FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 4, 2014

For more information:
Public Relations and Marketing
Glenville State College
(304) 462-4115

GLENVILLE, WV — Glenville State College Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Sara Sawyer is part of a task force seeking to change the way non-biology majors take biology courses.

The Four Year Section First Year Undergraduate Committee, in collaboration with the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) Introductory Biology Task Force, is currently seeking input on concepts and skills to be included on a student survey for biological topics for consideration when teaching and designing undergraduate biology courses for non-majors.

Sawyer explains that biology majors are required to learn specific material in an introductory biology course in order to progress to the next level of their major. This material, while important to these students, is sometimes unnecessary for a non-science major. “The goal of having non-science majors take a science course in college is to help make them better citizens.  They should learn things that will impact their daily lives and help them make better informed decisions in the future. However, there is no need to teach non-majors certain material. Thus, a non-majors course can be partially tailored to student interests,” said Sawyer.

The committee hopes to have the survey completed by the end of fall 2014 so that it can be administered to students at various colleges across the United States at the beginning of the spring semester. The goal is to publish the results so that all biology instructors have a better understanding of student interests.

The NABT was first established in 1938 and has thousands of members from around the U.S. Educators involved in the association aim to share experiences and expertise, keep up with trends and developments, and grow professionally.

For more information, contact Sawyer at Sara.Sawyer@glenville.edu or (304) 462-6303.