The future of higher education in the sciences will be marked by programs that link skilled educators and research scientists from around the world with teachers for professional development and with students for high-impact learning--either virtually or physically in the field. These programs will use technology where possible to build new and effective multimedia learning environments and strategies that transition students out of simple inquiry-based learning tools (textbooks and PowerPoint slides, for example, or "drill and practice" paradigms) and toward professional science practice itself (research, more student responsibility, problem-solving paradigms that focus on student understanding and application of knowledge). In 21st century science classrooms, the power of experiential teaching and learning, in which the use of technology replaces in-class lectures or readings and color-coded diagrams from a textbook as the medium of experience, will prevail. Because of this, science education will be more rigorous, relevant, and based on relationships with stakeholders beyond the confines of academic walls. The author believes that student research is the most effective vehicle for developing true scientific understanding. Thus, she has spent her academic life transforming the textbook method of teaching biology into dynamic pedagogical methods of learning that immerse students in biological concepts and real-world issues by engaging them directly in research. She knows that by blending research with teaching she has helped open her students' eyes, allowing them to view the biodiversity of the living world from a research perspective. The flagship element of this teaching method is a professional development program she founded and directs, called CHANCE, for Connecting Humans and Nature through Conservation Experiences. In this article, the author illustrates the ways in which the CHANCE program enhances scientific understanding through a combination of active learning techniques centered on scientific research. She provides an overview of the field course model, the modules and their development, and data supporting the effectiveness of each. (Contains 5 figures, 4 tables and 12 endnotes.)