Preparing you for a diverse and dynamic world.
| SLI Program Student Learning Outcome | Examples of how this specific Student Learning Outcome is met in this course: | Delivered through the following instructional methods: | Student achievement assessed with the following methods: |
| 1. Demonstrate that scientific knowledge applies across multiple scales of size and/or time. | Climate impacts, local vs global. Climate change timescales, long term (geologic timescale) to short term (human timescale) | Lecture, Readings, NOAA data portals, In-class exercises with basic calculations | Reading quizzes, In- class discussion questions, Homework, Final exam |
| 2. Demonstrate understanding of and employ the scientific method. | Observations from satellite and ground used to monitor climate change. Climate change attribution, how we know what we know. | Lecture, Readings, Homework: identifying data collection, synthesis, and communication of planetary science research | Reading quizzes, In- class discussion questions, Homework, Final exam |
| 3. Demonstrate an understanding that science is a continuous process and that our understanding of scientific phenomena has changed across time. | History of climate science, from early CO2 -temperature links, to 1970s and the satellite era, to modern-day big data and observations made globally, including across the polar regions | Lecture, Readings, IPCC readings with in-class exercise, Homework: constructing a timeline of discovery and realizations of climate. | Reading quizzes, In- class discussion questions, Homework, Final exam |
| 4. Demonstrate an understanding of how scientific principles are used to solve tangible problems. | Many example of climate change impacts and mitigation strategies, geo-engineering | Lecture, Homework, Readings, IPCC readings | Reading quizzes, In- class discussion questions,Homework, Midterm project, Final exam |
| 5. Recognize key ethical issues in scientific practice. | Good examples in various geoengineering strategies, “glacier preservation” techniques (side effects). Explore carbon footprint of doing science, ie, ships, planes, visiting polar areas | Lecture, Readings on current glacier preservation strategies, In-class exercises on geoengineering | Reading quizzes, In- class discussion questions, Homework, Final exam |
| 6. Distinguish scientific information from pseudo-scientific information and demonstrate an understanding of the nature of legitimate scientific debate. | Climate change and politics, abundant sources of information, Congressional hearings, cherry-picking data, global warming controversy and disinformation strategies | Lecture, Readings, Examination of the hockey stick controversy through readings and documentaries | Reading quizzes, In- class discussion questions, Homework, Final exam |
| SLI Program Student Learning Outcome | Examples of how this specific Student Learning Outcome is met in this course: | Delivered through the following instructional methods: | Student achievement assessed with the following methods: |
| 1. Demonstrate that scientific knowledge applies across multiple scales of size and time. | Lecture: History of life on Earth – physical and chemical events shape the biology of our planet
Evolution and speciation are driven by events at the genetic and cellular level
Life is incredibly diverse and exists in many forms (prokaryotes, eukaryotes, etc), but are bound by the same biological principles
Lab: Lab 7 covers the transition to land in different species groups (invertebrates and vertebrates) with follow up in lab 10 to compare transitions in invertebrates, vertebrates, & plants: Different groups affected by similar pressures
Labs 8-9 explicitly cover different “levels” of ecology (population, community, ecosystem) | Lecture 2; Lectures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9; Lectures 11-23; Lectures 24-30; Labs 7-9 | Lecture questions; Exams 1, 2, and 3; Vertebrate transition to land research; Adaptation to land data table; Lab quizzes; Lab final |
| 2. Demonstrate understanding of and employ scientific method. | Lab: Students will self-intuit the scientific method through trial and error, solving a simple problem, and then compare their outcome with a formal presentation of the method, including in depth instruction on proper experimental design
Students explore hypothesis generation in everyday life
Labs 2, 3, 5, 8, and 9 involve hypothesis generation, data collection, and data analysis | Lab 1: “What to do with the Unknown?”; Labs 2, 3, 5, 8, and 9 (general experimental design) | Generating hypothesis homework, Pre and post lab questions, Lab quizzes, Lab final |
| 3. Demonstrate an understanding that science is a continuous process and that our understanding of scientific phenomena has changed across time. | Lecture: History of thought surrounding species change, from special creation to modern evolutionary theory
Changes in our understanding of species relationships; how new technology and discovery cause updates to the Tree of Life
Lab: Review the historical process of categorizing species with “Pre-DNA” methodologies and then using “post-DNA” tools, noting that new technologies led to massive reorganization of our understanding of evolution and diversity | Lecture 3; Lectures 10-23; Lab 2: “Tree building and “Prokaryotes”; Lab 6: “What’s in a name?” | Lecture questions; Exams 1, 2, and 3; Lab quizzes; Lab fina |
| 4. Demonstrate an understanding of how scientific principles are used to solve tangible problems. | Lecture: Examples and evidence of species change over both the long and short term
Viral evolution
Explore how treating fungal diseases is difficult due to host/pathogen similarity
Climate models and climate change
Island biogeography as a model for understanding preserve design and species survival planning | Lectures 7, 8, 11, 17, 30 | Lecture questions; Exams 1, 2 and 3 |
| 5. Recognize key ethical issues in scientific practice. | Lab: Explore the ethical issues surrounding animal use in research and teaching
Discuss ethics regarding source use and issues of plagiarism | Lab 3: “Predicting selection” (pillbugs), Lab 7: “Transition to land” (Marine and land snails), & Lab 10: “Reviewing Results” (Snails and yeast) Presentation lab | Lab notebooks & discussion, Presentations |
| 6. Distinguish scientific information from pseudo-scientific information and demonstrate an understanding of the nature of legitimate scientific debate. | Lecture & lab: Students will learn about the components of a scientific hypothesis & scientific results, contrasting these with non-scientific positions.
Lab: | Lectures 4-6, Lab 1, Lab 7, Ecology Presentations” | Exams 1 and 3, Lab quizzes, Transition to land research project, Presentation, Lab final. |
| Note: The SLI Learning Outcomes in the above table meet various UB General Education (UBGE); SUNY categories required by the SUNY General Education Program and also meet Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) categories of general education required by the (MSCHE). UBGE, SUNY UBGE, SUNY Natural Sciences, MSCHE Scientific & Quantitative Reasoning requirements are each met by all of the SLI Learning Outcomes. The MSCHE Ethics requirement is met by SLI Learning Outcome 5. | |||