syllabus12

=Biology in Society: Critical Thinking=

Fall 2012
Instructor: Peter Taylor, Critical & Creative Thinking Program Email: peter.taylor@umb.edu Phone: 617-287-7636 Office: Wheatley 2nd flr 157 Class time: Thursdays 4-6.45pm in W-2-157 or via skype (with special arrangements for asynchronous online students)--starting 6 Sept. Office/phone call/skype appointments: http://ptaylor.wikispaces.umb.edu/ptofficehours Course Wiki: http://crcrth645.wikispaces.umb.edu Syllabus:http://crcrth645.wikispaces.umb.edu/syllabus Student wikipages (incl. assignment submission): crcrth645.wikispaces.umb.edu/-/2012/Yourlastname Readings: http://crcrth645.wikispaces.umb.edu/readings Audios & visuals: http://crcrth645.wikispaces.umb.edu/av Cases for revision after class sessions: http://crcrth645.wikispaces.umb.edu/Cases Group email list: Emails sent to cct645@googlegroups.com go to everyone in the course

CATALOG DESCRIPTION
Current and historical cases are used to examine the political, ethical, and other social dimensions of the life sciences. Close examination of developments in the life sciences can lead to questions about the social influences shaping scientists' work or its application. This, in turn, can lead to new questions and alternative approaches for educators, biologists, health professionals, and concerned citizens.

LONGER COURSE DESCRIPTION
Critical thinking about the diverse influences shaping the life sciences. Topics include evolution and natural selection; heredity, development and genetic determinism; biotechnology and reproductive interventions. We interpret episodes in science, past and present, in light of scientists' historical location, economic and political interests, use of language, and ideas about causality and responsibility.

You address the course material on a number of levels: as an opportunity to learn the science and approaches to interpreting science; as models for working as an educator--construed broadly as stimulating greater citizen involvement in scientific debates; and as a basis for discussions about practices and philosophies of education and lifelong, collaborative learning.

A semester-long "learning/engaging" project in an area of the life sciences in their social context about which you are interested in engaging others in learning and critical thinking. Each week you adopt or adapt the themes and activities from the previous session to apply to this area.

Each session has 3 parts: a) a mini-lecture during the last part of the previous meeting; b) a check-in about how you are interweaving the course themes into your project; and c) an activity (or activities) on the topic of the session. Readings and exercises follow up on the mini-lecture and prepare you for the next meeting. (Online asynchronous students listen to the recordings of the mini-lecture and class meeting, undertake the activities, and, well before the next meeting, send to the group email list their reflections related to four separate points spread across the class meeting.)

Each session is followed up in 3 ways: a) additional readings (optional); b) adopt or adapt the themes and activities to apply to your project area; and c) contributions to the revision of the cases introduced and to an annotated collection of new readings and other resources. The cases and the bibliography form part of a text in development; students who give permission will have their contributions to the revisions of the text acknowledged.

Readings available for download from http://crcrth645.wikispaces.umb.edu/readings (accessible to signed-in students only).
 * TEXTS**

Recommended to help with writing, research, and group processes: > Daniel, D., C. Fauske, P. Galeno and D. Mael (2001). Take Charge of Your Writing: Discovering Writing Through Self-Assessment. Boston: Houghton Mifflin ("new" copies available well below list price on amazon.com)

> Elbow, P. (1981). Writing with Power. New York: Oxford Univ. Press. (old editions are OK)

> Taylor, P., J. Szteiter (2012) Taking Yourself Seriously: Processes of Research and Engagement. Arlington: The Pumping Station (online as paperback or pdf from http://thepumpingstation.org/books or as paperback from other online booksellers)