Pedagogical collaborations similar to collaborations in research can…create truly useful learning environments

According to the Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal.com Web site, "biologist" was rated the nation's single best job this year (1). Being a biologist ranked high for autonomy, good compensation, strong hiring demand, and low stress. It is not surprising that lots of students are interested in biomedical sciences, and most of them are required to take chemistry. With such large numbers of biology students in our undergraduate courses, one might expect that the myriad connections between chemistry and biology would be emphasized, but often they are not. A recent report from the National Research Council (NRC) indicates that these connections are not emphasized in biology courses either (2). To ameliorate this situation, chemistry teachers and biology teachers will need to communicate and collaborate. (This issue provides a lot of support for chemists who want to participate in such an endeavor. See pp 1311–1313, 1331–1339, and 1345–1354.)

According to the NRC report, "Biological concepts and models are becoming more quantitative, and biological research has become critically dependent on concepts and methods drawn from other scientific disciplines. The connections between the biological sciences and the physical sciences, mathematics, and computer science are rapidly becoming deeper and more extensive." However, "The ways in which most future research biologists are educated are geared to the biology of the past", and "Connections between biology and the other scientific disciplines need to be developed and reinforced so that interdisciplinary thinking and work become second nature." Finally, "teaching and learning must be made more active to engage undergraduates…and give them an enduring sense of the power and beauty of creative inquiry." In other words, biology education needs an update so that it more closely models the kinds of thinking and experimentation that characterize modern biological research, and so that it engages students in activities that result in real learning.

The report's message regarding interdisciplinary cooperation and collaboration involving biologists with other disciplines is extremely important. One recommendation is

Concepts, examples, and techniques from mathematics, and the physical and information sciences should be included in biology courses, and biological concepts and examples should be included in other science courses. Faculty in biology, mathematics, and physical sciences must work collaboratively to find ways of integrating mathematics and physical sciences into life science courses as well as providing avenues for incorporating life science examples that reflect the emerging nature of the discipline into courses taught in mathematics and physical sciences.

Cross-disciplinary teaching is something that neither chemists nor biologists can do alone, and it is perhaps the most difficult aspect of improving undergraduate education in the sciences.

Several more recommendations require our collaboration. New materials and approaches are needed if the teaching of biology and other sciences is to become more interdisciplinary. The report proposes that modules be developed that are suitable for students in mathematics and physical science courses but are based on biological problems. Conversely, there should also be modules suitable for biology courses based on mathematics and science topics. The report also recommends that laboratory courses should be as interdisciplinary as possible, "since laboratory experiments [that] confront students with real-world observations do not separate well into conventional disciplines". Doing these things is time-consuming and expensive. Funding agencies and university administrations are encouraged to support creation, development, and assessment of appropriate materials and methods. "For example, faculty interested in adapting teaching approaches for their own use or in creating new teaching materials should have lighter than normal requirements for teaching, research or service while actively engaged in such projects."

Publication of this NRC report and the attention it will bring to undergraduate biology education present a golden opportunity for us chemists to initiate or strengthen collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts involving curriculum and pedagogy. My observation of the research my faculty colleagues are doing, the interests of incoming young faculty, and the changes in direction of established research chemists all point to the increasing importance of applying to pan-disciplinary problems the ideas and habits of thought characteristic of chemists. Pedagogical collaborations similar to collaborations in research can greatly enhance our ability to create truly useful learning environments for students, and to help those in other sciences to do the same. We owe it to ourselves and to our students to redouble our efforts to enhance communication and collaboration with teachers of biology and other sciences.

Literature Cited

1. Krantz, Les. Jobs Rated Almanac, 2002; Barricade Books: Ft. Lee, NJ; Lee, Tony. "Rating the Nation's Best Jobs" (accessed Sep 2002).

2. National Research Council, Committee on Undergraduate Education to Prepare Research Scientists for the 21st Century, BIO2010: Undergraduate Education to Prepare Biomedical Research Scientists; National Academies Press: Washington, DC, 2002 (accessed Sep 2002).