Instructor Qualifications for BIOL 1015

The qualifications listed below reflect the minimum qualifications a high school instructor must meet before applying to teach the UMN course BIOL 1015: Human Physiology, Technology and Medical Devices.

Licensure

CIS instructors must have a valid Minnesota teaching license or an approved alternative.

Experience and proficiencies (all required)

• A minimum of three years of experience teaching rigorous courses (primarily to advanced 11th and 12th grade or first-year college students), including at least one year of teaching biology or life sciences.
• Demonstrated ability to:
  • Create a student-centered classroom (e.g., use cooperative learning to engage students in the learning process)
  • Engage students in classroom discussion
  • Guide, rather than direct, students through the learning process

Observations (all required)

• Prior to submitting application materials, the potential applicant should contact the faculty coordinator for BIOL 1015 to arrange to observe one or more classes being taught in a high school or on the UMN Twin Cities campus during a section when the instructor implements guided inquiry lessons and gives cooperative quizzes.
• Applicants will be asked to include with their application a two-page reflection paper about these site visits and active learning in the classroom.

Demonstration of advanced, relevant content knowledge (select one)

1. Graduate degree in the field(s) of biological sciences, life sciences, math, or biomedical sciences
2. Graduate degree in biology education, life science education, or biomedical science education if coursework was inclusive of graduate-level content in the discipline and methods courses specifically for teaching of that discipline
3. Graduate degree in any field plus 18 graduate semester credits in field(s) of biological sciences, life sciences, or biomedical sciences
4. Graduate degree in any field and six equivalent experience options from items A through F, below
5. Bachelor’s degree in science or a related field that includes significant undergraduate coursework in biological sciences, life sciences or biomedical sciences, plus seven graduate semester credits in biological sciences, life sciences or biomedical sciences, and nine equivalent experience options from items A through F, below

Description of Equivalent Experience Options (only required if #4 or #5 is selected above)

A: Graduate credits in related fields

Related fields include biological sciences, life sciences, or biomedical sciences. These need not have been taken as part of a graduate degree program.

• Three semester-length credits are considered one experience
• Can be applied up to nine times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, include a list of relevant graduate coursework. For each course include the title, where taken and number of credits earned. Faculty will evaluate the courses you list for relevancy to the topics taught in the UMN course or to advanced topics in the same field. If the applicability isn’t obvious from the course title, please describe the relevance.

B: Graduate credits in science education

Specifically in the field(s) of biological science education, life science education or biomedical science education. These need not have been taken as part of a graduate degree program.

• Three semester-length credits are considered one experience
• Can be applied up to three times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, list relevant graduate coursework. For each course include the title, where taken and credits earned. Faculty will evaluate the courses you list for relevancy to the topics taught in the UMN course or to advanced topics in the same field. If the applicability isn’t obvious from the course title, please describe the relevance.

C: Discipline-specific professional development

Specifically in biological sciences, life sciences, or biomedical sciences. Examples include BrainU: The Neuroscience Teacher Institute, or other workshops, trainings, conferences, or seminars of similar rigor.

• 45 hours are considered one experience
• Can be applied up to two times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, include a list of each professional development workshop, the sponsoring group or organization and total hours. Refer to Faculty Guiding Questions #1: Discipline-specific professional development.

D: Experience requiring regular use of biological sciences, life sciences, or biomedical sciences

These may have been done in the context of the performance of professional responsibilities, such as an EMT or paramedic. May include paid employment or volunteer work.

• 100 hours is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to two times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your experiences using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #9: Experience requiring regular use of skills or content knowledge related to the field.

E: Participation as an Advanced Placement Biology test grader.

• Each year is considered one experience
• Can be applied once

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your participation using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #10: Participation in a nationally normed assessment activity related to the field.

F: Successful and effective teaching experience in a course leading to undergraduate credit

Specifically in a course leading to undergraduate credit in biological sciences, life sciences, chemistry, or biomedical sciences including dual credit, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or teaching undergraduates on a college/university campus.

• A minimum of four years is considered one experience
• Can be applied once

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your teaching experience using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #3: Teaching of a course leading to undergraduate credit for students.