Real World Scenarios in Non-Majors Biology

Abstract

Students in non-majors' biology courses may not choose careers that require biology content knowledge; however, all will encounter science in their lives. We redesigned a non-majors introductory biology course to support students in considering the importance of biology in their own lives. Our intent was to provide students with skills to engage in scientific reasoning, apply biological concepts, and increase their interest in the subject. One of the components we created to achieve these goals was a series of three Real World Scenarios (RWS). These RWSs consisted of existing case studies to which we added structured group discussion and individual reflection papers. These elements allowed students to grapple with a complex topic with peers, be exposed to viewpoints different from their own, and then have time to reflect and consider their own thoughts before they made an individual decision. We implemented these RWSs in both the face-to-face (F2F) and online sections. Students in both sections reported finding the assignments useful to help them connect the science to their own lives and appreciated the opportunity to interact with their peers and be exposed to differing viewpoints. We provide information on how we set up the assignment and provide suggestions for additional improvements.