College of Natural Sciences - CSU, Chico
Dean James Houpis Confronts 'Quiet Crisis'
So, science and mathematics are not for you? Well, you have plenty of company.
The college is committed to addressing the critical need to improve scientific literacy of the general population and does not want to continue previous practices where first-year science courses are used to "filter" students out of the sciences. Here, at Chico State, we want to offer classes that get students "pumped" so they will take another look at the sciences and mathematics-not because they have to but because they were challenged and found that the two required general education courses were meaningful to a life-long experience of being an educated and a scientifically literate citizen.
Houpis uses a compelling PowerPoint presentation to demonstrate that the college, our students, and the United States are in the midst of a "Quiet Crisis." He points out the following trends:
-- the chance for sustainable development is slipping away
-- deficiencies in health care continue to rise
-- deterioration in math and science education is unrelenting
-- a growing indifference in our society to the state of science exists, and
-- the preeminence of the United States in the fields of science and engineering is in danger.
So, how can we change these trends?
The first step will be to develop new introductory general education science courses. Houpis and the college faculty are committed to developing and implementing interdisciplinary general education science courses that will not only meet a university requirement and improve the scientific literacy of all of our graduating students but will encourage more students to seek a degree and career in the sciences and mathematics.
These introductory sciences courses will serve as "pumps," rather than "filters," to higher levels of study in science and mathematics. Following the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences, our new GE courses, Natural Sciences (NSCI) 101 and 102, will:
-- meet the needs of students from diverse educational backgrounds and experiences.
-- have rich, meaningful laboratory components.
-- explore the unifying concepts of processes of sciences.
-- be interdisciplinary in nature and focus, providing case studies that examine real problems and applications.
-- allow students to understand the interrelationships among the science and math disciplines in the context of human society.
-- employ alternative instruction in an effort to revitalize the teaching of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology at the undergraduate level.
-- emphasize the evolving process of scientific thought and inquiry-and assist students to understand the need to be life-long learners of science, mathematics, engineering, and technology.
The college is beginning to re-engineer, and will continue to re-tune, its general education courses to address a growing indifference in our society to the state of science, a lack of understanding of the scientific process among the general public, and a need for more scientists and mathematicians.
"As a college, we are at a tipping point," Houpis said. "We could have done nothing, but instead we are rising to the occasion and our goal is to reverse these trends in math and science. As the dean, I would be doing our college, our university, and our region a serious disservice by doing nothing. Doing 'nothing' is not in my character, and I no longer want our college to be known as the 'best kept secret' in the North State; rather, we will be leaders in serving the public good through science."
The National Academy of Sciences recommends that an introductory science course be interdisciplinary in nature and focus, and provide case studies that examine real problems and applications. Science is a language, a quantitative language to help explain observed natural phenomena, and we can use that understanding to the betterment of humankind (a core goal of an interdisciplinary course). Rote memorization does very little to stimulate the general citizenry to understand our world in a scientific and rational way.
NSCI 101 and 102 are being piloted now and will continue to be offered in spring and fall of 2006. Each class shares common goals and learning objectives. Upon completion of NSCI 101 and 102, students should be able to do the following:
-- appreciate and apply the scientific method as an everyday problem-solving tool.
-- possess a better understanding of the methodology of science, so as to foster critical thinking skills and the ability to make complex scientific and social choices.
-- recognize the impact of science on society and the impact of society on science.
-- understand the differences between belief and science.
-- read, critically evaluate and discuss contemporary popular scientific information.
-- make informed decisions concerning scientific issues, as they pertain to society and their personal lives.
-- become engaged in collaborative learning and develop problem-solving techniques.
-- develop testable hypotheses that describe the natural world and predict the behavior of systems.
"I hope our current and future students agree with me that these goals are worthy, acceptable, and exciting for any GE science course in the college," Houpis said. "I am truly committed to this endeavor, and to addressing science-related societal issues that will result in improving the public good."