Science first-year experience (SFYX)
Open to students registered in any discipline at Concordia, discover an innovative and multidisciplinary approach to learning that provides young minds with a strong basis in scientific literacy to prepare them for a future not only in science, but in all other fields of endeavour.
Course overview
The science first-year experience course (SFYX 201) is meant to provide science and non-science students with an early and enriched hands-on introduction to the scientific process, and to stimulate their critical thinking skills. This course allows the College to share its vision of interdisciplinary, reflective, experiential-learning exploration of science with a broader range of students, including those in non-science fields.
Who is eligible to register
This course is geared towards first-year Concordia students, with a special focus on those in the Extended Credit Program (ECP). It will also be open to any student who receives permission from the College to register.
Goals
The goals of the science first-year experience course are to:
- Introduce students to the concept of interdisciplinary thinking in the context of science.
- Provide students with practical, hands-on experience in a real-world research setting.
- Foster in students a greater understanding and consideration of the critical role of science in society.
Students who complete this course and would like to go on to a deeper exploration of the scientific process can apply to join the College if they have the appropriate background.
Course structure
In this course, students will explore and experience the scientific process from start to finish from: creating a working hypothesis and collecting samples in a live research setting to performing a data analysis and interpreting the findings.
- Students are expected to complete their projects in order to engage with and participate in all steps of the scientific process.
- Following a rigorous planning process that involves receiving feedback from the instructor and fellow students, each student will thereafter be responsible for carrying out their experimental work and collecting the relevant data.
- To help with the analysis students will be trained in data management, data visualisation and introduced to statistical analysis.
- Students will work together to interpret their findings in the context of the relevant literature.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students will be able to:
- Review the scientific literature efficiently and understand the structure of scientific texts.
- Integrate multiple perspectives as they work collaboratively to study a complex problem.
- Plan and carry out a hands-on project — from formulating a hypothesis to the visualisation and analysis of the data that they collected on their own.
- Communicate scientific results and conclusions clearly and concisely in oral and written form.
- Use and appreciate peer instruction and collaborative learning to improve their understanding and conceptual reasoning.
- Consider ethical aspects of scientific work and the crucial role of science in the broader social context.
For further information please contact us.
