Increasingly, undergraduate institutions are incorporating original research into the curriculum as a matter of best practice. However, while the practice of science has grown more collaborative, undergraduate research has remained largely confined to single-institution studies. Incorporating long-term, distributed research projects into the…

The "Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: Call to Action" report has inspired and supported a nationwide movement to restructure undergraduate biology curricula to address overarching disciplinary concepts and competencies. The report outlines the concepts and competencies generally but does not provide a detailed…

In 2008, we established the Integrated Graduate Program in Physical and Engineering Biology (IGPPEB) at Yale University. Our goal was to create a comprehensive graduate program to train a new generation of scientists who possess a sophisticated understanding of biology and who are capable of applying physical and quantitative methodologies to…

Herein, we describe an effective and tested model of a week-long summer science intensive program for high school students that aimed to elaborate on concepts covered in a high school chemistry or biology course, and to provide high school students an opportunity to learn about studying and pursuing careers in the sciences. The program was…

The importance of high-tech careers has risen as the international competitiveness of US students on tests of science and math has declined. The problem is compounded by a persistent inequity in STEM participation and achievement in the US across gender and racial and ethnic groups. Bridgewater State University's Student Retention Enhancement…

The train-the-trainer model has great potential for expanding information literacy programs without placing undue burden on already overextended librarians; it is surprisingly underused in academic libraries. At the University of Kentucky, we employed this model to create a new information literacy program in an introductory biology lab. We…

The programable calculator has great potential for the development of simulations which provide new dimensions to instruction in the biological sciences. Basic principles of both biology and simulation itself can be presented. An introductory course on digital computer simulation in biology is now taught at Michigan Technological University; the…

Describes the organization and formation of a biology club, step-by-step. Members agree upon club objectives, dues, and activities. Different sections within the club are determined by student interests. (MA)

There has been renewed discussion of the scientific method, with many voices arguing that it presents a very limited or even wholly incorrect image of the way science is really done. At the same time, the idea of a scientific method is pervasive. This article identifies the scientific method as a simple model for the process of scientific inquiry.…

The authors describe a career-enhancement program, at Texas Tech University, for students in chemistry or biology who want to enter the field of chemical engineering. (SA)

The incorporation of mathematical modeling experiences into an undergraduate biology course is described. Detailed expositions of three models used to teach concepts of population ecology are presented, including introductions to major concepts, user instructions, trial data and problem sets. The models described are: 1) an exponential/logistic…

This brochure, designed to acquaint teachers in Kansas City area public and parochial schools with the Inquiry Role Approach (IRA) to Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) courses, prepares for their cooperation with the Mid-Continent Regional Development Laboratory (McREL) in testing an IRA model during the 1968-69 school year. Four program…

Presents a model designed to integrate curricula of a content course with a study skills course. Describes logistics and methods used to implement the model in the Department of Biology at Metropolitan State College, Colorado. Presents program results based on pre- and post-instruction tests. (DR)

The project's purpose was to revise the introductory biology material in a freshman course for biology majors so that it is based on Piagetian learning theory and incorporates the three phases of the learning cycle teaching strategy: (1) exploration; (2) concept formation; and (3) concept application. The approach presented concepts structured so…

Computer-managed introductory biology programs at Ohio State University and South Dakota State University were designed to implement a generalized computer-managed instructional model. The programs are based upon an individualized instructional philosophy and allow students to select areas of interest, progress at their own rate, and receive…