Science departments in higher education have been adjusting their curricula to include more inquiry-based instruction, and research on inquiry-based teaching at the collegiate level has been increasing. However, more data are needed regarding the effectiveness of inquiry-based pedagogy in improving students' conceptual understanding and attitudes toward science. The investigation described here was focused on nontraditional students taking non-science-major science courses. The goal was to compare students' attitudes toward science before and after taking an inquiry-based or a traditional science course. The hypothesis that the inquiry-based course would significantly generate a more positive attitude toward science was supported. Nontraditional students' perceptions of an effective science curriculum were also explored. Students' perceptions were very positive regarding inquiry-based learning; however, those who had not been previously taught through inquiry-based methods had reserved perceptions of this teaching approach. Regardless of the course they were enrolled in, students agreed overall that an effective science curriculum includes three common themes: connection, interaction, and application.

Students in a high school biology class were introduced to the case of “Marcus” (a pseudonym), a high school football player who collapsed on the football field during a game and was rushed to the emergency room with various symptoms. Throughout the two-week, project-based unit, students worked in cooperative groups to diagnose Marcus, learning about various inherited diseases and heat-related ailments that might impact young athletes. This unit integrates ultrasound technology into the classroom as a teaching and diagnostic technique and introduces students to health science careers. Student groups work to produce a final product that is presented to a public audience (e.g., parents, teachers, coaches) to increase their awareness of the science content underlying the causes of sudden collapses in young athletes. This learning experience ended with students individually writing a letter to Marcus's family explaining his diagnosis and the related biology concepts.