The project is integrating MathBench Biology Modules, a series of interactive, web-based instructional modules, into the undergraduate biological sciences curriculum of a variety of institutions of higher education. The modules use humor, references to popular culture, and interactive elements to engage students and build upon their intuitive understanding in order to help them explore biological concepts using fairly sophisticated mathematical approaches. Work under a prior NSF CCLI Phase 1 grant developed the 37 modules and piloted them in four fundamental biology courses at the University of Maryland (UM) and one introductory biology course at Montgomery College(MC), a nearby community college. Assessment data from Phase 1 indicates that students using MathBench have a greater appreciation for the importance of mathematics in modern biology and show gains in quantitative proficiency that are independent of previous and current math coursework. This project expands implementation of the modules to 10 diverse collaborating institutions (2-year/4-year, public/private, research/primarily undergraduate, and majority/minority-serving). Activities include workshops to help participating faculty create implementation plans,and to aid in collection of assessment data and in dissemination at professional conferences. Collaborating faculty serve as peer consultants at future workshops in order to establish teaching and learning communities on a local scale (University System of Maryland 2- and 4-year institutions) and a national/international scale (universities participating in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Quantitative Biology Consortium, a group committed to improving undergraduate education in quantitative aspects of biology). The modules are being evaluated and refined with respect to learning outcomes, student attitudes, and ease of implementation in pursuit of the ultimate goal of creating a faculty development framework to support dissemination.
Intellectual Merit: The project addresses a pressing national need by enhancing the interdisciplinary experiences of biological sciences undergraduates. The design of the modules addresses diverse learning styles and educational backgrounds, and their easy accessibility assures dissemination to a variety of educational contexts.
Broader Impacts: The project is producing well-tested educational modules that allow students from diverse educational backgrounds to hone their quantitative skills, preparing them for more complex mathematical approaches in upper-division courses and increasing their appreciation for the role of mathematics in modern biology. Collaborative assessment efforts are providing rich comparative data on how the modules affect student learning and attitudes across educational contexts, and are providing valuable information on how learner-centered, technologically-based pedagogies can be used to augment traditional instruction in STEM disciplines.
This project is being co-funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences.
