I would recommend this course to ...

"first-years, sophomores, non-science majors. It's fun to learn a lot."

"anyone interested in a scientific career, anyone who wants to know about the world."

I would recommend this course for a non-science major because...

"it's a wonderful look at the world and oneself. I have less fear of 'science' than I used to have. We have in this class an opportunity to successfully pursue scientific methods and ideas. I can do this!"

"I think it is important for everyone to know because science affects everyone in their daily lives. I liked how this course wasn't intimidating. I also like the broad range of science we studied."

"it gives you a nice, unintimidating, broad range of scientific study. I feel much more confident reading science articles in newspapers and discussing science topics with family members who were science majors."

"it made me reconsider science for a major and I think it's a great course for anyone who is not sure about what they want to major in when they arrive."

"I am a non-science major, and have enjoyed this class very much. I did not feel daunted or overwhelmed, but at the same time, I was challenged and interested in the material."

I would recommend this course for a science major because...

"it gives a well-rounded education, it provides a chance to look at the interrelationships of different disciplines. It brings science home. It's fun!"

"it reinstates the unity of all different sciences."

"it gives you a good basis for writing which is useful for everything and a good overview."

"if someone wanted to major in science, but didn't know the area of science that they wanted to focus on, Unity of Science could expose them to various areas of science."

Unity of Science is...

"very organized and clearly structured. One idea flowed into the next. By December, we had a good grasp of how all the ideas worked together."

"very unified. One of the great strengths of this course. Someone did a marvelous job of structuring it."

My favorite topic was...

"color perception (it helped me in art class). And the reading The Colorblind Painter."

"animals, disease and humans... it's so 'relatable' ... it applies to me! I am amazed by the process of change over time - history is interesting to me."

"Universe: very philosophical and contemporary issues in modern science. Local geology: fun and informative about where we are... FIELD TRIP! Molecular biology: a good review with good insights."

"I really enjoy biology and I liked the units where it was stressed."

"ALL OF THEM! (I honestly cannot distinguish.) "

"I heartily enjoyed them all. The wave theory and electromagnetic theory labs were hardest for me. I liked the biology stuff the best."

"I really enjoyed the DNA fingerprinting because it's something which is used in everyday life. I found the DNA fingerprinting articles interesting in the way it's used in investigations. I also liked the sea urchin labs, it's amazing how quickly the eggs were fertilized."

"It is great to have access to all the equipment that we've been able to use. Plus the fact that I altered genes was a great confidence booster."

After this course, more likely to take a science course beyond the distribution requirement?

"I thought I would take this course to fulfill my distributions, but I have already signed up for geology next semester."

"Only if it's an interesting one like this class. I most likely won't want to take, let's say, calculus or particle physics, but maybe biology or geology."

"I like science regardless of whether I took this course or not, but I might be more influenced to pursue a specific area because of this course."

"Chemistry and physics."

"Maybe not other science courses, because I am a humanities major, but it has definitely increased my interest in science articles, and had made me comfortable talking about science in conversations."

"I'm looking seriously at computer science now."

Ten years from now I will remember this about Unity of Science.

"The discussions about space, time and the universe that we had especially in discussion and the part about color, light and vision (that really sunk in)."

"It gave me a good picture of why science is useful and interesting, but I still don't believe it is the only way to view or explain the world."

"Now I know a little bit about everything; the discussions, the great professors, the other students, the UNITY of it all."

"How everything is interconnected through energy and structure."

"You have definitely sparked a little more interest in me re: science. I will be more apt to investigate the web, read articles, eta... which discuss scientific events."

"How much the professors wanted to get students who weren't interested in or disliked science to appreciate the interconnections of different fields more."

"I'll be applying geological, astrological [sic!] biological, and evolutionary information from this course throughout my life. I will remember that science is 'do-able' and that I learned how to reach beyond the limits of my 'usual' interests and experience because of this course."

"The good times I had! The great prods! The applicability. The knowledge and power."

Comparing first and second semester.

"I think the first and second semesters fit in together very nicely because the first gave a 'small picture' approach, detailing scientific procedures, etc., while the second was a 'big picture' approach, beginning with the origins of the universe."

"First semester was more linear and second was more of a smorgasbord; the two semesters complement one another well - they fit together."

"Second semester, I think I did better and it went a little smoother, personally. First semester seemed to tie things together more somehow."

Guest Lecturers.

"It was great to have outside 'experts' and we had the perfect number. Any more would be overwhelming, and any less wouldn't be sufficient."

"They did a great job of jumping into whatever we were studying. I really would have liked having more lecturers."

"I think this is very good. It gives variety to the class and keeps it interesting."

"I thought they were wonderful. It's always nice to have someone speak about the things they love."

On-line Reading.

"I liked the on-line sites with links. I think you should keep this in the course."

"Very cool - Keep utilizing it."

"So great to have the articles on-line. I couldn't lose them. The genetic engineering articles were my favorite."

Handouts.

"Great! I am so impressed by the relevancy and clarity of the materials you've provided us with. They will go in my library for safe keeping."

"Helped me with my lab write ups and gave me extra knowledge that wasn't essential, but very interesting, like the DNA crime handouts."

 

Anything Else?

"I really loved this course. I hated for it to end. My relationships with the professors are very special to me and a valuable byproduct of this extraordinary look at science."

"Just keep this class going. This class should ALWAYS be offered here. I think it's crucial for all of those students who are undecided majors."

"I really enjoyed this class. There was encouragement to succeed and everyone was very willing to help each other learn."

"I like the random snippets for example why cows lick their babies, why the sunset is red and how leaves change colors."

"I would like, since we have an entomologist in our midst, a section on insect life."

"I felt like a 'real' scientist and I felt like our conclusions (final project) were useful and we made a contribution to our subject matter."

"I loved the imagination it (final project) took, the impetus it took to coordinate/create everything, the relationship I developed with my lab partner, and the experience of writing a cohesive report."

"First time in my life I ever felt like a scientist."

"It was empowering and creative."

Great job. KEEP THIS COURSE! Maybe have a small weekly quiz, though. That would help students review the material on a regular basis Thanks! I liked it a lot."

"You all were patient and knowledgeable, very professional group of professors. Thanks for all the effort and all the new insight I have."