CRCSTL Mission

Michigan State University’s Center for Research on College Science Teaching and Learning, CRCSTL, will promote MSU science faculty’s involvement in research on instructional design, implementation and assessment of student learning outcomes in college science. The goal
of this research is to establish national and internationally recognized leadership in research on college students’ learning of science.

About Us

We have a core group of well-funded science educators and natural scientists collaborating together on a variety of projects to improve science education. We will take a national leadership role by establishing a cross-college CRCSTL. The Center, composed of faculty and graduate students from CNS, COE, CANR and other MSU colleges, emphasizes applied research on how and what college science students learn. The Center provides an intellectual meeting place where support and encouragement of both the art and the science of teaching and learning is emphasized. Faculty should see the Center as an opportunity to join a community of faculty who want to explore research in science teaching and learning without distancing themselves from their disciplinary department.

The Center performs 7 related functions:

• Provides logistic support for grant development and writing for faculty.  CRCSTL  provides assistance by making faculty aware of grant opportunities, helping build interdisciplinary teams and working in cooperation with the CNS Office of Research Services.
• Increases the quality and quantity of scholarly work by bringing together groups of faculty, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows with shared interest in science education. 
• Increases the opportunities for CNS graduate student research in science education by bringing together mentors and collaborators from several departments.
• Sponsors and/or co-sponsors campus-wide seminars.
• Assists with the assessment of student learning.
• Be an information resource center for MSU’s research on college science teaching.
• Develop a sense of community among CNS faculty interested in the scholarship of teaching and learning, to support the intellectual  aspirations of faculty who choose to focus on undergraduate teaching.

Contact Information