Inquiry Tools for Case-Based Courses in Human Biology

Hampshire College, Amherst MA

Investigators

Abstract

Biological Sciences (61) This project addresses the need to engage introductory biology students in critical thinking and problem solving and to make topics in biology more exciting and relevant for all students. The products from this project include 1) the Human Biology Case Library, an undergraduate interface to a powerful suite of medical school case studies and 2) a set of inquiry-based curricular materials based on the use of the cases. These products foster active learning experiences, promote collaborative learning and increase the inquiry-orientation of science education. We aim to make accessible a tremendous variety and quantity of cases that have been collected at Harvard Medical School and adapted for undergraduate education. The Human Biology Case Library brings the advanced computational infrastructure to any student with a web browser and provides a suite of interactive tools based on a number of human biology cases. This access to a multiplicity of human cases, source documents and analysis tools provides a rich environment for promoting student inquiry. Introductory biology classes serve a great number of college students, including non-majors and many future teachers. Medical school cases in non-electronic form have been adapted for undergraduate classes for six years at Hampshire College. The software being developed will support inquiry activities in the original classroom and is being tested in additional classrooms. Three cases are being implemented as a proof of concept, and their effectiveness is being tested in a variety of post-secondary institutions (e.g., a community college and large university) and within a variety of teaching styles (e.g., traditional large lecture-based and small case-based classes). We are examining the difficulties of comparing student performance across institutions. Close communication with faculty is facilitating the use of the modules and testing their effectiveness through student and faculty outcome studies, interviews and evaluation of changes in attitude and content learning. Rigorous methodologies are being used among well-defined populations to analyze outcomes. This material will be submitted to and reviewed by BioQUEST.