Development of an Integrated Inquiry-based Curriculum in Ecology

生物科学(61)这个项目旨在通过为生态和海洋生物专业的学生开发一系列综合的实验模块来加强本科生的生态学课程。该项目是对弗吉尼亚州米德尔伯里学院开发的一种成功模式的改编，该模式努力通过(1)在多个班级重新应用和加强共同主题，包括实验设计、假设检验和统计学，(2)建立共同的实地站点，以及(3)制定一系列类似形式的探究性实验室练习，从而提高班级之间的融合度和凝聚力。实验模块仿照Switzer和Shriner(2000)开发的探究式实验，使用教师指导的练习和学生设计的调查来模拟科学过程。通过这个项目获得的设备使学生能够进行更广泛的野外和基于实验室的实验，并改善可用于计算机辅助数据获取和分析的资源。该项目的主要目标是为学生提供更强大、更全面的生态学基础知识背景，同时提高他们学习的热情和对科学过程的欣赏。因此，将通过评估学生批判性思维、制定假设、设计实验和评估数据的能力来评估改革努力的成功和有效性。项目成果将通过(1)在科学会议上发表演讲，(2)开发互动网站和教师练习册，以及(3)为教育工作者、教师和研究生举办暑期讲习班，为高中和大学生态学课程创建有效的探究式实验室，在全国范围内传播。

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.