Large enrollment introductory science courses often share several structural and procedural problems, such as lectures that survey topics found in encyclopedic biology textbooks, a tradition of "covering" an ever-expanding body of knowledge, an emphasis on memorization and passive learning, and computer assisted learning that provides little more than drill instruction in taking multiple-choice examinations. The objectives of this project are to: 1) increase active learning through wide-spread use of informal writing projects in recitation, lecture, and lab, with students writing sample exam questions, article summaries, or concept definitions, 2) upgrade the course's computer facility to accommodate word processing and networked conversational software, so as to encourage creativity, and support collaborative learning, and 3) relate biological principles to relevant social and political contexts through specific reading/discussion/writing assignments. Graduate teaching assistants are trained to lead discussions and organize students into collaborative writing/learning projects, and advanced undergraduate majors are employed in the course's computer center as peer tutors and leaders of computer-assisted collaborative writing and learning. The effectiveness of this effort in enhancing learning by students at this urban university, which enrolls a large number of women and minorities, will be evaluated, and the results disseminated to other institutions in the region and nationally.
