| Abstract | There is an emerging consensus that undergraduate biology education in the United States is at a crucial juncture, especially as we acknowledge
the need to train a new generation of scientists to meet looming environmental and health crises. Digital resources for biology now available
online provide an opportunity to transform biology curricula to include more authentic and inquiry-driven educational experiences. Digitized
natural history collections have become tremendous assets for research in environmental and health sciences, but, to date, these data remain
largely untapped by educators. Natural history collections have the potential to help transform undergraduate science education from passive
learning into an active exploration of the natural world, including the exploration of the complex relationships among environmental
conditions, biodiversity, and human well-being. By incorporating natural history specimens and their associated data into undergraduate
curricula, educators can promote participatory learning and foster an understanding of essential interactions between organisms and their
environments. |
