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This study assessed the impact of an alcoholic extract of Citrus aurantium leaves on the mortality percentages in the larvae and pupae of house flies, Musca domistica, and was carried out in the Advanced Entomology Laboratory in the Department of Biology at the Girls College of Education at the University of Kufa in 2022. The results indicated an increase in the mortality percentages of larvae in the first and third stars of the house fly, Musca domistica with increasing concentrations used. In this study, the highest mortality percentages were recorded after three days of treatment with a concentration of 50 mg/ml (100 and 61%) in the first and third instar larvae, respectively. The effect of the alcoholic extract on some biological aspects when treating the third instar larvae of houseflies, as it led to a decrease in pupation percentages to 24% when treating pupae with a concentration of 50 mg/ml, and the pupal deformation percentages to 24% and a decrease in adult emergency percentages to 0% when treating pupae with the alcoholic extract of Citrus aurantium leaves at a concentration of 50 mg/ml, which increased the pupal deformation to 50% and decreased adult emergency percentages to 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This mixed methods study explores college biology students' perceptions of the utility of evolution knowledge. In Phase I, 14 college biology students from an upper-level Evolution course were interviewed about their evolution acceptance and perceptions of the utility of evolutionary knowledge. In Phase II, findings from Phase I were used to develop a 28-item quantitative Usefulness of Evolution Knowledge Survey. Then, 472 college biology students enrolled in three biology courses were given the Usefulness of Evolution Knowledge survey to identify (1) evolution topics that have the highest utility value for evolution learners, (2) careers for which evolution knowledge is deemed most useful, and (3) relationships among evolution utility value and other constructs. The most useful evolutionary topics were genetic variation and adaptations of particular organisms to particular environments. Evolutionary knowledge was deemed most useful for conservation careers, with less utility for medical and forensic careers, and far less utility for careers in physics or chemistry. Significant relationships were found between perceptions of the usefulness of evolution and evolution acceptance, understanding of evolution, and intended career. Findings are discussed within the framework of the Expectancy Value Theory, and implications for future pedagogical interventions and associated research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes focus group data to explore student perceptions of an inquiry-based undergraduate biology course. Though the course was designed to mimic the scientific process by incorporating uncertainty, peer review, and self-reflection, students came to class focused on getting As and with a developed schema for didactic instruction and passive learning. They perceived the autonomy and self-directedness of the learning experience as a threat to their grades, and responded with strategies that protected their grades and ego, but were deleterious to learning. Students could identify merits of the inquiry-based approach; however, they made clear: they prioritized grades, and were unwilling to trust an unfamiliar pedagogy if they perceived it jeopardized their grades. In the framework of self-regulated learning, the discussion considers how to scaffold students to foreground learning over achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored whether a new pedagogy using personal response systems (clickers) along with case study teaching improved students' perceptions of their understanding of science in large introductory biology classrooms. Twelve faculty from nine institutions and 1,457 students across the United States and Canada participated in this study. Faculty taught six to eight topics in biology by lecture or clicker case method, alternating the methods within the same course. Data include student responses to a survey questionnaire. Results indicated that students, especially women and nonscience majors, were generally positive toward the use of both clickers and cases. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.

Reform efforts in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instruction often emphasize student-centered teaching approaches, but relatively little attention is paid to the way STEM teachers use discourse when interacting with their students. In the present study, we examined the instructional and discourse behaviors of biology faculty members (N = 20) teaching in undergraduate biology classes. Although we found that the biology teachers spent most of their time guiding student learning in active learning activities and less time presenting, an analysis of their classroom communicative approaches showed that the participants mostly used authoritative and not dialogic discourse to teach biology content. Similarly, we found a strong positive correlation between biology teachers guiding student learning and authoritative, interactive approaches, suggesting that these teachers mostly asked the students to recall facts or basic concepts rather than asking them to collaboratively build knowledge. We describe the implications of these findings and our results for undergraduate biology instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia is a religious country that values local wisdom and customs. Although the characteristics of the Indonesian people may provide novel insight into and distinguished views on the theory of evolution by natural selection, few studies have explored how Indonesians view the theory of biological evolution. Thus, this study aimed to examine the views on evolution of undergraduate students and their professors majoring in biology education. A multiple-case approach was used as the method of this study. Three pre-service biology teachers and three biology education professors were interviewed. The interview results revealed that the six participants embraced creationism without accepting the theory of evolution by natural selection. One intriguing result was that Indonesian professors in this sample tended to see no conflict between evolution and religion. Instead, they believed in seeking harmonization by compartmentalizing evolution and religion. The participants connected their views to the current state of the science curriculum that embraced the idea of harmonization between science and religion. In addition, four categories were found in terms of how the participants approached evolution acceptance and its relation to religion. How the participants negotiated the dilemma between evolution and personal or cultural values is discussed, and suggestions for teaching and learning evolution are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As active learning pedagogies continue to increase in popularity in higher education, new questions have emerged about how instructors can manage all of the associated 'moving parts' of active learning, including how and when to deliver feedback. Currently, little is known about how students perceive the effects of verbal feedback during in-class activities. This study examined two large sections of introductory biology held in an active learning SCALE-UP (Student-Centred Active Learning Environments with Upside-down Pedagogies) classroom. Thematic analysis of repeated stimulated recall interviews with 15 students (72 total interviews) uncovered three main categories of feedback effects that students perceived: assure, alert and add (AAA). These three categories were supported by repeated stimulated recall surveys with a larger student population (262 students). We describe each category, quantify the frequency of each category in the target course, outline the students' perceived impact of each on examination preparation and performance, and conclude with implications regarding how understanding students' perceptions of their feedback experience may help instructors to deliver student-centred feedback during active learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching and learning of many undergraduate science courses often remains confined within the boundaries of classrooms rendering learning of these subjects irrelevant and detached from students' lived experiences. Community-based experiential learning (CBEL) is one way to address this issue. This paper reports the development and implementation of a CBEL activity and its impact on students' learning of Biology in a large university within Western Canada. Data corpus for the study included written pre- and post-CBEL student reflections, which were analyzed qualitatively. The results suggest that CBEL experience significantly enhanced the quality of students' learning across academic, civic, and personal domains. Emerged themes inform that the students considered their CBEL experience as valuable and empowering as it created opportunities for them to contribute to their own and peers' learning, as well as to the local community's and entire ecosystem's ecological wellbeing. They acknowledged that the CBEL experience enhanced their academic understandings and technical skills, which they can utilize in many other contexts. Outcomes of this study will inform revisions of the Biology 1000 curriculum in new iterations of the course. The study will also interest science educators who strive to promote students' learning in wider Canadian and other international contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visual representations of physical and natural phenomena are important components of the teaching and learning of biology. In current undergraduate biology classrooms, visual representations are most often provided to students on PowerPoint slides. This study focuses on the use of, and perceptions about, PowerPoint in undergraduate introductory biology classes to understand how PowerPoint composition can best promote student learning. Likert survey results from students and faculty along with course grades were used to assess these notions. Study findings show that all participants perceived PowerPoint images to be beneficial; however, not all participant groups found text beneficial. There were also differing perceptions of the teaching efficacy of PowerPoint found among groups. When test scores from two different PowerPoint slide treatments were examined, differences were found in overall student grades, with higher grades for students in an image-only treatment versus a text-and-image-combined treatment. The group with the most significant learning gains was students below the 75th quartile. The study indicates that simple adjustments to PowerPoint slides may help increase student learning for groups who customarily struggle with the science content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated students' perceptions of the study of evolution in a small conservative Christian college. Students' interest in the subject is influenced by several factors, including prior exposure to the material, students' belief system, and the instructors' attitudes towards the subject. These factors also determine the ability of students to understand, discuss, and analyze evolutionary-leaning arguments. Participants were students in a Foundations of Biology class. They completed a survey instrument that was administered by the College's Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. Analysis of the results indicate students are interested in the material, think it is important to study, and value discussing these issues in a supportive Christian environment. Implications for strengthening faith integration and student intellectual growth are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Student attrition is a persistent challenge in the life sciences, particularly among underrepresented minorities, first-generation students, and women. Experiential learning through short-term study abroad opportunities diversifies curricula by immersing students in nontraditional academic environments. However, most experiential learning and study abroad opportunities are primarily available to upper-division undergraduates. Here, we present a qualitative analysis of an experiential learning opportunity offered exclusively to first-year U.S. undergraduate students from underrepresented demographics. We performed ethnographic observations of a 10-day field component in the Galápagos Islands and analyzed self-reported survey results and field journals. Students consistently reported strong cognitive gains in their understanding of basic evolutionary concepts. Most students also benefited socially, although we observed higher variation in selfreported social gains. Our findings suggest that immersive field courses increase scientific literacy and promote social cohesion among students. We speculate that experiential learning opportunities may improve retention of underrepresented minorities in the life sciences, and we encourage future studies to further examine the short-term and long-term impacts of study abroad on student cognition and retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encouraging students to reflect on their exam answers in response to expert feedback may result in increased classroom performance and highlights that learning is an ongoing experience rather than one terminated at exam completion. In this study, we assessed the impact of instructor-delivered midterm feedback, employing a system in which students were not only given the opportunity to reflect on their answers, but to then engage in an email discussion about the feedback with the instructor. We found that the students who participated in the feedback process provided higher quality responses to similar final-exam questions. Using surveys and interviews, we identified components of the feedback process that the students perceived to be most valuable. We would encourage instructors to incorporate exam feedback in the assessment process not only because of its potential to enhance learning but also to increase opportunities for students to reflect on their own understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance gaps in science are well documented, and an examination of underlying mechanisms that lead to underperformance and attrition of women and underrepresented minorities (URM) may offer highly targeted means to promote such students. Determining factors that influence academic performance may provide a basis for improved pedagogy and policy development at the university level. We examined the impact of class size on students in 17 biology courses at four universities. Although the female students underperformed on high-stakes exams compared with the men as class size increased, the women received higher scores than the men on nonexam assessments. The URM students underperformed across grade measures compared with the majority students regardless of class size, suggesting that other characteristics of the education environment affect learning. Student enrollment is expected to increase precipitously in the next decade, underscoring the need to prioritize individual student potential rather than yield to budget constraints when considering equitable pedagogy and caps on classroom sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open textbooks are free, online resources that can replace traditional textbooks and save students money. The costs of traditional textbooks continue to increase, and this can particularly affect at-risk, low-income students. Few studies have analyzed student perceptions of open textbooks and how they influence academic achievement, but the emerging trend is positive. In the present study, I assessed student perceptions of an open textbook and calculated the subsequent cost savings. Although there were some limitations to my study, such as a low sample size, my results closely mirror previous studies in that most students had favorable opinions of the open textbook and would prefer to use them over traditional textbooks. The average cost savings per student was $81 for one course, determined using a novel method that does not assume all students buy new textbooks. These savings were likely important to the students, the majority of whom worked five hours or more and have received Pell Grants or other tuition waivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

College instructors in the United States usually make their own decisions about how to design course exams. Even though summative course exams are well known to be important to student success, we know little about the decision making of instructors when designing course exams. To probe how instructors design exams for introductory biology, we conducted an exploratory interview study with seven instructors teaching the same introductory biology course at a large university. We found that despite designing exams for the same course, instructor exam decisions differed with regard to what content was assessed, the exam format, the cognitive difficulty of exam questions, the resources used when crafting exams, and how exams were administered. We hope that this work can initiate conversations about how college instructors should design exams and lead to more uniformity in how student learning is assessed across the same courses taught by different instructors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reading aloud (RA) is a learning strategy commonly used to help younger students develop language comprehension skills and in adult literacy and language courses to help students master the pronunciation of words, grammar, and intonation. However, we know of no studies to date that investigate the possible benefits of RA at the college or university level. We propose that "reading aloud" (RA) immediately followed by "thinking aloud" (TA) during class can help college students enhance their reading abilities and cultivate their analytical thinking skills. This study explores the impact of a "read aloud-think aloud" (RA-TA) strategy in collegelevel biology courses. Students in 3 sections of 2 courses were asked about their experiences with RA via an end-of-semester survey. When pooled (N = 34 students), responses to all 5 survey questions significantly supported RA-TA. The responses to 4 survey questions very significantly supported the use of RA-TA: Students read the text more, understood it better, found the instructor's help useful, and in general learned to read difficult texts with greater comprehension. Results suggest that a RA-TA approach has the potential to greatly enhance student learning at the college level and provides a promising area for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance/update our microbiology course, we employed a geographic information science and technology (GIST) infusion to improve students’ understanding of epidemiology and disease spread and to encourage students to earn a GIST certificate, making them more marketable in an increasingly competitive workplace. Following a 25-minute introductory GIST infusion lecture during a microbiology class session, a 1.5-hour GIST laboratory exercise was performed in which teams of students evaluated Centers for Disease Control (CDC) chlamydial disease incidence data. In addition to answering three quiz questions addressing the data, students created a map, using ArcGIS software, indicating which Texas counties experienced the highest rates of chlamydia in 2014. To determine the efficacy/value of our infusion, GIST survey data (pre- and post-infusion), GIST lab quiz scores, and answers to four GIST lecture exam questions were evaluated. In conclusion, our study was successful in improving understanding of what GIST is and how it could impact biological fields by improving attitudes about the likelihood of further GIST study leading to a certificate program, and by exposing biology undergraduates to GIST technologies and software, enabling student data mapping. Ultimately, our efforts could promote enhanced vocationalization of our biology program, thereby enhancing and broadening employment opportunities for our graduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is often difficult for students grasp the concept that some organisms can grow in the absence of oxygen and that oxygen can be toxic to organisms. However, as educators usually describe in the classroom, the importance of the anaerobic growth of microorganisms can be seen in many areas of industry, health, and the creation of several categories of food ranging from fermented alcohols to breads and cheeses. To demonstrate that microorganisms can grow and thrive in the absence of oxygen, we have developed an inexpensive and easy technique to culture facultative anaerobic bacteria from yogurt in high school or undergraduate biology laboratories. Using the method discussed, which uses readily available and low-cost equipment, students can culture and visually identify facultative anaerobic bacteria that they may consume on a regular basis, demonstrating the utility of organisms that thrive in an anaerobic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are forces at the local, state, and national levels that have worked to delegitimize and obstruct the teaching of evolution and, in some cases, to legitimize the teaching of religious ideas. Despite scientific evidence, public opinion, and even legislation, these forces have continued to influence, and in some cases block, the teaching of evolution in public schools. Proponents for the teaching of aspects of religion in schools have been defeated in the courts many times but have continued to find new ways to insert their ideology into the U.S. education system. Strategies for avoiding controversy, confronting misinformation, and distinguishing science from non-science are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education must improve student retention and graduation rates to meet increased demand for STEM degrees in the workforce projected for the next ten years. The high rate of attrition among STEM students entering college compels institutions to implement strategies that improve student retention because more states now employ performance-based funding models with increased pressures to improve student outcomes, such as first- and second-year retention rates. We piloted a two-year hierarchical mentoring model as part of a first-year experience course developed for biology students (BioSkills) to increase retention rates among first-time-in-college (FTIC) students. We describe the mentoring structure we adopted and how the design of BioSkills supports and educates future biology professionals. Our findings show that FTIC students who participated in this program earned significantly higher first-year GPAs and were retained at higher rates than students who did not participate, which documents the impact of BioSkills as a successful first-year intervention. However, we were surprised that the benefit of BioSkills was not replicated among under-represented minority (URM) students. We briefly speculate on explanations for this finding. Lastly, we offer best practice suggestions for future implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific method is a core element of all science. Yet, its different implementations are remarkably diverse, based on the varied concepts and protocols required in each specific instance of science. For experienced scientists, coping with this diversity is second nature: they readily and continually ask tractable questions even outside their expertise, and find the process of forming hypotheses, designing tests, and interpreting results fairly transparent. At the secondary school stage, the scientific method is often introduced as a series of clear steps in a pre-planned lab activity. In between these two stages comes the essential step of abandoning the supports of a step-by-step approach, and instead learning how to work through the scientific method to generate and answer one’s own questions. In our experience, this process is rarely taught explicitly. Yet, undergraduate students (even strong students) can have difficulty translating their initial questions into testable hypotheses, and designing and interpreting appropriate corresponding tests. To combat this difficulty, we have developed a conceptual framework that distinguishes the fundamental concepts of pattern and cause. This framework guides undergraduates directly to posing tractable questions, formulating testable hypotheses (descriptive or mechanistic), and designing clear tests (surveys or experiments). Anecdotal evidence, including our in-course assessments and student feedback, suggests this approach leads to improvement of students’ scientific abilities. The benefits are noticeable when students apply the scientific method to their own questions and also while interpreting science reported in biological literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engaging and gauging (engauging) first-generation, under-represented minority undergraduate general biology students through processes of inquiry, critical thinking, and affective learning is vital as they develop their scientific identity. An important challenge is how we can establish communities of practice and instill in our first-generation students self-awareness and reflection as they apply, analyze, and evaluate data on biological principles. In my article, I describe an innovative weekly assignment for my first generation Hispanic and Native Indigenous students called Quizfolio: quiz and mini-portfolios on biological principles and themes outlined in Vision and Change. Within a SOAR framework that will be introduced in my article, quizfolios provide an active learning space for students to integrate inclusive student-centered, in-class discussions and longitudinal lab inquiries in a first-year undergraduate biology course through metacognition and reflection-in-action. This transformative, culturally responsive mentoring approach encourages first-generation undergraduates to bring self-awareness to unclear or confusing topics that are clarified at the start of class or lab settings, and provides future framework for long-term retention of biological concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers often wonder how best to teach the myriad of social and ethical issues that are encompassed in the biology curriculum. One can just think of issues such as genetic engineering, evolution (and the continuous evolution-creationism debate), research ethics (the haunting book The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks comes to mind), human population studies, health care and nutrition, sexuality and gender, drugs, environmental pollution, to name but a few. In this article we highlight the advantages of puppetry in the biology classroom, as an engaging pedagogy that could assist conceptual change in students. We explore the dual epistemological border-crossing that takes place in the classroom when puppetry is used: (a) the integration of societal and ethical issues within the biology curriculum, and (b) the infusion of art and drama within the natural sciences. We reflect on our own classroom action research on puppetry, and share our main findings. We also provide practical guidelines for using puppetry as pedagogy within a problem-based and cooperative learning setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the scientific argumentation that occurs among university biology students during an argumentation task implemented in two environments: face-to-face in a classroom and online in an asynchronous discussion. We observed 10 student groups, each composed of three students. Our analysis focused on how students respond to their peers' unscientific arguments, which we define as assertions, hypotheses, propositions, or explanations that are inaccurate or incomplete from a scientific perspective. Unscientific arguments provide opportunities for productive dissent, scientific argumentation, and conceptual development of scientifically desirable conceptions. We found that students did not respond to the majority of unscientific arguments in both environments. Challenges to unscientific arguments were expressed as a question or through explanation, although the latter was more common online than face-to-face. Students demonstrated significantly more epistemic distancing in the face-to-face environment than the online environment. We discuss the differences in discourse observed in both environments and teaching implications. We also provide direction for future research seeking to address the challenges of engaging students in productive scientific argumentation in both face-to-face and online environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolution is foundational to biology but is controversial for many undergraduate students. Although evolution and religion are potentially compatible, students' perceived conflict between their religious beliefs and evolution can negatively affect their acceptance of evolution. In a previous study, we found that illustrating the potential compatibility of religion and evolution decreased the number of students who perceived a conflict between religion and evolution by 53 percent. However, in the previous study, the instruction on the potential compatibility of religion and evolution took a significant amount of instructional time, which could be a barrier for implementation. In this current study, we condensed the instruction illustrating the potential compatibility of religion and evolution to six minutes. By conducting qualitative analyses on data gathered from ten students who perceived a conflict before the evolution module, we found that eight of these students reduced their level of perceived conflict after the evolution module. We identified eight distinct aspects of the evolution instruction that students stated reduced their perceived conflict, including that the instructor did not force student acceptance of evolution, the instructor was respectful of students with multiple viewpoints on evolution, and students experienced a greater exposure to evolution content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calibration of item banks provides the basis for computerized adaptive testing that ensures high diagnostic precision and minimizes participants' test burden. This study aims to develop a bank of items to measure the level of Knowledge on Biology using the Rasch model. The sample consisted of 1219 participants that studied in different faculties of the National University of Cordoba (mean age = 21.85 years, SD = 4.66; 66.9% are women). The items were organized in different forms and into separate subtests, with some common items across subtests. The students were told they had to answer 60 questions of knowledge on biology. Evaluation of Rasch model fit (Zstd < ±2.0), differential item functioning, dimensionality, local independence, item and person separation (>2.0), and reliability (>.80) resulted in a bank of 180 items with good psychometric properties. The bank provides items with a wide range of content coverage and may serve as a sound basis for computerized adaptive testing applications. The contribution of this work is significant in the field of educational assessment in Argentina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the history of Radcliffe College’s Zoological Laboratory, a women’s-only laboratory associated with the all-male Harvard College that became a centre for training women in animal biology. Radcliffe’s laboratory developed in the late nineteenth century in the face of Harvard’s fierce resistance to coeducation and popular scientific ideas that questioned women’s biological fitness for scientific study. This article documents how extralaboratory factors – such as masculine cultures of sociability, informal mentorship relationships and gender segregation in everyday academic life – carried over into the construction of experimental biology as a discipline. I argue that understanding how gender functioned in Radcliffe’s laboratory requires examining adjacent spaces and institutions on and off campus where scientific identities were forged, including neighbourhood boardinghouses and coeducational scientific society meetings. During this period, debates about the right approach to studying the natural world turned on competing visions of manliness in the field or at the laboratory bench. The entrance of Radcliffe women into male-dominated laboratory spaces motivated the articulation of new forms of scientific masculinities associated with the experimental rigours and professional aims of the turn-of-the-century ‘new biology’. More broadly, I contend that notions of scientific masculinity and the concurrent development of fraternal laboratory cultures served to exclude women from full participation in the biological sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to make our classes more engaging, we recently reorganized sections of our nonmajors biology course, using current issues in biology and society as a premise to promote coherence among course content and emphasize the relevance of biological concepts to everyday life. A key aspect of the reorganization included the development and implementation of collaborative, active-learning exercises designed to promote student engagement and foster the use of critical thinking skills--specified goals of our university's general education program. As the reorganization focused largely on fulfilling explicit objectives of the general education program, the purpose of this study was to determine if the new structure would promote student understanding and appreciation of the goals of the general education program within the context of a nonmajors biology course. Results show a positive impact on students' perceived understanding of the goals of the general education program, but little impact on student views of the significance of the program to a university education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify effects of variability of visual input on development of conceptual representations of academic concepts for college-age students with normal language (NL) and those with language-learning disabilities (LLD). Method: Students with NL (n = 11) and LLD (n = 11) participated in a computer-based training for introductory biology course concepts. Participants were trained on half the concepts under a low-variability condition and half under a high-variability condition. Participants completed a posttest in which they were asked to identify and rate the accuracy of novel and trained visual representations of the concepts. We performed separate repeated measures analyses of variance to examine the accuracy of identification and ratings. Results: Participants were equally accurate on trained and novel items in the high-variability condition, but were less accurate on novel items only in the low-variability condition. The LLD group showed the same pattern as the NL group; they were just less accurate. Conclusions: Results indicated that high-variability visual input may facilitate the acquisition of academic concepts in college students with NL and LLD. High-variability visual input may be especially beneficial for generalization to novel representations of concepts. Implicit learning methods may be harnessed by college courses to provide students with basic conceptual knowledge when they are entering courses or beginning new units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional development (PD) for graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) has been repeatedly emphasized as an essential component of future faculty training. Nonetheless, attempts to integrate PD programs into graduate curriculum are met with resistance from some stakeholders. The authors investigated stakeholders' perceptions of a novel GTA PD program implemented in The Ohio State University (OSU) Center for Life Sciences Education (CLSE), which coordinates biology courses at an R1 institution. GTAs involved in the program reported an increased sense of preparedness to teach, felt well-supported in their teaching, and critically reflected on their own teaching. This article describes program improvements based on feedback from this study. Although the independent PD course portion of the program always had a menu of developmentally appropriate activities for novice, midcareer, and veteran TAs, the CLSE made those options more transparent with group-specific syllabi and planning sheets that clarify the activities' relevance. The findings, TA PD resources, and ideas for future directions for the OSU CLSE TA PD program provide valuable guidance for other institutions seeking to provide quality ongoing training for GTAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the undergraduate biology laboratory, many freshmen are apathetic towards the content of the course. Curriculum based reader's theater (CRBT) is an instructional method that can increase interest the students in the content of the course while improving student communication, collaboration and understanding. This research is an examination of the student's attitudes about participating in a non-traditional teaching method such as CRBT in a biology laboratory setting. A reflection document was given to the students before and after their experience with the CRBT in the biology laboratory to determine the attitudes of the students about the experience with this novel instructional method. Qualitative methods were used to code and examine the student reflections along with three other data sources. Most of the students were initially positive about performing a reader's theater as a part of the biology lab, while 81 % of the students who had originally negative perceptions of the reader's theater, changed their perceptions from negative to positive after the reader's theater experience. The findings of this research indicate that students respond positively to the use of curriculum based reader's theater in a biology laboratory as an alternative instructional method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to calls for pedagogical reforms in undergraduate biology courses to decrease student attrition rates and increase active learning, this article describes one faculty member's conversion from traditional teaching methods to more engaging forms of practice. Partially told as a narrative, this article illustrates a.) the way many faculty initially learn to teach by modeling the pedagogy from their own undergraduate programs; b.) the kind of support biology faculty may need to break out of traditional molds; c.) how writing can promote active learning; and d.) the impact of reformed pedagogy on student levels of engagement. The latter will be demonstrated through assessment results gathered from student surveys, reflective writing, and focus group interview. Ultimately, the study challenges misunderstandings some faculty might have regarding the value of writing in science classes and offers inspiration, urging critical reflection and persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capstone experiences have high educational impact with a number of approaches for biology. In most capstones, students produce a major project, typically as an undergraduate research experience, with a primary goal to integrate students' learning. At Augustana, our senior biology capstone uses history and philosophy to frame students' reflections and to integrate their biological education within our liberal arts and sciences curriculum. In a flipped classroom approach, students write a response to the assigned reading before class, when the paper is discussed through student-led seminars. Assigned papers consider the philosophy and historical development of biology focusing on its three conceptual pillars: function, development, and evolution, allowing students to examine how biologists arrived at their current understanding of life. Assessment of ten years of course offerings indicates students' ability to write and speak are being successfully developed, but that thinking shows no significant learning gains between the midterm and final exams. Student quantitative and qualitative ratings of the course indicate that it is a valuable learning experience, despite its heavy workload and difficult nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to reveal out which biology subjects were preferred the most in Turkey in postgraduate theses; and to make comparisons of the university biology education, the types of publications, the research methods and investigated subjects. It was also aimed to find out the intensity of biology subjects dealt with in primary school and secondary school curriculum with regards to course hours on the basis of both the grades and the biology subjects. The qualitative research method was used in this study. The content analysis was used in data analysis. The result of study showed that; before 2000, MS theses were mostly done and PhD theses were fewer. Secondary school level was mostly preferred as for the research group and the “Quantitative” method was mostly preferred as for the research method. In addition, it was revealed out that; the environment, cell and variety of the living beings were among the topics that were studied the most in researches while the tissues, evolution, systems and energy were studied the least. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research objective of this study was to describe the frames that students from two culturally distinct institutions used in their argumentative essays on a locally relevant environmental socioscientific issue. Participants ( n = 47) were recruited from biology courses designed for pre-service elementary teachers at both a public university and a tribal community college separated by around 80 km. Students participated in iterative writing assignments, class discussion, and small group planning activities. Each student submitted three essays (in total around 140 essays), which were analyzed for the types of claims made, the types of evidence used to support claims, and patterns of argument framing. A framing typology from the science communication discipline was used. Both cohorts used frames around accountability and compromise, but tribal college students were more likely to draw on morality frames while university students drew on economic development frames. In addition, the tribal students were less likely (58% of essays) to use scientific evidence to support their claims than the university students (96% of essays). We conclude that while frames lend them themselves to using scientific evidence, students from culturally marginalized backgrounds have an opportunity to increase their sense of agency and communicate their argumentative positions on SSIs. We recommend that educators assign WTL activities that allow students to select their own frames but encourage students to integrate scientific evidence in their essays, while also recognizing that how we define science is likely culturally biased. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 54: 195-218, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports such as Bio2010 emphasize the importance of integrating mathematical modelling skills into undergraduate biology and life science programmes, to ensure students have the skills and knowledge needed for biological research in the twenty-first century. One way to do this is by developing a dedicated mathematics subject to teach modelling and mathematical concepts in biological contexts. We describe such a subject at a research-intensive Australian university, and discuss the considerations informing its design. We also present an investigation into the effect of mathematical and biological background, prior mathematical achievement, and gender, on student achievement in the subject. The investigation shows that several factors known to predict performance in standard calculus subjects apply also to specialized discipline-specific mathematics subjects, and give some insight into the relative importance of mathematical versus biological background for a biology-focused mathematics subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite doing well in biology at high school, some students struggle with the same subject at university level. This can have implications for epistemological access - access to knowledge that allows students to remain at university. Therefore, it is important to identify factors that may be causing this problem. We propose that one such factor may be differences in the structure of knowledge between the two levels. Therefore, this paper will assess some of the differences in the structuring of knowledge that exist between a high school and a university biology curriculum. To do this, a section of a high school and a university textbook which cover the same topic will be analysed using one aspect of Legitimation Code Theory called Semantics. Our findings suggest that there is a mismatch between the semantic range students are expected to navigate at university and that demanded by high school biology, and that this may pose a stumbling block to students gaining epistemological access to first-year study at university. If this is indeed the case, then pedagogic interventions which explicitly address this may contribute to improving undergraduate student retention and throughput rates at university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biology faculty at San José State University developed, piloted, implemented, and assessed a freshmen course sequence based on the macro-to micro-teaching approach that was team-taught, and organized around unifying themes. Content learning assessment drove the conceptual framework of our course sequence. Content student learning increased significantly in 12 of the categories examined using pre and post assessment instruments. Focus and individual student interviews revealed that students experienced a sense of ownership after completing two, five-week guided inquiry projects. Pass rate for the second semester class increased significantly from 55% to 85%. The percentage of underrepresented students passing the new sequence was higher than 72%, and was 86% at the end of the second year of full course sequence implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active-learning experiences – in classrooms, laboratories, and outside of courses – are highly valued components of preparing undergraduates to become biologists. We characterized the educational opportunities available to students in the biological sciences at colleges and universities within the eastern Great Lakes region and student perceptions of a variety of opportunities. We surveyed biology departments at 33 institutions to determine the availability of and participation in educational travel, internships, laboratories, skill development, and undergraduate research involvement. There was variation in the availability of internships, the types of skill development and educational travel offered, and the numbers of labs required in different biology curricula. Undergraduate research was offered at all institutions, and most research-active students presented results at least locally. Most colleges and universities offer a wide range of educational experiences and opportunities that complement traditional biology curricula and that are valued by students. Because fewer than half of the students took advantage of most of these experiences, schools still have the opportunity to increase their value in undergraduate education through increased student participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-Determination Theory and Flow Theory propose that perceived autonomy fosters the positive qualities of motivation and flow-experience. Autonomy-support can help to maintain students' motivation in very interesting learning activities and may lead to an increase in the positive qualities of motivation in less interesting learning activities. This paper investigates whether autonomy-supportive or controlling teaching behaviour influence students' motivation and flow-experience in biology class. In study 1, 158 students of grade six worked on the adaptations of Harvest Mice (Micromys minutus) with living animals. The 153 sixth graders of study 2 dealt with the same content but instead worked with short films on laptops. Previous studies have shown that students perceive film sequences as less interesting than working with living animals. Students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience were measured at the end of the first and the third lesson. In study 1, autonomy-supportive teaching behaviour led to significant differences in students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience when compared to controlling teaching behaviour. In study 2, motivation and flow-experience were not always in line with theory. The positive effects of autonomy-supportive and the non-beneficial effects of the controlling teaching behaviour seem to be dependent on the interestingness of the teaching material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact on learning, attitudes, and costs in a redesigned general education undergraduate biology course that implemented web-based virtual labs (VLs) to replace traditional physical labs (PLs). Over an academic year, two new modes of VL instruction were compared to the traditional PL offering: (1) all VL with an in-person help center (VL-A) and (2) a hybrid flipped VL model where online labs alternated with in-person labs every week (VL-H). All three lab types included a face-to-face lecture with the same materials. Engaging inquiry-based exercises were developed for each VL activity in which students were provided background information, guided through a series of basic experiments, encouraged to design their own experiments, and required to produce a simple scientific report that was delivered for evaluation electronically. The VL-A group had the highest proportion of repeatable grades (below a C, 2.0 grade points). Students in the VL-H group achieved significantly better grades compared to the other lab instruction groups. The VL-H group also experienced statistically significant favorable shifts in their self-reported attitudes towards biology. The personnel costs for the VL-A and VL-H models were 29% and 63% of the PL model, respectively, allowing more sections to be offered. These results suggest that carefully designed online lab opportunities can result in higher student grades and more favorable attitudes towards science while reducing costs compared to traditional labs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although problem-based learning (PBL) has been used for over 40 years, with many studies comparing the benefits of PBL versus other educational approaches, little attention has been paid to the effectiveness of hybrid PBL (H-PBL) curricula. Here we aimed to compare the learning outcomes of two groups of undergraduate biology students working towards a bachelor's degree: one group used an H-PBL approach, while the second used a lecture-based learning (LBL) approach. Specifically, the H-PBL group used a PBL module with interdisciplinary problems, which represented 20% of the entire curriculum. The main outcomes of evaluation were the long-term acquisition of factual knowledge and the problem-solving skills at the end of the bachelor's degree. The sample included 85 students, 39 in the H-PBL group and 46 in the LBL group. We found that an H-PBL curriculum can improve the students' learning outcomes such as long-term knowledge acquisition, problem solving skills and generic competences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an update to Explorations, a program at Stanford University that allows undergraduates in an introductory biology course to explore specialized topics in the biological sciences while providing graduate students and postdoctoral scholars the unique opportunity to develop and teach single-session, research-focused classes. We provide an assessment of eight iterations of the program, using program attendance, student and instructor evaluations, senior exit surveys, course grades, and completion of undergraduate honors theses to assess the impact of our program on students and instructors. Students rated their experiences highly, and most reported that the program had a positive impact on their undergraduate careers and positively influenced their decision to participate in scientific research. Correspondingly, we found that undergraduates who participated in Explorations were more likely to complete an honors thesis. Instructors reported that the program provided a valuable opportunity to develop their teaching skills. Our work demonstrates the potential impact that one-time, research-focused classes can have on promoting undergraduate participation in authentic research experiences and in providing teaching experiences for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, and we urge other universities to consider implementing such programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]