Biology majors often take introductory biology, chemistry, and physics courses during their first two years of college. The various and sometimes conflicting discourse about and explanations of matter and energy in these courses may contribute to confusion and alternative conceptions (those that differ from scientific consensus) in biology…

This article features Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities (SENCER; www.sencer.net) Summer Institute. The SENCER program, which began formally in 2001, was the vision of David Burns; Karen Oates, currently Peterson Family Dean of Arts and Sciences at Worcester Polytechnic Institute; and Ric Wiebl, currently director of…

The Diagnostic Question Cluster (DQC) project integrates education research and faculty development to articulate a model for the effective transformation of introductory biology and ecology teaching. Over three years, faculty members from a wide range of institutions used active teaching and DQCs, a type of concept inventory, as pre- and…

Graduate programs have placed an increasing emphasis on the importance of interdisciplinary education, but barriers to interdisciplinary training still remain. We present a new model for interdisciplinary, cross-institution graduate teaching that combines the best of local teaching, distance learning, and experiential learning to provide students…

Students at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, can now take an innovative biology course in which an integrated, interdisciplinary, problem-based approach is used--one that the scientific community itself is promoting. The first course in a four-semester sequence, Biology 123--The Living World: Concepts and Connections--explores real-world…

On many campuses throughout the country, undergraduate biology education is in serious need of an upgrade. During the past few decades, the body of biological knowledge has grown exponentially, and as a research endeavor, the practice of biology has evolved. Education research has also made great strides, revealing many new insights into how…

Professional development (PD) workshops designed to help faculty move from teacher- to learner-centered science courses for undergraduates are typically evaluated with self-reported surveys that address faculty's satisfaction with a workshop, what they learned, and what they applied in the classroom. Professional development outcomes are seldom…

Reports on a portable video color camera that is fully suited for seeing ultraviolet images and offers some expanded viewing possibilities. Discusses the basic technique, specialized viewing, and the instructional value of this system of viewing reflectance patterns of flowers and insects that are invisible to the unaided eye. (CW)

Reports the recommendations of the annual American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) meeting at the University of Georgia. Suggests that biologists should become more involved in land use planning and resource allocation in the Southeast. Presents a seven-step process for land-use decision-making. (MA)

Supports implementation of instructional procedures that permit students to engage in good learning practices as commonly defined by educational psychologists and teachers. Presents the scientific strategy used by students in botany at Purdue, which involves students in the practice of scientific procedures. (CS)

Develops some guidelines for the integrated use of computers throughout a college biology department and determines when and how computers can best be used to enhance biological teaching. (JR)

Describes a laboratory exercise in ethology that has proven to be successful in teaching the analytical power of biological observation to students at the University of Wisconsin. (JR)

Describes how active participation in research projects helps to recruit and retain students in scientific careers. Identifies the teaching methods used in an undergraduate research group in a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates. Focuses on the educational benefits received by the undergraduate. (CW)

Examined is the uniformity of curricula and instructional methods used in college biology education in the United States. Areas of special focus include curricula, introductory courses, laboratories, field experiences, faculty roles, undergraduate research, textbooks, ethics and values, encouraging underrepresented groups, capstone experiences,…

Described are modifications made in a traditional introductory biology course and the resulting improvement in student achievement and attitude. The use of cooperative learning groups is stressed. (CW)