Field stations are recognized as some of the most inspirational teaching environments and provide a wonderful platform for implementing methods to enrich the teaching of ecology and other field-oriented disciplines to undergraduates. Archbold Biological Station is one of five field stations in the USA selected to participate in the NSF sponsored Project FIRST using the field station environment to promote the inclusion of inquiry-based approaches to teaching undergraduates.

This series of workshops at Archbold were designed to:

1. Build a coalition of Florida institutions, engaged in a partnership with Archbold Biological Station, to establish and support a regional network of faculty and staff committed to enhancing the teaching of undergraduates. Map of five sites.
2. Use the facilities and field sites at Archbold, in conjunction with explorations of available teaching methods, to increase participant's understanding of Florida ecosystems, and to enhance the ability of faculty to convey complex concepts in field biology to undergraduate classes.
3. Develop a series of activity-based, field exercises that can be incorporated in a wide variety of undergraduate courses ranging from introductory to upper-level courses.
4. Give all participants the opportunity to pose interesting questions in the field, access scientific information at Archbold, seek instructional support, and develop teaching strategies to address these questions.
5. Encourage faculty and institutional interest to use field studies and field sites, such as Archbold, as teaching forums, and promote general interest in Florida ecosystems and species.