About the Biological Sciences Pathway

Goal of the NSDL Biological Sciences Pathway The BiosciEdNet (BEN) Collaborative is working with the CI and other NSDL Pathways to expand its stewardship role for biological sciences professional societies and coalitions that provide resources, tools, and professional development for biological sciences educators in higher education institutions, including community colleges. Some BEN resources are useful for use in high school biology classes

BiosciEdNet (BEN) Collaborative BEN serves as a catalyst for professional societies or coalitions that seek to: Build biological sciences education-focused digital libraries that include high quality, inquiry-driven, active, and engaging STEM education Contribute resources to the BEN portal. Collaborate in terms of pedagogy, authentic assessment, and development of multidisciplinary biological sciences resources.

Collaborators (*Founding Collaborators) AAAS-American Association for the Advancement of Science (EHR, STKE, Science)* ABLE-Association of Biology Lab Educators AIBS-American Institute of Biological Sciences* APS-American Physiological Society* APS-American Phytopathological Society* ASBMB-American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology* ASCB-American Society for Cell Biology ASHG-American Society of Human Genetics ASM-American Society for Microbiology* BCC-BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium Bio-Link-the NSF Advanced Technological Education Center for Biotechnology BSA-Botanical Society of America ESA-Ecological Society of America* EntDL-Entomology Digital Library FUN -Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience HAPS-Human Anatomy and Physiology Society MLER-Microbial Life Education Resources NABT-National Association of Biology Teachers* NAHSEP-National Association of Health Science Education Partnerships NLM-AE-National Library of Medicine-Access Excellence* SDB-Society for Developmental Biology SICB-Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology SOT-Society for Toxicology*

Roles of BEN Collaborators Building biological sciences education digital libraries for use by faculty in higher education institutions Converting e-resources to biological sciences education digital libraries Cataloging e-resources that are useful in biological sciences education in higher education institutions Conducting outreach workshops that foster student centered learning and use of digital libraries, particularly for faculty Archiving and preservation of biological sciences education resources Use of professional society services to foster cultural change in the teaching of biological sciences in higher education

BEN Inventory of Resources (4,589) (11-06) AAAS (152 lesson plans and multimedia resources) ABLE (66 lab exercises and teaching strategies ) AIBS (255 teaching and learning resources) APS (501 teaching and learning resources) APSNet (56 plant disease lessons and phytopathological career materials) ASM (1540 teaching and learning resources) BSA (948 annotated images) ESA (192 teaching and learning resources) FUN (28 journal articles) HAPS (266 journal and newsletter articles) NHM-Access Excellence (206 lesson plans and teaching strategies) SOT (9 articles and toxicology career materials) STKE (370 reviews, perspectives, and multimedia resources)

Topics agriculture & aquaculture anatomy anthropology & archaeology bacteriology behavioral science biochemistry biocomplexity biodiversity bioengineering bioethics bioinformatics biophysics biostatistics biotechnology botany & plant science cardiology cell biology conservation biology cryobiology developmental biology ecology education endocrinology entomology environmental sciences epidemiology evolutionary biology exercise & kinesiology exobiology forestry gastroenterology genetics & heredity genomics geography glycobiology hematology histology human biology hydrology & water resources immunology invertebrate biology marine biology metabolism microbiology molecular biology mycology natural history nephrology neurobiology nutrition & food sciences oceanography paleontology parasitology pathology pharmacology phylogeny physiology population biology proteomics psychology public health range science reproductive biology respiratory biology sociobiology soil biology structural biology systematics taxonomy & classification theoretical biology toxicology vertebrate biology virology wildlife science zoology

Learning Resources Types AnimationApplicationAudioDiagram Digital PresentationDiscussion GroupGraph/ChartIllustration ImageMapOnline toolPhotograph SimulationSoftwareTableVideo AbstractBookBook ChapterJournal Journal ArticleMeeting PresentationMemoNewsletter Non-journal ArticlePamphlet/BrochureProceedingsReport BibliographyDatabaseDatasetDictionary/Glossary Discussion ArchiveIndexManualReview Assessment: ExamAssessment ToolAssignment (non-lab)Career materials Course SyllabusEducation StandardsField Trip GuideLaboratory Manual Lecture/Lecture OutlineLesson PlanTeaching Strategies

BEN Outreach Strategies BEN Scholars Program Promotional Postcard BEN Ads

About the BEN Scholars Program The goal of the BEN Scholars Program is to promote the use of digital library resources and student-centered teaching and learning methods in higher education, specifically in biological sciences lecture and laboratory courses, and in research training programs. The program works both directly with faculty, as BEN Scholars, and indirectly through outreach activities led by BEN Scholars. Outreach activities are aimed at biological sciences faculty and are carried out on campus with departments, locally throughout the region, and nationally through professional societies.

Duties and Responsibilities of the BEN Scholars Program over the next 2 years: A.Submit at least one or more learning resources to BEN Collaborator libraries or the BEN portal. B.Encourage student centered teaching in biological sciences at the higher education level. C. Encourage biological sciences faculty to use digital libraries to find teaching resources, specifically the use of: The BEN portal and its resources; The digital libraries and e-resources of BEN Collaborators; The NSDL University Faculty Page, including the Expert Voices to biological science. D. Encourage biological sciences faculty to submit learning resource to one of the BEN Collaborator libraries or the BEN Portal.

Recognition for Scholars Science magazine ad with your names and institutions Press release sent to your school and other places (might be contacted by AAAS Communications person) Letters to Departments and others Plaque Upon Completion of Program

Who Is Visiting BEN and Why? 7,441 Registered Users 6,807 teach (91%) 4,477 teach undergraduate, graduate, professional, or continuing education (60%) 1, 527 high school educators (20%) September 2004 User Survey (550 Responses) 56% Downloaded Resources 67% Use Resources for Lectures

Challenges & Where We Need Your Help A. Increasing Numbers of Biological Sciences Faculty that Use The BEN Portal from about 7,500 to 15,000 Users by December B. Increasing Peer Reviewed Resources from about 4,600 to 27,000 by September of 2010 ***Identifying collaborators that want to catalog resources ***Increasing submissions of new resources by faculty (2,700 new faculty submissions by 2010)

Challenges & Where We Need Your Help (Continued) C. Fostering Departmental Involvement ***Student centered learning in the biological sciences ***Incentives for faculty that develop teaching & learning projects & resources, particularly e-resources D. Improving Quality of BEN Portal Search – A Work in Progress (Community Building) ***Peer Reviewers ***Site Reviewers ***Metadata Reviewers ***Faculty on Sabbatical

Coordinating Council AAAS Yolanda S. George, Deputy Director Kirstin Fearnley, Program Associate Nancy Gough, Managing Editor/STKE AIBS Samantha Katz, Manager, Education Programs ASM Amy L. Chang, Director, Education Department APS Marsha Lakes Matyas, Education Officer Melinda E. Lowy, Higher Education Programs Coordinator ESA Jason Taylor, Director of Education