Bill W Tillery,
Arizona State University Eldon D Enger,
Delta College Frederick C Ross,
Delta College
ISBN: 0072467002 Copyright year: 2004
Book Preface
Introduction
Integrated Science is a straightforward, easy-to-read, but substantial introduction to the fundamental behavior of matter and energy in living and nonliving systems. It is intended to serve the needs of nonscience majors who are required to complete one or more science courses as part of a general or basic studies requirement. It introduces basic concepts and key ideas while providing opportunities for students to learn reasoning skills and a new way of thinking about their environment. No prior work in science is assumed. The language, as well as the mathematics, is as simple as can be practical for a college-level science course.
The Integrated Science sequence of chapters is flexible, and the instructor can determine topic sequence and depth of coverage as needed. The materials are also designed to support a conceptual approach or a combined conceptual and problem-solving approach. With laboratory studies, the text contains enough material for the instructor to select a sequence for a one- or two-semester course.
The Goals of Integrated Science
1. Create an introductory science course aimed at the nonscience major. The origin of this book is rooted in our concern for the education of introductory-level students in the field of science. Historically, nonscience majors had to enroll in courses intended for science or science-related majors such as premeds, architects, or engineers. Such courses are important for these majors, but are mostly inappropriate for introductory-level nonscience students who are simply not interested in science, and perhaps anxious about taking a science course. To put a nonscience student into such a course is a mistake. Few students will have the time or background to move through the facts, equations, and specialized language to gain any significant insights into the logic or fundamental understandings; instead, they will leave the course with a distaste for science. Today, society has a great need for a few technically trained people, but a much larger need for individuals who understand science.
2. Introduce a course that presents a coherent and clear picture of all science disciplines—an interdisciplinary approach—which helps students confirm and calibrate the big picture with the real world. Recent studies and position papers have called for an interdisciplinary approach to teaching science to nonmajors. For example, the need is discussed in Science for All Americans—Project 2061 (American Association for the Advancement of Science), National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1994), and Science in the National Interest (The White House, 1994). Interdisciplinary science is an attempt to broaden and humanize science education by reducing and breaking down the barriers that enclose traditional science disciplines as distinct subjects.
3. Help instructors build their own mix of descriptive and analytical aspects of science, arousing student interest and feelings as they help students reach the educational goals of their particular course. The spirit of interdisciplinary science is sometimes found in courses called "General Science," "Combined Science," or "Integrated Science." These courses draw concepts from a wide range of the traditional fields of science, but are not concentrated around certain problems or questions. For example, rather than just dealing with the physics of energy, an interdisciplinary approach might consider broad aspects of energy—dealing with potential problems of an energy crisis—including social and ethical issues. There are a number of approaches that can be used in interdisciplinary science, including the teaching of science in a social, historical, philosophical, or problem-solving context, but there is no single best approach. One of the characteristics of interdisciplinary science is that it is not constrained by the necessity of teaching certain facts or by traditions. It likewise cannot be imposed as a formal discipline, with certain facts to be learned. It is justified by its success in attracting and holding the attention and interest of students, making them a little wiser as they make their way toward various careers and callings.
4. Humanize science for nonscience majors. Each chapter presents historical background where appropriate, uses everyday examples in developing concepts, and follows a logical flow of presentation. The historical chronology, of special interest to the humanistically inclined nonscience major, serves to humanize the science being presented. The use of everyday examples appeals to the nonscience major, typically accustomed to reading narration, not scientific technical writing, and also tends to bring relevancy to the material being presented. The logical flow of presentation is helpful to students not accustomed to thinking about relationships between what is being read and previous knowledge learned, a useful skill in understanding the sciences.
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2004 McGraw-Hill Higher Education