Development and Assessment of an Introductory Undergraduate Course in Biophysics

In the pursuit of deepening ones understanding of physics and its implications on biological functions, Biophysics presents itself as the forerunner in useful courses serving in this capacity. As a modern, interdisciplinary field of science weaving concepts of Physics, Biology, Math, and Chemistry, Biophysics provides the space for novel approaches and discoveries answering the questions of many scientists and engineers. Due to the broad reach of its purposes, Biophysics requires a multidisciplinary education. Students working towards degrees in any science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree can benefit from taking a Biophysics course. In this paper, course design and types of instruction are presented and discussed, as well as student outcomes and feedback for the first iteration of this biophysics course. This course will offer undergraduate students a look into a multitude of techniques, based on physical principles and laws, which are used to explore biological functions. In addition, students will be challenged to improve their understanding of molecular structures in biological contexts and will explore the thermodynamic and kinetic regulation of biological systems as well as the bioenergetics of molecular and environmental interactions. Due to the level of coursework expected, students will have the opportunity to participate in active and passive learning activities, will be given learning assessments utilizing all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, and will be assigned a project involving Research as Inquiry. Check points will be built into the course to monitor students’ progress on projects, at which time feedback and guidance will be offered. Upon completion of this course, STEM students will be able to clearly express their scientific thinking in both written and verbal form while successfully connecting concepts across their undergraduate curriculum. Students will be required to sharpen their skills as researchers as they learn how to focus their questions of inquiry and will then present their findings. Through developing an undergraduate course in Biophysics, a roadmap is presented helping STEM students to make necessary connections among their foundational undergraduate education.

Creator

• Greene, Tanja

Publisher

• American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)

Language

• English

Identifier

• Paper ID #36710

Mot-clé

• multidisciplinary education
• course design
• foundational undergraduate education
• pedagogy
• biophysics
• bioenergetics

Date created

• 2022

Related URL

• Available from the publisher:  https://strategy.asee.org/40622

Resource type

• Conference Proceeding

Source

• 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Rights statement

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/