It is probably not a good idea for me to write a column (at all; I know, Glovsky) about a class in which I am currently enrolled. However, Biology 11, with its eye-catching ORC titles ("Emerging Infectious Diseases: How Microbes Rule the World," or "Frankenstein 2.0: Building a Better Human"), has prompted disagreement, at least among freshmen and biology professors. I have found that many students who have taken the course were unsatisfied with what was demanded of them. Some students have advantages over others in any class, of course, but the general consensus is that students who did not take Advanced Placement Biology in high school have to work a lot harder to succeed in Bio 11.
The biology department restructured the biology major for this current school year in order "to provide the maximum potential for students to explore this vast area of science." Regardless of students' AP test scores, the prerequisite for all further courses in biology is now Bio 11, a class where each section has its own unique focus.
Biology professor Roger Sloboda said in an interview with me that "our aim is to teach you to think and thus improve the way you approach the study of biology, and perhaps any subject," rather than to merely test students' retention of facts. Theoretically, then, AP Bio students should not have much of an advantage over others by simply knowing more.
In keeping with the ethos of the course, textbook readings are optional. (I swear this is not the only reason I'm taking this class.) Sloboda explains that since Dana Library contains plenty of useful biology texts, he does not think it makes sense for students to spend money on a textbook. But of course students must take the initiative to read if they need the reinforcement. Unfortunately, this challenges the idea that AP Bio students have no advantage in the course. Without the rigor of a required textbook, students who did not take AP Bio will have a harder time catching up to the level of those who did.
Not all students appreciate Sloboda's sophisticated approach to Bio 11. Many feel more confident in their abilities to read and memorize facts from a lecture than in their abilities to analyze information. Since the study of biology requires a concrete base of knowledge before a student is able to "synthesize a unified view of the complex and fascinating field of modern biology" as Sloboda hopes, the biology department should consider adopting a policy of evaluating and placing students into introductory biology classes according to their past experiences.
In order to do this, the department could study the Writing Program, which also focuses on critical thinking skills. Innovative first-year seminar topics offer Dartmouth students a rewarding way to get a necessary credit. Students who have high scores on the SATs and AP English exams take a seminar in the fall, while other students take Writing 2-3 or Writing 5 before taking their freshman seminars in the winter or spring. The system makes sense because it divides students into fairly equal groups, making the seminar a better experience for all.
I understand that a system similar to the freshman writing program would be too difficult for pre-med and biology majors because two prerequisite courses instead of one would complicate D-plans exorbitantly. However, it would make sense to offer two different classes that would each fulfill the biology prerequisite: a Bio 11 and a Bio 11.5, if you will. Bio 11.5 would be an "honors" track for those students with a firm grounding in biology, like a high AP score, and Bio 11 would be for those who do not have as much background. Both courses could still follow unique topics, but Bio 11.5 would spend less time going over oxidative phosphorylation, for example, than Bio 11.
With a system like this, professors could connect more closely with students to experiment even further with the interesting themes of Bio 11 courses. The department is to be commended for its fresh, inspiring approach to a basic requirement and the noble goal of teaching students a lifelong skill. But until students have another option for their biology prerequisite, a different approach is necessary. Oh, and I want a good grade, of course.
