NSF Symposium: Innovations in the Undergraduate Curriculum Fostered by the CCLI Program

Radford University, Radford VA

Investigators

Abstract

Three Symposia entitled "NSF Catalyzed Innovations in the Undergraduate Curriculum," are being organized and convened at the Fall National Meetings of the American Chemical Society (ACS) to be held in Boston, MA (2010), Denver, CO (2011), and Philadelphia, PA (2012). Three Symposia entitled "NSF Programs That Support Undergraduate Education," are being organized and convened at three different Spring Regional Meetings in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Since 1987, Symposia sponsored by the National Science Foundation have been a part of the Division of Chemical Education (CHED) Program at the Fall National Meetings of the American Chemical Society. Each Symposium has provided a forum for the dissemination and discussion of innovative projects made possible through the Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement, the Course and Curriculum Development, and the Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement-Adaptation and Implementation - Phase I, and current -Type 1 Programs. These Symposia have been well attended and both anecdotal and survey evidence suggest they have been responsible for numerous curricular changes at other institutions. Intellectual Merit. Recipients of recent (last five years) Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement-Phase I or -Type 1 awards are invited to discuss the innovations and improvements that have been implemented into the undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum at their colleges and universities. The Symposia highlight innovative projects that have been pivotal in curricular reforms by providing a forum for discussion between those who have carried out the innovations and those just beginning to explore the means to implement changes. At the Regional Meetings, programs in addition to CCLI offered by the Division of Undergraduate Education are highlighted with the same expected outcomes as the Symposia at the National Meetings. Broader Impact. The Symposia provide a means of dissemination for successful CCLI projects to a broader audience than might otherwise be possible. Faculty members at National ACS Meetings often attend sessions dealing with their research areas at the expense of sessions dealing with science education issues. These Symposia provide a forum in which valuable information is presented in a relatively compact timeframe and at one location. The Symposia at Regional Meetings provide exposure of NSF programs to faculty, especially those at two-year institutions, who may not attend a National Meeting for a variety of reasons. Personal contacts made at the Symposia are often pursued at a later date. The on-going website at http://www.radford.edu/nsfsymposium has provided a convenient source for information about a variety of NSF-sponsored projects, NSF programs, and department and individual results concerning a wide variety of innovations made in the undergraduate curriculum.