There is a national need to produce capable molecular biologists as basic researchers, teachers and biotechnologists. More undergraduates--especially minorities--must be suitably educated and encouraged to continue as biology majors and to enroll in advanced courses in molecular biology. To help accomplish these goals, we propose a number of approaches designed to increase academic success and interest in freshman molecular biology; to encourage student entry into the teaching profession; and to enhance the effectiveness of teaching assistants at SUNY-Binghamton as well as teachers from secondary schools and other colleges. To address these needs, the freshman Cell and Molecular Biology courses is being reorganized and restructured to use historical and empirical approaches, to introduce cooperative learning and computer- constructed concept mapping, and to have laboratory classes that include more independent, student directed experiments. A training workshop and training manual focused on constructivist learning theory and practice is being developed for teaching assistants. The effectiveness of the entire effort is being assessed with the help of an independent evaluator.
