Redesign a biology introduction course to promote life consciousness

AbstractTo guide students to make reasonable decisions in the face of adversity and pressure, a new general course named ‘Introduction of Life Education’ was established. The course was organized based on the knowledge of biological science, with the integration of social scientific issues on life health, food safety, environmental protection and sustainable development. The course focuses as much on life philosophy and natural charm as on scientific facts and aims to promote students’ life consciousness on the basis of cultivating their critical thinking and integrative thinking abilities. In this study, subjective assessments such as classroom and official questionnaires and objective assessments such as pre-class and post class tests were used, and the role of the course in cultivating students’ life consciousness and thinking abilities was evaluated. It was found that students’ knowledge on life attributes and life characteristics significantly improved, and their critical thinking and integrative thinking abilities enhanced after the course. Students were interested in the social-biological integrated course, and had high levels of satisfaction with the course. The course is helpful in cultivating students to be scientifically literate citizens, and is worth popularizing in universities and colleges.