BIO 654: Foundations of Inquiry
Summer 2025 Required W+ Course
In-Person Dates: 5/27, 6/5, 6/6, 6/7, 6/8, 7/8, 7/29
Location: Bronx Zoo
Note: There are no excused absences from the June dates.
Required Summer #1 - 3 credits, Letter Grade
This course will engage participants in exploring the foundations of inquiry-based learning and teaching while gaining a new familiarity with the Bronx Zoo as an informal science education setting, and with the AIP learning model and online platform. This course will guide students through making observations on zoo grounds, and using those observations as a foundation for completing an independent scientific inquiry project. Participants will further learn how to guide this process with others and how to apply these skills for use in their communities or classrooms to create change and become local leaders. This type of first-hand, experiential learning encourages independent and critical thinking, increasing awareness and concern for the local environment and its inhabitants. We will engage in activities that demonstrate the universal applicability of inquiry in a wide range of settings. Participants will come away with information and techniques for utilizing inquiry in their AIP journey and beyond. This is a Miami University online course with experiential learning on-site at an affiliated Dragonfly Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) institution.
Student Learning Outcomes:
- Construct an understanding of the nature of science, and investigate models of inquiry in the life sciences
- Create and conduct their own field research projects
- Engage in reflective and evaluative peer review