MathematicsandBiologyEducationPromotingInterdisc.ppt

Additional resources: BIO2010: Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists (National Research Council, 2002) Integrating Research and Education: Biocomplexity Investigators Explore the Possibilities: Summary of a Workshop (National Research Council, 2003) Education Web Pages of the Society for Mathematical Biology () Additional resources: Cell Biology Education (Summer 2004 issue - ) Points of View: The Interface of Mathematics and Biology (S. Elgin, ed.) Intuition and innumeracy (R. Brent) Interdisciplinarity and the undergraduate biology curriculum: finding a balance (L. J. Gross) New math for biology is the old new math (R. Hoy) Key Points: Success in quantitative life science education requires an integrated approach: formal quantitative courses should be supplemented with explicit quantitative components within life science courses. Life science students should be exposed to diverse quantitative concepts: calculus and statistics do not suffice to provide the conceptual quantitative foundations for modern biology. We can’t determine a priori who will be the researchers of the future – educational initiatives need to be inclusive and not focused just on the elite. Assume all biology students can enhance their quantitative training and proceed to motivate them to realize its importance in real biology. The CPA Approach to Quantitative Curriculum Development across Disciplines As a summary of the approach I have taken in this life sciences project, and in hope that this will be applicable to other interdisciplinary efforts, I offer the CPA Approach: Constraints, Prioritize, Aid Understand the Constraints under which your colleagues in other disciplines operate - the limitations on time available in their curriculum for quantitative training. Work with these colleagues to Prioritize the quantitative concepts their students really need, and ensure that your courses include these. Aid