NSF Award
9150656
This award provides funds to help support The BioQUEST Curriculum Development Project. The program is an extension of an inaugural curriculum development effort of a consortium of biologists who designed instructional materials based on a three P's (Problem- posing, Problem-solving, and Persuasion of peers) approach to learning. This first demonstration project has resulted in a national network of biologists dedicated to the improvement of introductory and non-majors level undergraduate biology education by stressing the use of open-ended problems. Now the intent of the BioQUEST project is to enlarge this network by gathering an additional consortium of biologists who will be part of a major instructional materials development project aimed at integrating a research approach to learning. These materials will include the development of additional software simulations and tools, the design of instructional materials built around existing software, the development of materials that reflect the 3P's approach that are not computer dependent, and the development of materials and approaches that can be used in large lectures to engage students in problem-posing, problem solving, or persuasion. Funds from this award will be used to develop materials in a broader array of topics than the initial demonstration project which focused on biochemistry, ecology, evolution, genetics, and physiology. The materials developed in these workshops will be tested, refined, discussed in a follow-up mini-workshop, and then disseminated as widely as possible. Besides coordinating the efforts of these sixty teacher/developers, BioQUEST staff will continue to develop their own investigative lab and field exercises, computer simulations, and other teaching materials; will edit and disseminate materials; coordinate campus testing and evaluation of materials; and present national symposia on the development project.
