A professor at Southeast Missouri State University has received a nearly $500,000 federal grant to help undergraduate biology faculty use an innovative teaching method.

The money from the National Science Foundation will be used to develop something called the Research Collaborative Network in Undergraduate Biology Education. It will help faculty evaluate the effectiveness of so-called case-based learning. The teaching method calls for the use of real-life stories to stimulate students to do science experiments and learn concepts.

Southeast Missouri State University biology professor Margaret Waterman is leading the project. Other schools that are involved include the University at Buffalo, Emory University, Spelman College, University of Wisconsin River Falls, University of Delaware, Three Rivers Community College and Michigan State University.