Biological Sciences (61). This project is developing and evaluating an inquiry-based undergraduate laboratory curriculum in microbial ecology that is geared toward majors in the life sciences in a large university setting. It is providing undergraduates opportunities to work in diverse groups within the classroom that are reflective of the collaborative scientific community, and to evaluate hypotheses, design experiments, and analyze data generated by collaborative student projects conducted in microbiology, community ecology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and/or phylogenetics. The three-course series begins with a guided-inquiry approach in which students build a conceptual framework for application of the scientific method as it pertains to research in microbial ecology, and progresses into an independent, hypothesis-testing exploration of self-generated questions.
The intellectual merit of the project lies in (1) the development of the research laboratory curriculum, an important model for teaching scientific inquiry and for engaging students in scientific research in a large university setting, (2) a strong evaluation plan that is providing valuable information about the effectiveness of this curricular approach, and (3) the development of a dedicated, open-source database for storing and sharing results of student research projects and for use as an investigative tool for students' bioinformatics investigations.
Broader impacts of the program include the development of a portable and scalable inquiry-based curricular model, with the structure of the curriculum providing a framework for building laboratory courses around research projects focusing on any multitude of topics. The project is seen as a first step toward a larger-scale institutional effort in the life sciences that is projected to affect thousands of students per year. In addition, the extensive evaluation of the project is providing data on the effectiveness of this approach at improving recruitment and retention of students, particularly underrepresented minorities and women, in life sciences majors. Finally, the results of the project are being disseminated through publications and presentations at national meetings.
