title: Inquiry-based undergraduate teaching in the life sciences at large research universities: a perspective on the Boyer Commission Report.
abstract: The 1998 Boyer Commission Report advocated improvement of undergraduate education at large research universities through large-scale participation of undergraduates in the universities' research mission. At a recent conference sponsored by the Reinvention Center, which is dedicated to furthering the goals of the Boyer Commission, participants discussed progress toward these goals and recommendations for future action. A breakout group representing the life sciences concluded that independent research experience for every undergraduate may not be feasible or desirable but that transformation of lecture courses to more inquiry-based and interactive formats can effectively further the Commission's goals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, 347 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0347, USA. wood@stripe.colorado.edu
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D001690:Biological Science Disciplines / Q000193:education* / Q000639:trends; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D004493:Education / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000639:trends; D005544:Forecasting; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D014495:Universities