Transforming the Biology Curriculum Using Research-based Experimental Systems

生物科学(61)生物、化学和环境科学系2005年的转型计划正在影响克里斯托弗·纽波特大学(CNU)的整个四年制生物学课程。由Research Link 2000开发的基于研究的实验系统(RBES)正在形成这一转变的支柱，提供快速生长的植物和生物信息丰富的动物，利用它们可以以吸引人的、调查的、开放式的形式探索在讲座中学到的概念。海葵和威斯康星州快速植物RBES是将被引入的初始系统。正在对更多的预算外资金进行调查，并将其纳入该项目的一个持续方面。这一转变始于普通生物实验课，每年有700多名专业和非专业的学生参加，学生从第一学期开始就参与到科学的过程中来。它循序渐进地通过生物课程的每一级，直到所有四个本科学年的课程都被改变，独立研究机会多样化并随时可供追求。与课程改革同步进行的是培养有志于大学事业的博士生。这些候选人是每年从地区博士项目中挑选出来的六名候选人，并被授予Bartholomew Gosnold教学职位，他们正在接受RBES使用方面的指导，并被指导成为令人兴奋和富有成效的大学教职员工。正在通过一系列密集的讲习班，将2005年的课程扩展到地区大学生物学教师和当地的初中和高中生物教师。

Biological Sciences (61)The Transformation 2005 Program of the Department of Biology, Chemistry and Enviromnental Science is impacting the entire four-year biology curriculum at Christopher Newport University (CNU). Research-based experimental systems (RBES) developed by Research Link 2000 are forming the backbone of this transformation, providing fast-growing plants and biologically informative animals with which the concepts learned in lecture can be explored in an engaging, investigative, open-ended format. The sea anemone and Wisconsin Fast Plant RBES are the initial systems that will be introduced. Additional RBES are being investigated and incorporated as an ongoing aspect of the project. The transformation begins with the general biology lab course that is taken by over 700 majors and nonmajors each year, engaging students in the process of science from their first semester. It moves in steps through each level in the biology curriculum until courses in all four undergraduate years are changed and independent research opportunities are varied and readily pursued. Simultaneous with the transformation of the curriculum is the training of doctoral candidates who aspire to university careers. These candidates, six selected from regional doctoral programs each year and awarded Bartholomew Gosnold Instructorships, are being mentored in the use of RBES and guided in becoming exciting and productive college faculty. The lessons of Transformation 2005 are being extended to regional college biology faculty and to local middle and high school biology teachers in a series of intensive workshops.