Vision and Change Core Concepts and Competencies (http://visionandchange.org)

• Core Concept:

  • Structure and Function: Basic units of structure define the function of all living things.

  • Information Flow, Exchange, and Storage: The growth and behavior of organisms are activated through the expression of genetic information in context

• Core Competencies:

  • Ability to use quantitative reasoning: Biology relies on applications of quantitative analysis and mathematical reasoning.

  • Ability to communicate and collaborate: Biology is a collaborative scientific discipline.

Biocore Guide (Brownell et al., https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.13-12-0233)

Evolution: Mutations that change protein structure and/or regulation can impact anatomy and physiological function at all levels of organization.

Information Flow: Gene expression and protein activity are regulated by intracellular and extracellular signaling molecules. Signal transduction pathways are crucial in relaying these signals.

Information Flow: Organisms have sophisticated mechanisms for sensing changes in the internal or external environment. They use chemical, electrical, or other forms of signaling to coordinate responses at the cellular, tissue, organ, and/or system level.

Information Flow: Information stored in DNA is expressed as RNA and proteins. These gene products impact anatomical structures and physiological function.

Structure Function: The three dimensional structure of a molecule and its subcellular localization impact its function, including the ability to catalyze reactions or interact with other molecules. Function can be regulated through reversible alterations of structure e.g. phosphorylation.

Structure Function: Natural selection has favored structures whose shape and composition contribute to their ecological function.

Process of Science Skills, Pelaez, N, et al. “The Basic Competencies of Biological Experimentation: Concept-Skill Statements“ (2017). PIBERG Instructional Innovation Materials. Paper 4. http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/pibergiim/4

• Observations

  •  Apply systematic observations to discern variable properties of components of biological systems

  • Compare observations to existing knowledge, models, or theories

• Hypothesis

  • Use a model (i.e. an abstraction or simplification: an equation, computer simulation, conceptual drawing, or other explanatory representation that shows key elements and their relationships) to generate new hypotheses.

  • Generate multiple explanations of the natural world that are testable and potentially falsifiable

• Measurement

  • Choose appropriate measurements based on available equipment, population/species, natural variation, and research question(s)

• Sampling

  • Identify a target population(s) (might be molecules, cells, organisms, or populations) for the planned experiment

• Measurement

  • Record data in an organized and systematic way using appropriate tables, forms, etc.

• Inferences and conclusions

  • Determine and articulate whether data support or refute hypotheses and predictions

  • Align conclusion with analyses, hypotheses, research question(s), and existing knowledge

• Representations

  • Distill results into clear numeric and/or graphical forms that are aligned with the experimental objective/question/hypothesis