Course Approval Form - George Mason University



|[pic] |General Education Course Approval Form | |

|Subject Code: |ASTR |Number: |115 | Title: |Finding New Worlds |

General Education Category: NATURAL SCIENCE - With LAB

Natural science goals: The general education natural sciences courses engage students in scientific exploration; foster their curiosity; enhance their enthusiasm for science; and enable them to apply scientific knowledge and reasoning to personal, professional and public decision-making.

To achieve these goals, students will:

Understand how scientific inquiry is based on investigation of evidence from the natural world, and that scientific knowledge and understanding:

evolves based on new evidence

differs from personal and cultural beliefs

Recognize the scope and limits of science.

Recognize and articulate the relationship between the natural sciences and society and the application of science to societal challenges (e.g., health, conservation, sustainability, energy, natural disasters, etc.).

Evaluate scientific information (e.g., distinguish primary and secondary sources, assess credibility and validity of information).

Participate in scientific inquiry and communicate the elements of the process, including:

Making careful and systematic observations

Developing and testing a hypothesis

Analyzing evidence

Interpreting results

NB: Lab courses must meet all five of the above learning outcomes. Non-lab courses must meet learning outcomes one through four.

PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION

(NOTE: the signature box will remain at the bottom of the first page)

(TIPS: • Student Learning Outcomes stated in the proposal must be reflected in the syllabus; • it is helpful to the committee to know how student learning will be evaluated with regard to the gen ed outcomes; • use this space to elaborate on any gen ed related aspects of the course that may not be easily discernible from the syllabus.)

SYLLABUS: Attached

Which learning outcomes does this course address?

This course addresses all five learning outcomes as listed in Natural science goals above.

What assignments will you give that will allow students to demonstrate their competence with each outcome?

Outcome 1 is addressed with the assignment in Week 4 asking students to evaluate the current theory of solar system formation in light of current evidence. Students will have learned the theory and examined supporting evidence from our solar system. They will then look at a newly discovered planet system to test the theory using evidence from other systems and examine modifications that may be necessary.

Outcome 2 is addressed in a class discussion of strengths of science and its limits. At this point the students will have been working on their own projects and will be able to think about physical limits of current equipment. The discussion will be structured to invite them to think about when scientific investigation would be a productive approach to deeper understanding. It will be followed with a short writing to summarize the discussion.

Outcome 3 is primarily addressed with a role play near the end of class centered around how humans might respond to a signal from a communicating civilization. Students will take on various societal roles, such as scientist, political and religious leaders, and journalist. They will prepare for these roles before the class role play, and will use class time to examine the interplay of various elements of society when faced with a crisis and will respond with a written reflection afterwards.

Outcome 4 is addressed mainly in the “Learning to read scientific writing exercise” where students will compare a primary source paper reflecting current research with reports covering the same topic in the popular press. The exercise will serve as a preparation for gathering research writings as students consider background material for their own reports.

Outcome 5 is met with the project that students will plan, carry out and present to peers over the course of the semester. It will involve a stepped process of gathering background information, collecting data, organizing and presenting data, testing an hypothesis against results, and interpreting findings, which will then be presented.

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|College/School: |COS/SPACS |Department: |Astronomy |

|Submitted by: |Jessica Rosenberg |Ext: |3-9951 |Email: |jrosenb4@gmu.edu |Date: |May 1, 2012 |

| |Rebecca J. Ericson | |3-4588 | |rericso1@gmu.edu | | |

x |NEW | |EXISTING | |MODIFIED |x |LAB | |NON LAB | |

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