2017 Undergraduate Biology Education Research (UBER): Improving Diversity, Equity, and Learning Gordon Research Conference

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

Field 7: Project Summary/Abstract Undergraduate science education is of critical interest to science education researchers, campus leaders, disciplinary societies, federal agencies, individual faculty members, science-based businesses, as well as the nation as a whole. Among recommendations for reform in science education are calls for increasing the diversity and numbers of students who graduate with STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) degrees (Engage to Excel Report, PCAST, 2012), increasing the scale at which evidence-based teaching and learning approaches are used (Vision & Change, AAAS, 2011; Discipline-Based Education Research Report, National Research Council, 2012), and increasing the abilities of students to conduct science that is becoming interdisciplinary in nature (New Biology for the 21st Century Report, National Research Council, 2009). There is now a solid base of research that supports making significant changes to undergraduate programs to meet these goals as described in the recent Discipline-Based Education Research report (NRC, 2012). Research and reports call for the following kinds of curriculum design changes to be made: focusing on major concepts and the application of knowledge, improving students' critical thinking and science process skills, using more evidence-based teaching strategies, creating more inclusive teaching environments that foster belonging as well as skill-building, aligning learning assessment with course outcomes and teaching strategies, increasing interdisciplinary learning opportunities, providing more research experiences for undergraduate students. There has been, and continues to be, a confluence of emerging projects and reports based on this research, rising up from campuses and spurred by national organizations and federal agencies (including NSF and NIH), which creates the need for greater synthesis of science education research findings and a discussion of gaps in this research as well as communication across scientific disciplines, campuses and organizations about using evidence-based research to improve instruction. The 2017 GRC provides the most appropriate venue to present current research empowering relevant faculty to implement evidence-based changes on their own campuses and enhance student learning and inclusivity in the classroom.