A Hierarchical Biology Concept Framework: A Tool for Course Design |
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Authors: | Julia Khodor Dina Gould Halme Graham C Walker |
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Institution: | *Department of Biology, 68–633, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 |
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Abstract: | A typical undergraduate biology curriculum covers a very large number of concepts
and details. We describe the development of a Biology Concept Framework (BCF) as
a possible way to organize this material to enhance teaching and learning. Our
BCF is hierarchical, places details in context, nests related concepts, and
articulates concepts that are inherently obvious to experts but often difficult
for novices to grasp. Our BCF is also cross-referenced, highlighting
interconnections between concepts. We have found our BCF to be a versatile tool
for design, evaluation, and revision of course goals and materials. There has
been a call for creating Biology Concept Inventories, multiple-choice exams that
test important biology concepts, analogous to those in physics, astronomy, and
chemistry. We argue that the community of researchers and educators must first
reach consensus about not only what concepts are important to test, but also how
the concepts should be organized and how that organization might influence
teaching and learning. We think that our BCF can serve as a catalyst for
community-wide discussion on organizing the vast number of concepts in biology,
as a model for others to formulate their own BCFs and as a contribution toward
the creation of a comprehensive BCF. |
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Keywords: | undergraduate Biology Concept Framework hierarchical Biology Concept Inventory misconceptions course design |
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