OUR OVERALL GOAL IS TO DEVELOP A SUSTAINABLE CURRICULUM TO INSTITUTIONALIZE RESEARCH-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES (RBIS), WHICH USE AUTHENTIC RESEARCH AS THE FOCUS OF AN ACTIVE, STUDENT-CENTERED, LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. RBIS ARE PROVEN TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TRADITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES FOR INCREASING STUDENT MOTIVATION AND RETENTION, ILLUSTRATING THE ROLE OF RESEARCH IN SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY, AND DEVELOPING TRANSFERRABLE SKILLS LIKE TEAM-WORK, CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND COMMUNICATION. THIS PROJECT WILL REDESIGN AN EXISTING LECTURE/LAB COURSE ENTITLED MOLECULAR METHODS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION TO USE RBIS AS A MEANS TO:(1)INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS CONDUCTING RESEARCH AND RECEIVING TRAINING IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES,(2)INCREASE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WITH, AND CONFIDENCE IN, THEIR ABILITY TO CONDUCT AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH,(3)IMPROVE STUDENT CRITICAL-THINKING, COMMUNICATION, AND TEAMWORK SKILLS, AND(4)INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS SEEKING GRADUATE DEGREES AND/OR CAREERS IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. ESTABLISHED PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS GLOBAL CHANGE IMPACTS ON SOIL MICROBIAL POPULATIONS AND THE EFFICACY OF PREDATORY INSECTS FOR BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL WILL FORM THE BASIS OF THE RBIS. THIS CURRICULUM WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE RESEARCH, FROM FIELD TO LAB TO COMMUNICATING SCIENCE. THIS PROGRAM EXEMPLIFIES THE GOALS OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY-SAN MARCOS (CSUSM)STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE USDA-EDUCATION AND SCIENCE LITERACY PROGRAM TO INCREASE STUDENT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING BY PROVIDING LEARNER-CENTERED, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES THAT EXPAND THE CAPACITY OF STUDENTS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND WORK EFFECTIVELY IN GROUPS. THIS PROJECT WILL IMPACT > 100 UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS, WHILE PROVIDING STUDENT-BASED SUPPORT TO FURTHER CSUSM'S RESEARCH IN THE AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES.

California State University San Marcos Corp

Investigators