The. systems approach and its concepts such as input and output, information, feedback, and control are used heavily to support the process of scientific thinking. The concept of a model and modeling is central, as is simulation. Scientific content is introduced in terms of the illustrative examples used, and fundamental scientific models of matter, energy, life, and systems are developed in class and reinforced in outside readings. Required reading in newspapers, magazines, and scientific publications familiarizes students with these topics and encourages them to read more of these articles. Simultaneously, in their laboratory work, students learn to gather large amounts of data, organize it, and present it in tabular and graphical form.
Students form and test elementary hypotheses, then present and discuss their conclusions.
Laboratory exercises emphasize scientific measuring skills, computational skills, graphing, reasoning, and critical thinking. Students are required to submit word-processed laboratory reports each week, which reinforces material learned in English and computer literacy courses. In these contexts, they learn more about simulations, quantitative modeling, and computer modeling used to support decision-making. Complex decisions involving open-ended problems are analyzed through examples such as kidney transplants, genetic engineering, radioactive waste disposal, maximum exposure limits to radiation, carcinogens, and so on. With the new core curriculum in place, Iona faculty also implemented two additional programs to further the integration of science across disciplines.