Connecting Research Experiences And Teacher Excellence (CREATE) in Introductory Biology Laboratories

生物科学（61）西切斯特大学（WCU）的生物系有一个难得的机会重新设计物理空间和课程，为我们的三个介绍性生物实验室，普通生物学（生物110），植物学（生物215）和动物学（生物217）。通过改编来自北方亚利桑那大学和汉普郡学院的材料，实验室的重点从主要用于加强讲座材料的活动转移到学生驱动的研究调查，激发批判性思维和对科学方法的欣赏。为了加强和协调我们的生物学入门课程，我们是：1）开发包括开放式组件的新实验室，2）增加使用增强学习体验的技术，3）连接概念并在子学科之间建立螺旋式联系，4）通过使用旨在促进合作的教学法鼓励学生和教师之间的合作，及五）提供一个研究性的学习环境，作为培训未来中学教师的基地。学生在我们的中学教育计划（BS生物学，教育）积极参与开发和实施基于探究的实验室。在WCU教育学院的评估专家Lesley Welsh博士的帮助下，我们正在评估这些变化的有效性。

Biological Sciences (61)The Biology Department of West Chester University (WCU) has a rare opportunity to redesign both the physical space and the curriculum for our three introductory biology laboratories, General Biology (Bio 110), Botany (Bio 215) and Zoology (Bio 217). By adapting materials from Northern Arizona University and Hampshire College, the emphasis in the laboratory moves from activities that primarily serve to reinforce lecture material to student-driven research investigations that stimulate critical thinking and an appreciation of the scientific method. To enhance and coordinate our introductory biology curriculum, we are: 1) developing new laboratories that include open-ended components, 2) increasing the use of technologies that enhance the learning experience, 3) linking concepts and creating spiraling connections between the sub-disciplines, 4) encouraging collaboration among students and faculty through the use of pedagogy designed to foster cooperation, and 5) providing a research-rich learning environment as a training ground for our future secondary school teachers. Students in our Secondary Education Program (BS Biology, Education) are actively involved with the development and implementation of the inquiry-based laboratories. With the help of Dr. Lesley Welsh, an assessment expert from the School of Education at WCU, we are evaluating the effectiveness of these changes.