The purpose of this biology education project is to promote: 1)the development of curricular materials that facilitate learning via a modern biological research approach, 2) dissemination of these and previous NSF-supported curricular materials, and 3) the establishment and maintenance of a viable communication network among biologists, science educators, software developers and other individuals who share this approach. Faculty will come together at a summer workshop to promote the development of the BioQUEST's open-ended problem- solving, long-term research approach to the teaching and learning of biology(the "3P's" approach: problem-posing, probelm-solving, and peer persuasion). Two-thirds of the invited participants will develop materials with a view toward addressing implementation of the BioQUEST approach to teaching and learning biology and the use of computer tools and simulations in undergraduate biology education. The other one- third of the participants primarily will initiate new projects in content areas where software tools and computer simulations would enahnce undergraduate biology instruction. In addition to materials development, each participant will play a role in in the dissemination process by either giving a presentation at a professional meeting, conducting a local workshop, or writing an article for submission to a journal. Materials developed in these projects may ultimately become part of the growing BioQUEST library. The effectiveness of this effort in enhancing student learning will be evaluated at several sites.
