St. Croix Watershed Research Station

introduces the 

Faculty Institute for Reforming Science Teaching

(FIRST)

“The goal…is that all students have access to supportive, excellent undergraduate education in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, and all students learn these subjects by direct experience with the methods and processes of inquiry.”

--NSF Report on Its Review of Undergraduate Education, 1996, p. ii

The Faculty Institute for Reforming Science Teaching project (FIRST), an NSF funded initiative, has the goal of reforming undergraduate science education through the use of field stations. FIRST is a two year project involving teams of faculty who are committed to reforming undergraduate science education through inquiry-based (interactive learning) techniques. Each three person institutional team will participate in workshops and will develop, implement, and share active learning techniques that involve field stations.

The St. Croix Watershed Research Station (SCWRS) is one of six field stations in the nation implementing the FIRST project. The SCWRS will build and maintain coalitions of faculty who will implement and sustain reform in undergraduate education at field stations and in their colleges and universities. The SCWRS is seeking to cooperate with colleges and universities through expanding use of its facilities by faculty and students.

Each team will participate in the following:

·        One day introductory session, September 10, 1998, at the SCWRS.

·        Two seminars (one hour each), tentatively in November, 1998 and March, 1999.

·        Five day residential workshop during the summer of 1999 at the SCWRS.*

·        One day evaluation and reflection session in the spring of 2000.

*The NSF and the SCWRS are underwriting all expenses for workshop participants, including room, board, instructional materials and facilitators. Teams are required to provide transportation from their home institution to SCWRS.

Benefits to institutional participants:

·        Training in inquiry-based education and activities

·        Inquiry-based curriculum and activities for use with your undergraduate classes

·        Experience with and access to the facilities and habitats of the SCWRS and ways to use them in teaching

·        Collaboration with faculty at area colleges and universities regarding inquiry-based undergraduate education

Would you be willing to participate in this effort, identify two colleagues to form your institutional team, and get them to agree to participate?  

FIRST Project  Application

Expectations For Institutional Teams:

·        Commitment to reforming undergraduate education, including inquiry-based and/or active approaches using field stations

·        Ability to participate in all five sessions

·        Interest in establishing educational ties with the SCWRS

·        Willingness to participate in discussion among a network of FIRST institutions

Please have each institutional team member complete the following:

 Name ____________________________________________________________

Address___________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Institution and position ________________________________________________

Telephone_______________________ Fax _____________________________________            

 E-mail____________________________________________________________

Please attach:

1.  a paragraph concerning your teaching experience and research interest

2.  a paragraph describing your experience and interest in inquiry-based education and active learning

3.     a letter from your department head indicating support for your participation in the project

4.     two exemplary ideas describing ways you might involve the SCWRS or field stations in future classes

SCWRS FIRST Team:

Please send all materials by July 15, 1998,  to:

FIRST Project

St. Croix Watershed Research Station

16910 152^nd St. N.

Marine on St. Croix MN 55047