Additional information on our website http://scilit.uoregon.edu/ The University of Oregon Science Literacy Program (UO SLP) offers General Education courses for non-science majors designed to improve scientific awareness and general science literacy of the educated public by enhancing competence in and appreciation of science. The SLP will empower undergraduates to consider scientific approaches t
o societal issues, enable graduate students in the sciences to effectively communicate ideas to audiences of non-scientists, and assist faculty in improving teaching techniques using modern pedagogy. The SLP offers courses that employ active, inquiry-based teaching methods to improve creative and critical reasoning. These approaches will equip students with the necessary tools to face the complex issues facing our society by providing them with the analytical skills required to assess information about science, health and technology. In addition, the program hopes to foster a greater appreciation for the role science plays in our society. Finally, the SLP will help students experience the personal appeal of science. The SLP is funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) with significant internal support from the University of Oregon. It was begun through a broad initiative of the UO research faculty across Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Geology departments. The program infrastructure supports new modes of interdisciplinary collaboration, involving UO faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates. Students can serve as teaching fellows and co-instructors. Faculty and students collaborate to study, develop, and apply modern pedagogical approaches and techniques to meet the goals of the Program.
