Intellectual Foundations

Learning Outcomes | (Download PDF)

SUNY Guidelines for Natural Sciences

Learning Outcomes

Students will demonstrate:

1. understanding of the methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical analysis; and
    
2. ability to apply of scientific data, concepts, and models in one of the natural sciences.

Guidelines

For courses in the traditional natural science disciplines (e.g., chemistry, biology, physics, etc.) the inclusion of a laboratory component, though highly desirable, is not necessary for approval. For inter- or multi-disciplinary courses (e.g., environmental science, or the science portions of integrated curricula), or courses that fall outside the envelope of traditional natural science disciplines (e.g., psychology), submitted course information should demonstrate clearly:

1. how they use all the methods listed in the first student learning outcome for the natural sciences;
2. a rationale for which discipline(s) in the natural sciences they draw on for concepts and models;
3. that the majority of the texts used fall clearly within the natural sciences.

Inquiry Based Teaching Resources

National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science at the University of Buffalo has extensive online examples of case studies that can be used in large classes. They involve students in various aspects of the scientific method starting with inquiry and problem-solving and including experimentation and analysis.

University of Delaware Problem-Based Learning Center has online, sample syllabi and problems in biology, biochemistry, chemistry, nutrition and dietetics, physics, and general science.