Development of an Integrated Inquiry-based Curriculum in Ecology

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Biological Sciences (61) This project aims to strengthen the undergraduate curriculum in ecology through the development of an integrative series of laboratory modules for students majoring in ecology and marine biology. The project is an adaptation of a successful model developed at Middlebury College, VT, which strives to increase the integration and cohesiveness among classes through (1) the reapplication and reinforcement of common themes, including experimental design, hypothesis testing, and statistics, across multiple classes, (2) the establishment of common field sites, and (3) the development of a series of inquiry-based laboratory exercises that follow a similar format. The laboratory modules are patterned after the inquiry-based labs developed by Switzer and Shriner (2000), which use teacher-guided exercises and student-designed investigations to mimic the scientific process. Equipment secured through this project enables students to conduct a broader array of field and lab-based experiments and improves the resources available for computer assisted data acquisition and analysis.The primary goal of the project is to provide students with a stronger, more comprehensive background in the fundamentals of ecology while increasing their enthusiasm for learning and their appreciation for the scientific process. Thus, the success and effectiveness of the reform effort will be evaluated by assessing the students' ability to think critically, formulate hypotheses, design experiments, and evaluate data. The project results will be disseminated nationally through (1) presentations at scientific meetings, (2) development of an interactive website and instructors workbook, and (3) summer workshops for educators, teachers, and graduate students on creating effective inquiry-based laboratories for high school and college ecology classes.