This project is developing a Northwest Biosciences Consortium (NWBC), a community of biology faculty of all ranks, diverse pedagogical experiences and scientific training who adopt a "bottom-up" approach to the Vision and Change: A Call to Action initiative. We are creating a series of learning outcomes and customizable modules that can be incorporated into any first-year or introductory biology sequence that reflects our commitment to scientific literacy for majors and non-majors alike. We are especially interested in developing course descriptions to facilitate curriculum design and student transition, especially from the 2-year to 4-year institutions. The NWBC also fosters professional development, provides support, promotes dissemination, and facilitates curricular reforms at our institutions. The development of a comprehensive framework to advance evidence-based STEM pedagogies for all students, and the attention to faculty mentoring and support are the hallmarks of this proposal. The development of commonly used (and evidenced-based) instructional strategies based on the Vision and Change core concepts and competencies will facilitate discussions on curriculum development and credit transfers at institutions in our region and beyond. This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education as part of their efforts towards support of Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education.
