Biological Sciences (61). This project focuses on the critical need for professional development of biology faculty at post-secondary institutions throughout the state of Louisiana. A series of three faculty workshops (STAR Mini-institutes) are modeled on the National Academies Summer Institute (NASI) on Undergraduate Education in Biology and are designed to develop a community of biology faculty who are trained in scientific approaches to teaching. The two and a half day mini-institutes are describing and modeling scientific teaching and methods to promote active learning, and introducing participants to the data supporting these approaches. Background information on how to align instruction and assessment, diversity of learning styles and students, and how to document teaching effectiveness is also being presented in the institutes. To obtain experience in implementing these instructional approaches, participants are being grouped based on their teaching interests. These teams are working together to develop "teachable units" that incorporate scientific teaching, include formative and summative assessments, and address how to present information to students with a diversity of learning styles and needs. Participants in the mini-institutes are sharing their experiences with other faculty at their institutions, and maintaining their involvement in the project through various mechanisms designed to continue their development and foster community.
The mini-institutes are directly impacting biology faculty on campuses across Louisiana, but the broader impact extends to the large number and diversity of students enrolled in biology courses at the thirty target institutions, including six HBCU's and a number of community colleges. Results of the project are being disseminated through regional and national meetings and through publication in peer-reviewed journals on science education.
