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Developing Inquiry Skills: Program Elements

Inquiry skills have been incorporated into all disciplines and levels of science education at Grinnell. Every introductory science class has undergone reform to incorporate research and active pedagogies (Major Course Revisions Linked to Engaged Learning and Student Success Objectives), a current project focuses on reinvigoration of intermediate level courses, and advanced research opportunities have been developed through Grinnell's MAP program Mentored Advanced Projects.

Mentored Advanced Projects provide students with a chance to work closely with a faculty member on scholarly research that is the culmination of significant preparatory work. It serves to integrate the knowledge and skills gained by the student's course of studies, and aims to produce results that merit presentation to the wider scholarly world. The MAP program builds on the growing body of evidence demonstrating the value of undergraduate research. (Douglas Caulkins, "Student Faculty Research Collaboration in a Liberal Arts College."Anthropology of Work Review, Vol XIX, No. 4 (18-23); David Lopatto, Science in Solution: the Impact of Undergraduate Research on Student Learning; David Lopatto, Undergraduate Research as a High-Impact Student Experience, AACE PeerReview Spring 2010 Vol.12 No.2)

Faculty development activities such as bringing in outside speakers, summer workshops, and approximately monthly lunches of a science teaching and learning group of faculty have supported curricular innovation. Some of these activities are available through Grinnell's college-wide faculty development program. These activities have also significantly contributed to development of interdisciplinary teaching and learning at Grinnell.

In some cases, workshop-formatted courses that integrate lecture and lab within the same time frame have been implemented to more closely resemble the scientific process:

• Introduction to Biological Inquiry (BIO150) is a foundational course for pre-health students, biology majors and biological chemistry majors, and other liberal arts students interested in biology. The course is offered in a workshop format where class sessions integrate laboratory and classroom activities. Multiple sections of the course are offered. Every section focuses on developing students' understanding of how biologists study life sciences, but individual sections vary with model organism and content focus. https://www.grinnell.edu/academics/areas/biology/courses/bio150
• Articles describing the approach: Lindgren,Teaching by Doing: Turning a Biology Curriculum Upside Down and Lindgren and Lopatto Introductory Biology Course Involves Every Student in Authentic Research
• Featured story of change for the PULSE community focused on implementation of Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action (2011):
  Grinnell College's Introduction to Inquiry course - foundation of a new curriculum (click the dot in Iowa)
• All BIO 150 sections utilize a common handbook: Investigations describing opportunities in biology and chemistry, expectations faculty have of students in courses, and common skills such as scientific writing and data analysis that are fundamental to good scientific understanding and practice.
• BIO 150 students present the results of a major project in a poster session and write them in the format of a scientific journal. Sometimes this work is published online, for example in journals Pioneering Neuroscience and Tillers dedicated to this purpose.

• Several computer science classes involve a mix of discussions, collaborative activities, labs and lectures within the same course schedule time slot. CS151 The Digital Age is one example.
• Physics students choose a traditional or workshop style introductory course.
• One of four sections of organic chemistry is taught in a workshop format in a room specifically designed to foster discussion, hands-on learning, and team work.

Assessing impact of pedagogical reforms has been measured using student-reported learning outcomes using The Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE).

• Abstract and poster describing learning outcomes of Introductory Biology: Gregg-Jolly and Sandquist Comparable Benefits of an Inquiry-Driven Introductory Biology Course and a Summer Research Experience
  

Assessing impact of summer research has been measured using student-reported learning outcomes using The Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) survey.

Weinman, Jensen, and Lopatto Improving the outcomes of student research experiences in computer science, measured using The Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE)

The Grinnell Science Project aims to address barriers to success in the sciences through curricular and mentoring changes, activities and structures that foster acclimation to college life and a community of scientists, and improvement of student achievement. Details about the Grinnell Science Project are described on Grinnell's Increasing Persistence of All Students in STEM page.

• The Grinnell Science Project (GSP) has been honored with the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM), administered by the National Science Foundation
  

Major Course Revisions Linked to Engaged Learning and Student Success Objectives
Course	Title	Revisions	Year Implemented
Biology 150	Introduction to Biological Inquiry	NEW, completely inquiry/research-based, workshop format	Fall 2001
Biology 251	Molecules, Cells, and Organisms	NEW, content rearranged, small group work	Fall 2001
Biology 252	Organisms, Evolution, and Ecology	NEW, content rearranged, workshop format	Spring 2002
Chemistry 129	General Chemistry	Content rearranged, hands-on modules, small group work, workshop section	Fall 1997, continuing
Chemistry 221-222	Organic Chemistry	Engaged pedagogies, small group work, workshop section	Fall 1999, Fall 2008
Computer Science 151-152	Fundamentals of Computer Science	Workshop style, transition to multi-paradigm approach instead of the more traditional imperative paradigm approach	Fall 1992
Mathematics 123-124	Functions and Differential Calculus, Functions and Integral Calculus	NEW, slower paced equivalent to core calculus semester	Fall 1997, Spring 1998
Physics 131-132	General Physics	workshop sections	Spring 1993, Fall 1994
Psychology 113	Introduction to Psychology	NEW, smaller sections, more experimental-based work	Fall 2002
MAPs 499	Mentored Advanced Projects	NEW, integrate student-faculty research collaborations into curriculum	1993, 2002, continuing