Provost & Academic Vice President

Student Learning Outcomes

Biology  (B.S.)

  

Botany, Environmental Biology, Medical Sciences, Microbiology, and Zoology Options

 Upon completion of this program, the student will have: 

  1. developed a broad view of biology that enables him or her to interrelate the various subject matter areas and an in-depth understanding of the molecular, cellular and genetic phenomena common to all forms of life (overall knowledge)
  2. become familiar with organisms, how they are constructed, how they function, how they develop, how they are classified, and how they interact with their environment.  In this phase of the program, students will have come to realize that at higher levels of organization the evolutionary process has resulted in the enormous diversity of form and function superimposed on the similarity exhibited at lower levels of organization (integration of biological knowledge)

 

Teacher Education Option

Based on standards established by the National Science Teachers Association, upon completion of the Teacher Education option of this program, the student will be able to:

  1. understand the major concepts, principles, theories, laws, and interrelationships of his or her field of licensure and supporting fields as recommended by the National Science Teachers Association
  2. understand the central concepts of the supporting disciplines and the supporting role of science-specific technology
  3. demonstrate an understanding of state and national curriculum standards and their impact on the content knowledge necessary for teaching P-12 students
  4. plan multiple lessons using a variety of inquiry approaches that demonstrate his or her knowledge and understanding of how all students learn science
  5. include active inquiry lessons where students collect and interpret data in order to develop and communicate concepts and understand scientific processes, relationships, and natural patterns from empirical experiences; applications of science-specific technology are included in the lessons when appropriate
  6. design instruction and assessment strategies that confront and address naïve concepts/preconceptions
  7. use a variety of strategies that demonstrate the candidates’ knowledge and understanding of how to select the appropriate teaching and learning activities—including laboratory or field settings and applicable instruments and/or technology—to allow access so that all students learn; these strategies are inclusive and motivating for all students
  8. develop lesson plans that include active inquiry lessons where students collect and interpret data using applicable science-specific technology in order to develop concepts, understand scientific processes, relationships, and natural patterns from empirical experiences; these plans provide for equitable achievement of science literacy for all students
  9. plan fair and equitable assessment strategies to analyze student learning and to evaluate if the learning goals are met; assessment strategies are designed to continuously evaluate preconceptions and ideas that students hold and the understandings that students have formulated
  10. plan a learning environment and learning experiences for all students that demonstrate chemical safety, safety procedures, and the ethical treatment of living organisms within his or her licensure area
  11. design activities in a P-12 classroom that demonstrate the safe and proper techniques for the preparation, storage, dispensing, supervision, and disposal of all materials used within his or her subject area science instruction
  12. design and demonstrate activities in a P-12 classroom that demonstrate an ability to implement emergency procedures and the maintenance of safety equipment, policies, and procedures that comply with established state and/or national guidelines; ensure safe science activities appropriate for the abilities of all students
  13. design and demonstrate activities in a P-12 classroom that demonstrate ethical decision-making with respect to the treatment of all living organisms in and out of the classroom; emphasize safe, humane, and ethical treatment of animals and comply with the legal restrictions on the collection, keeping, and use of living organisms
  14. collect, organize, analyze, and reflect on diagnostic, formative, and summative evidence of a change in mental functioning demonstrating that scientific knowledge is gained and/or corrected
  15. provide data to show that P-12 students are able to distinguish science from nonscience, understand the evolution and practice of science as a human endeavor, and critically analyze assertions made in the name of science
  16. engage students in developmentally appropriate inquiries that require them to develop concepts and relationships from their observations, data, and inferences in a scientific manner
  17. engage in professional development opportunities in his or her content field such as talks, symposiums, research opportunities, or projects within his or her community
  18. engage in professional development opportunities such as conferences, research opportunities, or projects within his or her community

In addition to the outcomes listed above, all professional educator licensure programs at Western Illinois University are designed to meet the 2013 Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (IAC 23, Part 25)  and are also aligned with the standards established by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium.  These standards can be found at the links below: 

https://www.isbe.net/Documents/IL_prof_teaching_stds.pdf 

https://ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2017-12/2013_INTASC_Learning_Progressions_for_Teachers.pdf