BI22x is the Principles of Biology Series offered at Oregon State University.

This series has 3 courses that are taken by life science and pre-professional majors at Oregon State University. Students are required to take BI221 to continue to BI222 or Bi223. There is also a chemistry co-requisite but we strongly recommend taking chemistry prior to biology. This series is the introductory series for these students to the major concepts and skills in Biology. It fulfills the Biological Sciences Perspectives Category of the Baccalaureate Core.

It is designed to prepare students for upper division courses by giving a broad survey of topics ranging from the origin of life to cell metabolism to global ecology. This survey is the base knowledge that all biologists should have to function as scientific citizens. We also introduce the skills necessary to succeed in science such as: lab safety and protocols, scientific methodology, microscope use, dissection skills, communication skills, and scientific reading and writing skills. These skills are built into our course through our laboratory and lecture exercises. Since this course is an introductory course we also scaffold the students' learning process to help student develop study skills and life skills that will help them progress into upper division course. Additionally, Biology is an inherently interdisciplinary subject that includes concepts from other subject areas such as mathematics, statistics, physics, chemistry, geology, history, writing and more.

Major Themes in Biology

According to the AAAS Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action, there are 5 majors themes (concepts) and 6 major competencies in biology. All of the concepts and competentices are covered to varying degrees in the BI22x series and in great detail in the Biology major.

These themes are:

1. Evolution: The diversity of life evolved over time by processes of mutation, selection and genetic change.
2. Structure and Function: The basic units of structure deine the function of all living things.
3. Information Flow, Exchange and Storage: The growth and behavior of organisms are activated through the expression of genetic information in context.
4. Pathways and Transformation of Energy and Matter: Biological systems grow and change by processes based upon chemical transfomation pathways and are governed by the laws of thermodynamics.
5. Systems: Living systems are interconnected and interacting.

The competencies are:

1. Ability to apply the process of science.
2. Ability to use quantitative reasoning.
3. Ability to use modeling and simulation.
4. Ability to tap into the interdisciplinary nature of science.
5. Ability to communicate and collaborate with other disciplines.
6. Ability to understand the relationship between science and society.

BI22X GTA Professional Development Training Program

Overview and Goals

The BI22x Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Development Program is intended to support OSU graduate students in their teaching and facilitation experiences. While not exclusive to TAs currently in the classroom, the program is meant to provide structure and guidance primarily to graduate students who are serving in an instructional capacity in the Biology 22x series

The goals of the program are threefold: (1) Improve and supplement the knowledge, skills and experiences of GTAs so as to better prepare them for instructional and facilitative roles; (2) Bolster GTAs’ instructional and facilitative skill set so as to better prepare them for future employment; and (3) Improve the learning experience and engagement of undergraduate students who are enrolled in courses/sections taught by these GTAs.

GTA Outcomes

By successfully completing the learning experiences associated with this program, it is intended that GTAs will be able to:

• Design an undergraduate academic course including the development of classroom expectations, learning outcomes, and assessment techniques
• Implement quality classroom management skills including, but not limited to, responding to disruptive behavior and academic dishonesty, providing accommodations to students with disabilities, and providing appropriate feedback to students
• Develop and practice innovative teaching strategies to engage students, promote critical thinking, and further their understanding of scientific inquiry
• Locate and understand related educational policies (institutional, state, or national) that impact classroom instruction/facilitation
• Access and make appropriate referrals for institutional student support services

Teaching Assistant Professional Development in Biology: Designed for and Driven by Multidimensional Data: Wyse, Long and Ebert-May, 2014. CBE-LSE.

Learning Institute