Interdisciplinary (99) Under this Type II award the faculty is planning changes to the general education curriculum by adapting models that reflect current understandings of how students best learn science. Course revisions are improving students' abilities in two areas: utilizing the scientific method and seeing the relevance of science to their lives. The modifications are based primarily upon concept, investigative and issue activities central to the University of Oregon's Workshop Biology program. Materials from ChemConnections and Workshop Physics are also being adapted to the local environment. The effort is being facilitated by faculty attendance at several interdisciplinary and discipline specific workshops addressing strategies for adapting these teaching practices and course design innovations to fit the institution's needs. Following these activities, the faculty joined by students are designing the new courses. The final phase is implementation of the newly created courses. The project is serving as a model for other institutions reformulating their general education programs.
