Biology Education in 2-Year Colleges in California, U.S.A.

Abstract

From questionnaires to teachers at 2-year colleges in California and from biology textbooks, the teaching of natural science and biology in American 2-year colleges is considered together with the explanations included in some college catalogs.

In these 2-year colleges, there are a great number of students enrolling but they are educated in small groups. Education in these 2-year colleges is similar to the general education at 4-year colleges. In science education, laboratory work is considered to be as important as lectures. To complete an associate degree at a 2-year college, lectures with laboratory work is required as they are in any transfer program. This is one of the major differences in science education between America and Japan.

Biology education covers broad biological areas and lays emphasis on correlation of those areas. Textbooks always contain scientific methods, biochemistry, taxonomy, and environmental science. It was suggested that teachers educate students who have various levels of ability and that they use various techniques in evaluating students.

These results are compared with science education in Japanese junior colleges.