Emphasizing concepts and reasoning skills in introductory college molecular cell biology

Presented here are the results of a two-year project to implement recommendations for reform of college introductory science courses. Student reactions were studied during a required course for biology majors, in which critical thinking and deep learning skills were emphasized in addition to disciplinary content. The results showed that development of critical thinking skills could be integrated successfully with study of the process of science, and that this approach was consistent with content learning. Student reactions to the course suggested that, to maximize its effectiveness, the goals of such a course must be made explicit to students from the outset, especially as they relate to the amount and type of work required for success in the course.