The Enhanced Bioscience Education program greatly increases the effectiveness of undergraduate education in the biological sciences. The new integrated Curriculum presents science as it is practiced--as a problem solving, investigative activity. The curriculum is designed for up to 100 bioscience and teacher preparation majors. It is organized around topic areas and extends over five quarters of instruction: (1) Biological Investigation is the heart of the curriculum and consists of a series of laboratory modules covering the important concepts of modern biology, leading students toward design of their own experiments. There is a strong emphasis on use of computers for collecting data and for data analysis and interpretation. (2) Principals of Bioscience includes the content areas now covered in freshman biology, cell physiology, microbiology and genetics presented as a single, coherent sequence and completely integrated with Biological Investigation laboratories. (3) Physical Sciences and Mathematics covers the topics of freshman and sophomore chemistry, mathematics and physics, with the appropriate information and skills introduced in the order needed. An Undergraduate Research Program includes freshman and sophomore independent research projects, preparation for more advanced projects, and the establishment of the Drexel Journal of Undergraduate Research as a vehicle for dissemination of student research. Special attention is paid to problems of student support and retention. Specific plans are included for evaluation and effective dissemination of the outcomes of the project.
