Welcome to 21st Century Biology
21st Century Biology is an experimental course that discards the usual method of teaching and replaces it with a research approach. This exposes students to modern research techniques while promoting critical thinking and problem solving that is student centered and teacher facilitated. As a result, students gain an appreciation of scientific research while they master key concepts from the core of cell biology. Students are no longer the passive recipients of knowledge, but acquire it actively and through collaborative effort to complete the research and produce scientific posters.
Through a research approach to scientific learning, students are exposed to many facets of biological study. An active, "hands-on" method of study is encouraged to allow the students to learn through doing, rather than merely listening to lectures. We have conducted such experiments as neurobiology in sea animals, an exploration of the electrical fields of weakly electric fish, and research into plant response to mechanical stimulation.