A Project to Improve Thinking Skills Instruction in Undergraduate Laboratories

9451554 Stroup这个项目将提高弗朗西斯·马里恩大学理科和非理科专业的学生分析和解决新问题的能力，方法是发展他们的高阶思维能力。该提案的主要组成部分包括围绕动手实验组织的实验室练习、一系列互动入门录像带、计算机增强教学(C.A.T.)技巧，以及最近出版的分析问题和案例研究的程序，以改善学生的口头和书面交流。我们建议通过结合微视频教学技术和C.A.T.练习来促进思维技能的发展。在两个试点研究项目中，这些多媒体演示被证明在与所要求的设备结合使用时能够显着提高已确定的思维能力。新的实验室练习和模拟将提高学生对内容的掌握和过程技能，并促进对生物科学的兴趣增加。拟议的项目将直接影响每年约1000名注册生物学的学生，将为FMU的其他系提供模式，并将通过作者的NSF赞助的Chautauqua短期课程、全国生物学教师协会(NABT)专著系列和NABT赞助的录像带在全国推广。南卡罗来纳州高等教育委员会竞争性地资助了我们的试点研究项目，该项目部分配备了我们四个入门生物学实验室中的两个。NSF这项提案的目的是申请资金购买微视频和微型计算机教学系统，以全面装备所有四个新生实验室。如果没有所需的教学设备，我们的教学策略将不可能在我们所有的入门生物学实验室中成功实施。

9451554 Stroup This project will improve the ability of Francis Marion University science and nonscience majors to analyze and solve new problems by developing their higher order thinking skills. The major components of the proposal include laboratory exercises organized around hands-on experimentation, a series of interactive introductory videotapes, Computer-Augmented Teaching (C.A.T.) techniques, and a program of recently published analysis problems and case studies to improve student oral and written communication. We propose to enhance the development of thinking skills by a combination of microvideo-instructional techniques and C.A.T. exercises. In two pilot research projects these multimedia presentations have been shown to significantly improve identified thinking skills when used in combination with the requested equipment. New laboratory exercises, and simulations will improve the content mastery and the process skills of our students and promote an increased interest in the biological sciences. The proposed project will impact directly on approximately one thousand students annually enrolled in Biology, will provide models for other FMU Departments, and will be extended nationally through the authors' NSF sponsored Chautauqua Short Course, the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) monograph series and an NABT sponsored videotape. The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education competitively funded our pilot research project, which partially equipped two of our four introductory Biology laboratories. The purpose of this NSF proposal is to request funds to purchase microvideo and microcomputer instructional systems to fully equip all four freshman laboratories. Successful implementation of our instructional strategy in all of our introductory biology laboratories will not be possible without the requested instructional equipment.