put them on-line. Do all institutions have learning objectives? Probably. Institutions can send Beth learning objects as well for posting on the website.
GCC asked about non-majors enrollment and ideas for increasing Bio enrollment. ASU shared success with adaptive learning model, and Bio 113.
ASU Downtown voiced concern about strength of degree when the core is being cut out. How are they really being prepared for the MCAT? Discussion about Med School entrance requirements, higher (non-science) GPAs faring better, how do we get the science back in medicine.
Northland Pioneer asked if others see students not in medical sciences, looking for jobs with agencies and such. Are we preparing them well enough? ASU reps felt that these students were present and served well, programs were still very rigorous in terms of the science requirements.
There was some discussion of assessment and the misguided effort of accrediting agencies. Perhaps people could initiate discussions at their institutions especially regarding appropriate assessment measures for community colleges.
Cochise brought up technology in the classroom and its utility. There was some discussion of appropriate use of technology.
Question about "active" learning and "adaptive" learning. ASU explained the model being used for Bio 100. Question about on-line texts and text-free courses. Do students want text books? Are any of the on-line, open access platforms any good? Chandler-Gilbert discussed how interaction is a key part of student learning, the faculty there take EDU 250 to learn how to do active learning, will email group with name of faculty member who teaches that course. Northland Pioneer noted the use of increasingly good materials readily available on-line to supplement instruction.
Other ATFs that we should be communicating with-- Beth will contact Geology (GEO) regarding ENV.
Cochise brought up interaction between Physics and Biology and possible course offering. Beth will possibly email findings of a study on this to the group. ASU offers Calc for Life Sci and Stats for Life Sci. NAU is offering Biology Beyond Earth that incorporates Physics, Chem, Bio in one course.

Update on university general education requirements-- no changes at ASU, U of A, NAU Yuma, NAU Coconino, NAU will check to see if Mountain Campus has Gen Ed Changes. UPDATE 10/30; from Dr. Francisco Villa (NAU-Yuma): NAU Mt. Campus has no updates or changes to their biology degrees and courses.
Institutional updates for curriculum planning and anticipated program changes-- no changes reported from Coconino, EAC, South Mt, Mohave, CGCC, Northland, Central AZ. ASU West (changes already reported), ASU Tempe (question about MD, Scot spoke to partnership with Mayo), U of A (reminded that DVM degree rolling out, large animal Vet program, will report on this and Pharm program as well next time), Pima changing Nursing degree and possibly reducing pre-reqs (Nursing wants to eliminate Bio 156/181 and other Bio courses, Pima developed Bio 056-3 units remedial Biology, 201-5 units of Bio 156 content) and added Bio 218 PathoPhys. GCC/Maricopa CCC, Yavapai, having this problem as well, Central AZ eliminated HS Bio to replace 156/181, AZ Western adding Bio 156, NAU changing BS ENV core course to add ENV 115 Climate Change, ASU Downtown adding FOR course for CRJ students and requested FOR 105/106 information from CCs (There are two, Cochise has Chem 128 Forensic Chemistry, check Anthro/For connection), Cochise has new Resp. Therapy program.
Reminder from GCC regarding course bank and using equivalent numbers on the various campuses to facilitate articulation. There was a request to put this list on-line, Chair will facilitate putting this on AZ Transfer.
Ecology classes -- Cochise asked to talk about this; they are updating curriculum and eliminating courses that are not taught. They teach Bio 226 (Ecology) but it has not been offered in recent years due to low enrollment. Cochise asked who offers them; how well do they transfer; etc. EAC teaches large class. Usually transfers as an elective because it is not an upper division course. Ecology is part of the upper division core at the Universities.

 
Effective Date For Pathway Change :  
ASSIST Report Comments :  
effective date :  
Other Pathway Information : ASU Tempe: adding Biological Sciences concentration in Biomedical Sciences, and a concentration in Microbiology in Medical Micro, Molecular Biosciences and Biotechnology is not listed. These use the Common Core

ASU Poly: deleting Applied Bio Sciences concentration in Secondary Ed in Bio, Urban Horticulture concentration changed to Sustainable Horticulture, Wildlife and Restoration Ecology concentration changed to Natl Resource Ecology, adding Pre Veterinary Medicine concentration. ASU Poly will follow up to ensure these are Common Core.

ASU Downtown: adding new degree BS in Medical Studies. Uses Common Core.

ASU West: adding BS in Environmental Sciences (not sure where this fits since there is no ENV Task Force), and a concentration in Life Science in Health Professions and Social Justice which will use Common Core. Life Science name changing to Biology. BS in Forensics is not listed, uses Common Core.

NAU Yuma: added BS in Biological and Ecological Sciences. Uses Common Core. Need to add BS Env Sci degree so long as ENV is falling with Bio. UPDATE 10/30; from Dr. Francisco Villa (NAU-Yuma): for NAU-Yuma, please add the Biological and Ecological Sciences (BS) and Secondary Education ? Biology (BS-ED) degrees.

U of A: has degrees added that were not on the list, they will check with their Dean and provide these updates.

Note::::
We discussed how 181/182 counts for 281/282 for transfer students coming to ASU in Tempe. Transfer students who have 181/182 are ok. Transfer students who have 181 cannot take 282, need to take 181/2 or 281/2 as a package. Student will need to take 182 at ASU (which is still offered). 281/282 required for ASU Tempe majors entering as Freshmen.

BIO 105 versus ENV 101. ENV 101 (Environmental Science) taught at AZ Western, Central, Mohave; BIO 105 (Environmental Biology) at Cochise, EA, Yavapai (ENV 105 & BIO 105), Maricopas, Coconino, Pima (ENV 105), Northland Pioneer, Eastern, TOCC; BIO 130 (Intro to Env Sci) ASUW only.
 
Effective Date for Exam Changes :  

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