Oberlin wins science grant for hands-on learning

Money to go towards innovative learning projects in all sciences

It looks like Oberlin might just be getting the credit it deserves.

This fall Oberlin received one of ten $500,000 grants given by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to colleges that practice outstanding investigative learning in labs and classrooms.

The grant will be used to fund more hands-on research programs in the sciences and social sciences. In addition, the college will hire a professional evaluator to study science programs at Oberlin and write a report describing the new programs for the NSF.

"It acknowledges that Oberlin really is a leader in science education," Director of Sponsored Programs David Love said. Love was involved in drafting the grant proposal.

Science faculty have a number of programs in the works for the grant.

"It's really neat," Professor of Neuroscience Jan Thornton said. Thornton, the project director, outlined four goals that will be implemented over the three year duration of the grant.

The first goal involves extending research into courses that might not normally have hands-on activities. Thornton said they won't reserve the programs for science disciplines only. The second goal is to develop that cross-discipline communication.

The third and fourth goals involve helping other colleges develop their own use of research in the classroom by furthering evaluation of current programs and disseminating this information to other colleges.

The grant had traditionally been offered to universities, but this year, the NSF invited 128 colleges to apply. The NSF identified Oberlin and nine other colleges as being successful in incorporating investigative learning into a science education.

"It's not so much the money. It's more what it meant," Love said.

Love said there was money for 20 faculty members to either amend courses or add new courses that integrate discovery-based learning into the curriculum.

According to Love, the geology department plans to purchase a global positioning system and work more closely with the environmental studies program.

"A huge number of people were involved in putting this together. It was a terrific collaborative effort. I'm very proud of it," Love said.