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Retention and performance in introductory biology classes is a challenge for many institutions, particularly at two-year schools. Active learning, practice, peer lead workshops and structure have all been shown to increase performance in these classes. A meta-analysis by Freeman et al. (2014) showed that science courses that incorporate active learning increase exam scores and the chance of passing the course. Arbruster et al. (2009) showed an increase in exam scores and student engagement in introductory biology courses specifically. Retrieval and practice have also been shown to increase learning (Karpicke and Blunt 2011, Freeman et al. 2007). In 2009, Ralph Preszler demonstrated that peer lead workshops increase student learning and engagement in introductory biology courses. In teaching past courses I used lecture combined with questioning of the entire class, sometimes with clickers sometimes using the traditional raised hand method, and case studies; however, students did not come to class prepared, leading to repetition of the basic material in the text during lecture and leaving little time for active learning exercises. This lead to a major reorganization of all my classes in the summer of 2013. The reorganized classes included Bio 101, a first semester biology course for nonmajors ranging from pre-nursing to business to art majors. Bio 101 covers basic chemistry, the cell, energy transfer, genetics, and evolution, and has a high drop rate, similar to other institutions. A modified Team Based Learning (TBL) format, with built-in increased active learning, recall, structure and peer lead work, was expected to give an increase in retention and exam scores in introductory biology courses. The modified team-learning method used combined TBL, as outlined in Michaelson et al. (2003), with various lecture lengths and application types. Teams were formed at the beginning of the semester and remained for the entire semester. Readiness assessment tests (RATs) were based on readings and other supplementary material provided on Blackboard. RATs were taken first individually (iRAT) then as a team (tRAT). RATs were evaluated for areas of confusion and followed by lecture on these topics. After lecture, various types of applications were implemented including case studies, problem sets, or discussion/acting. Four tests were given during each semester. Retention and average exam scores in introductory biology courses taught by the same instructor were compared between the 2012 and 2013 academic years. In 2012, lecture combined with moderate use of case studies and other types of active learning (clickers) were used. Two sections of Bio 101 were taught in the fall of 2012 and three sections in the spring of 2013, for a total of 170 students. The modified TBL approach was implemented in 2013 as described above. One section was taught in each semester of the 2013 academic year for a total of 42 students. Implementing the modified TBL format lead to a 10% decrease in student withdrawals from the course. The average final grade was 0.20 grade points higher after implementation. In addition there was a 14% increase in students passing the course (D or above) and a modest (6%) increase in students earning a C or higher. There was a small, but statistically significant increase in overall average exam scores and for exam one (t-test, p0.05). These data support work that has been done in other introductory biology classrooms and demonstrate that the above changes in course format can benefit students enrolled in two-year institutions. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, Teaching approaches, The goal of the present study was to use a concept-mapping task to gauge student understanding of the Central Dogma of molecular biology. Concept maps challenge students to assimilate new concepts into existing frameworks, and thus require the ability to synthesize new information. The hypothesis guiding this study is that student performance on concept maps reveals specific Central Dogma misconceptions gained, lost, and retained by students. Students in two sections of a genetics course at Beloit College completed pre- and posttest concept mapping tasks using 27 terms related to the Central Dogma. Each map was scored in two ways: 1) complexity (total number of linking verbs, also known as propositions, used), and 2) propositional validity (number of valid propositions/total number of propositions). A comparison of pre- and post-test map scores revealed a statistically significant increase in both complexity (p, The use of case studies as a method of teaching is known to improve concept knowledge as well as critical thinking, making it a superior option to lecture-based learning. Peer-instruction and use of clicker questions are types of active-learning that have also been shown to improve student performance in STEM courses. The objective of this study was to design a laboratory exercise for an upper-level biology course that would incorporate peer-instruction and case studies with the use of a clicker response system. Students (n=19) were separated into groups of three or four. They were presented with a scenario regarding a patient who was demonstrating symptoms of pathology and were asked to use the clickers to individually select an answer from a multiple choice question about the scenario presented (individual selection). The questions were categorized as testing “knowledge,” “comprehension,” “analysis,” and “synthesis” under Bloom’s taxonomy. Once the class voted, the histogram was shown, and, if there was < 80% consensus for the correct answer, students had to discuss their answers as a group (peer-group instruction) and re-vote as a group. If < 80% consensus was still observed, each group took turns discussing their answer with the rest of the class (peer-class instruction), and the class re-voted. Each case study had five to six questions, and three case studies were utilized throughout the semester. Correct student answers before and after peer instruction were quantified, and a survey was performed at the end of the semester to measure student satisfaction. On average, 55.4%, 83.5%, and 94.7% of students picked the correct answer after individual selection, peer-group instruction, and peer-class instruction, respectively. Additionally, students rated the exercise an average of 4.8 on a scale of 1 to 5 asking how much they enjoyed the exercise. These results suggest that the use of peer instruction and clicker questions in case study–based learning improves critical thinking as well as application and analysis of concepts for upper-level biology students, and should be explored further as a model for undergraduate biology teaching. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, TH!NK is a new initiative at NC State University focused on enhancing students’ higher-order cognitive skills. As part of this initiative, I explicitly emphasized critical and creative thinking in an existing bacteriophage discovery first-year research course. One strategy that I employed to enhance students’ critical thinking skills was the use of discipline-specific, real-world scenarios. As an in-class activity, students participated in responding to and discussing a number of critical thinking scenarios over the course of the semester. In this paper, I share a general “formula” for writing scenarios, as well as several specific scenarios I created for my course. I also present how embedding aspects of the scenarios in assignments such as lab reports and reviews of the primary literature enrich these activities. I assessed student gains in critical thinking skills using a pre-/posttest model of the Critical Thinking Assessment Test (CAT), developed by Tennessee Technological University. I observed a positive gain trend in most of the individual skills assessed in the CAT, with a statistically significant large effect on critical thinking skills overall. The strategies described here can be modified for use in biology and other STEM disciplines, as well as in diverse disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Teaching approaches, Teaching tools, Undergraduate research is known to increase STEM student achievement (Russell et al. 2007, Lopatto 2007, Villarejo et al. 2008), so the Small World Initiative (SWI), which has STEM students discover novel antibiotics in undergraduate labs, was tested to see whether it improved student success. We adapted the SWI to a Florida Atlantic University Introductory Biology nonmajors lab using a regular lab section by the same TA as a control. Our hypothesis was that SWI students would earn higher grades and critical-thinking posttest scores than controls. Students in both groups took one of three lecture sections from two different instructors. California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) Pre- and Posttests were offered to both groups for ∼1.5% lab extra-credit. Labs started with 22 SWI and 24 controls. All SWI students completed lab and 21 earned above C-. Two controls dropped the course, but 22 earned above C in lab (control lab average=88%). All SWI students earned above C in lecture, but 6 of 22 controls had below D+ and three failed. A two-tailed Fisher’s exact test comparing SWI vs. controls for percentage of students earning above C and percentage earning below D+ in lecture showed SWI students had significantly better lecture grades (pp, Previous data have indicated that an activity in which students use their own basal body temperature to predict hormone changes increases learning outcomes. In this study I am investigating whether using data collected from one’s self improves learning outcomes and/or student engagement compared with the same activity in which data are not collected from one’s self but provided. My hypothesis is that both learning outcomes and student engagement will be higher in groups that collect self data. To test this hypothesis, I compared student survey results and changes in the percentages of correct quiz answers before and after students completed two activities in which half of the students collected data from themselves and the other half used data that were provided. In one activity, students predicted hormonal changes associated with the menstrual cycle based on basal body temperature. In the other activity, students predicted levels of hormones associated with the stress response based on changes in pulse and stress perception before and after stress reduction techniques. The class of 15 was divided so that each student collected her own data for one activity and used data that was provided for the other. Survey results indicate that 14 out of 15 students prefer collecting data on themselves, suggesting that data collection from self is an effective strategy to engage students. Whichever group used self data showed a greater increase in the average percentages of correct quiz responses after the activity. The average percentage of correct responses (out of 10) increased after the basal body temperature activity from 54% to 72% (p, The 2012 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) report highlighted the growing issue of persistence of STEM majors and encouraged significant change. In an effort to understand the factors which affect STEM retention at Viterbo University, three years ago, an internal study showed the strongest indicator of student success in the freshman year (defined as grades of C or higher) in math/science courses is high school grade point average (HS GPA). Specifically, in General Chemistry I, 80% of students who achieved less than a C had a HS GPA below 3.3. In contrast, only 30% of students who received a C had a HS GPA below 3.3, and none of the students who received a grade higher than C had a HS GPA below 3.3. This past fall, after integrating several active learning initiatives in the STEM curriculum, we returned to the General Chemistry classroom to examine indicators of student success in the first year. We hypothesized that academic performance would still be a key indicator of student success, but we also hypothesized that student attitudes would be critical components in student success. Pair-wise correlations revealed that many of the survey attitudes (measured by the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), a validated survey on student learning and motivation) and measures of student success were correlated. This suggests that the final grade in the class is positively correlated with several of the attitudes measured. While multiple testing raises concerns about false-positives, these factors, in addition to others, are included in the best multiple linear regression model to predict final grade. However, the strong colinearity of the attitudes makes identification of which attitudes in particular influence student success difficult. This colinearity was confirmed using a principal components analysis that a substantial proportion of variance in all measured attributes can be accounted for in a single principal component. In addition, this component is strongly correlated with final grade, suggesting that much of the variance can be explained by the fact that strong students score highly on all measured attributes. Future work will use these achievement and attitude measures as baseline data and see how changes to the pedagogy affect these values. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching approaches, Evidence that active and inquiry learning increase student retention and critical thinking skills is conclusive, yet many undergraduate students protest against shifts in pedagogy because it is more work for them than lectures and exams. Engaging students’ interest so that they value investing time and effort in learning is as important as incorporating active and inquiry learning in courses. I tested whether including creative nonfiction books in one-semester majors microbiology courses would promote student engagement, supplementing Brock Biology of Microorganisms with Sachs’ Good Germs, Bad Germs, which chronicles the development of the hygiene hypothesis and the growing antibiotic resistance threat, and Ben-Barak’s The Invisible Kingdom, highly humorous essays on the manifold capabilities of microbes. We discussed how these popular reading assignments related to content throughout the course. I predicted that reading less content-dense creative nonfiction would increase student interest in learning microbiology because it emphasizes how microbes impact people’s lives and tells stories about working microbiologists in a suspenseful way. Contrary to my hypothesis, 76% of students in spring 2012 and spring 2014 microbiology courses at Sierra Nevada College reported on end-of-term surveys that they found the popular books less valuable for the course than the text, homework, and exam review materials. Students’ free comments suggested that the majority still valued course assignments based on how directly they helped them prepare for exams, although non-exam assessments contributed at least 54% to the course grade. A few students commented that Good Germs, Bad Germs and The Invisible Kingdom were interesting and helped them see applications for microbiology and 5% of students valued them more than the text, commenting that the text was too hard to understand. Although free comments are subject to interpretation and the total sample size was just 21 students, I conclude that creative nonfiction reading assignments do not increase engagement for the majority of undergraduates. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Systems, Impact of microorganisms Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching tools, Introduction: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) has become an essential and standard technique in molecular biology research laboratories. In 2012, we reasoned it would be fitting to incorporate a qPCR laboratory module into a mandatory sophomore Genetics course, providing every Biology/Biochemistry/Environmental Science major with hands-on qPCR experience. For undergraduates, performing qPCR simply requires micropipetting proficiency; conceptual understanding is the difficult hurdle. Methods: Across three years, we developed and tested three versions of a structured inquiry lab exercise. The exercises introduce students to the concept, purpose, and performance of qPCR technology and use: 1) three target genes, inflammation as a model system, and comparison of tissue culture cells treated with five different inflammation-inducing treatments; 2) one target gene, inflammation, and five treatments; or 3) one target gene, cancer as a model system, and comparison of primary and immortalized cells. We developed 1) a pre-/posttest to gauge student knowledge and understanding at the onset/conclusion of the module and 2) a set of open-ended postlab discussion questions. Hypothesis: We hypothesized the third iteration, placing qPCR in the context of cancer and telomerase, would be most successful. Results: In all iterations, scores were significantly higher on posttests. Pretest and posttest scores were highest in the third version. All assessment scores increased from the first to the third iteration, and instructors reported greatest student engagement in the third version. Conclusion: Data analysis after Year 1 suggested analyzing three target genes interfered with comprehension. Accordingly, we reduced to analysis of one target gene. Student difficulties persisted, indicating challenges with cell treatments and inflammation. We shifted to a more straightforward focus on cancer, uncontrolled cell growth, and telomerase, reasoning it also might hold more student interest. Improvements in assessment test scores indicate our modifications have resulted in a refined module that enhances student learning and understanding of qPCR. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Pathways, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects, Student learning, Since 1942, all students graduating from Allegheny College have been required to complete a junior seminar and a senior research project. As of 1999, all students have also been required to complete three writing and speaking classes during their first two years. The first two, taken in the first year, are interdisciplinary; a third, taken in the second year, is disciplinary in nature. Coincident with the revision of the college curriculum, the Biology Department completed a self-study and external review which revealed that both faculty and students were dissatisfied with our three-semester lecture and lab introductory series. Consequently, laboratories were dropped from the first two courses, and the third course was reworked as a version of the sophomore-level writing and speaking class, emphasizing experimental design, research methods, analysis and interpretation of data, and written and oral communication. To provide students with experiences in different biological subdisciplines, the course is modular in format, with each module focused on an instructor-specific research question that provides students with an opportunity to develop research projects. The final products of each module are a research presentation and a primary literature–style paper. We hypothesized that this course would provide students with authentic research experiences and facilitate their understanding of writing and speaking in the discipline. Two mechanisms of assessment were used to determine whether our hypothesis was supported. We used a multi-year, Likert-scale attitude survey, where, for example, over 85% of the students rated the course a 4 or 5 for their learning gains in presenting data in journal article format. We also used the nationally recognized classroom undergraduate research experience (CURE) survey; our students’ self-reported gains in categories such as ability to read and understand scientific literature and skill in science writing exceeded those of the “all students” comparison group, which includes participants in summer research. Thus, the course provides an authentic research experience that simultaneously enhances the students’ writing and speaking skills. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, Too often in a predetermined or “cookbook” laboratory, students do not make the connection between experiential methods, the concepts behind these methods, and the application of these methods to different situations. This semester-long laboratory exercise was designed to provide students with an inquiry-based or classroom undergraduate research experience (CURE) laboratory project that incorporates commonly used microbiological lab concepts and techniques and to see whether this type of laboratory could be used to enhance student learning and understanding of these concepts and techniques. The theme of this lab project is centered on plant-microbe interactions. Plant growth–promoting bacteria (PGPR) found in the rhizosphere can easily be isolated from plant roots using a defined selective media. Students learn and use standard microbiological techniques, such as serial dilution and enumeration, selective and differential media, staining, biochemical testing, 16S rDNA bacterial identification, record keeping and data analysis, characterization and identification of their bacterial isolates. Students also test their isolates for plant growth promotion, auxin production, phosphate solubilization, fungal inhibition and antibiotic resistance profile, and analysis of their data and the entire class data (class size is 75 to 90 students). A Student Assessment of their Learning Gains (SALG) survey (www.salgsite.org) was distributed to students in three consecutive fall semesters to assess their learning gains of the various concepts and techniques learned in laboratory and lecture. Student-perceived learning gains of this lab project were very positive. With 5.0 being the greatest gain and 4.0 being a good gain, all but one of the mean gains for the three semesters combined was greater than 4.0. For example, the mean gain for the students’ understanding of bacterial isolation and serial dilution was 4.4, the mean gain for bacterial identification was 4.4, the mean gain for aseptic technique was 4.6, the mean gain for notebook and record keeping was 4.3 and the mean gain for data analysis was 4.2. The only gain which was less than 4.0 was the mean gain of 3.9 for selective and differential media. Using the cross tabulation tool on the SALG website to compare learning gains of concepts with learning gains for techniques, again, most of the cross tabulations ended up in the good gain and great gain blocks. These data clearly confirm that students can learn important laboratory techniques in an inquiry-based or CURE type lab and maybe have a better understanding of how to apply the concepts that they have learned. Student comments also support this idea. For example, students were asked to comment on how their understanding of the subject has changed, what skills they have gained, and how their attitude toward the subject has changed. Some of these comments were the following: “It helped me piece the lecture material and lab material together to better understand why we are learning what we are in lecture.” “I feel that I now have a deeper understanding of the procedures talked about in lecture.” “I have grown to understand the necessity of a well-organized and thorough notebook when performing research.” “Throughout lab, I feel as though I have successfully understood and applied skills learned. I have a better understanding of how to perform serial dilutions, a concept first introduced some time ago. I also feel confident in my aseptic technique, a skill that will help with future work.” “I understand and can apply different media depending on what bacteria are being isolated.” “I understand how to analyze the data observed.” “I liked that we were able to use a real-life scenario in order to learn microbiology.” “This class has increased my interest in microbiology and I am looking into doing a student research project involving what I learned.” “I had a lot of fun with this lab. I enjoyed the one ultimate goal vs. other labs I have had with lots of small goals in mind; it helped me focus on what was really happening.” Comparing attendance from the year before this lab was done with the first year the lab was done, there was a 3% decrease in the number of students missing two or more labs during the semester and a 4% decrease in the number of students missing one lab session. There are no survey data for attendance, so no definitive conclusions can be drawn from this attendance data, but a number of students commented that they wanted to come to lab each week to work on their bacterium. Student ownership and involvement with their isolation and characterization project has also led to interested students using their isolates in undergraduate research projects, something which would not usually result from a traditional lab. Over the past four years there have been nine students who completed research projects using the PGPR. Also, interesting isolates are used by the students in subsequent courses, Molecular Biology and Virology. The ability to do this reinforces the idea for the students that science is an ongoing project not just a once-and-done type laboratory. The data collected using the SALG survey support the use and development of inquiry-based labs for microbiology students. Not only are the students able to connect concepts with techniques in these labs, they also help keep the lab exercises current, stimulating, and challenging for the students and the instructors. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Impact of microorganisms, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, Students often rely on rote study methods when preparing for exams. Conversely, exams at the college level and above stress higher-order cognitive thinking skills. To address this disconnect, students in an intermediate-level neuroscience course were provided with individually tailored, detailed exam feedback highlighting student performance on each level of Bloom’s taxonomy. This feedback, accompanied by a presentation of Bloom’s taxonomy and specific study suggestions for each of its levels, was provided to the students in hopes that their exam performance on higher-order exam questions would improve. To assess the effects of this intervention, exam results from the semester with the intervention (2014) were compared with exam results from the previous year’s course (2013) without the intervention (mixed-design ANOVA, post-hoc t-tests with Bonferroni correction). In both years, students increased their exam performance throughout the semester. Students’ performance on higher-order questions improved more throughout the semester in 2014 compared with 2013 (p, Active learning promotes student engagement, increases learning gains, enhances long-term retention, and enables development of higher-order thinking skills. This study examined the efficacy of active learning in graduate and medical school classroom-based (lacking a lab) courses. It stemmed from a prior observation that students perform poorly on exam questions requiring an understanding of lab-based techniques, a topic previously taught by didactic lecture. To investigate the hypothesis that active learning leads to greater learning gains than lecture, a flipped-classroom approach was implemented for this topic since these courses lack a lab component. Students wrote and performed skits based on clinical scenarios for which techniques are used for diagnosis and treatment. This approach was selected to demonstrate real-world relevance and applications. Student learning was quantitatively assessed by multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Data were analyzed using paired t-test; differences were significant. Masters student performance on multiple choice questions (MCQs) for this topic ranged from 77% to 100% and averaged 86% versus a 72% average for MCQs based on material taught by lecture. Medical student performance on MCQs for this topic ranged from 74% to 99% and averaged 90% versus a 76% average for MCQs based on material taught by lecture. Student attitudes toward active learning were assessed by an optional, anonymous survey and a required reflection. Masters students’ survey responses and free-response reflections supported their positive attitudes toward engagement in active learning. Medical students’ survey responses and free-response reflections were mixed, ranging from strongly positive to strongly negative, indicating their perceptions of learning strategy efficacy are not necessarily aligned with empirical data. From these data, I conclude that, within this context, active learning is more effective than lecture-based approaches. These data contribute to the research indicating that active learning leads to increased learning gains and support active learning approaches as effective, empirically validated teaching practices. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching approaches, Rapid developments in DNA sequencing technology continue to advance microbiology, creating opportunities for the next generation of scientists. We developed the Urban Barcode Research Program (UBRP) to engage high school students to study biodiversity in New York City (NYC) using DNA technology. The UBRP supports independent, student-driven research, spanning study design, sample collection, DNA extraction, sequencing, analysis, and scientific communication. We hypothesized that having high school students work with a scientist would increase their ability to conduct science, and the experience would be comparable with an undergraduate student research experience. We evaluated the UBRP using mixed methods, including the validated Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE-III) to measure changes in attitudes towards STEM studies and careers and learning gains around the scientific process, ranging from lab skills to academic, cognitive, and attitudinal aspects. Qualitative data included free-text survey responses, semi-structured interviews and project artifacts and will be presented in more detail at the conference. In year 1, 42 students (50% underrepresented minorities) worked with 18 scientists at 11 NYC institutions. Postsurvey data showed that for the majority (90.6%, n=35), the UBRP influenced them to continue research. Comparing the SURE-III results with reference college-level data (n≤2762) showed UBRP student learning gains were either equivalent (12 of 21 items) or higher (6 of 21), with highest gains for laboratory techniques (4.15 UBRP vs. 3.80 college students on a 5-point Likert scale of 1=no gain to 5=very large gain) and understanding how scientists work on real problems (3.94 vs. 3.51). Interestingly, students in our Urban Barcode Program (UBP; n=196), mentored by science teachers, not scientists, showed equivalent college-level learning gains in only 3 of the 21 items. These data support both our hypotheses: having high school students work with a scientist increases their ability to conduct science and provides a comparable college-level experience. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Impact of microorganisms, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects, Student learning, College students often have difficulty mastering the language required in a general biology course, and the use of science terminology may interfere with their ability to learn difficult concepts. I tested the hypothesis that students are more likely to learn concepts when they are first introduced using plain, everyday language rather than scientific terminology. I did this through a comparative approach in a General Biology (nonmajors) course at Berkeley City College. I taught two sections of material: understanding experimental design and introductory genetics. Each section was taught using scientific terminology one semester and plain language the other semester. Students were assessed using a pre-/posttest directly before and after the section was taught; learning gains were compared across the two groups. Students’ ability to understand scientific experimentation was assessed using the Expanded Experimental Design Ability Test (E-EDAT). This test is reported to be content and terminology independent, making it suitable for this study. Two homomorphic questions were used as pre- and post- assessments. Two people assessed student responses using the rubric associated with the E-EDAT. A Pearson’s correlation showed a 74% correlation between the two raters for the pretest and an 82% correlation between the two raters for the posttest. The learning gains for the E-EDAT for students taught in everyday language were greater (mean 3.6) compared with students taught using scientific terminology (mean 2.0) using a t-test (p, “Active learning” can include low-stakes problem-solving exercises to illustrate and/or reinforce concepts. Previous studies investigating similar approaches have repeatedly shown improved short-term and long-term retention. We instituted active learning, including individual and group problem-solving, mini-projects undertaken outside of class, and short quizzes in class and/or online, in fall 2011 in a junior-level undergraduate microbiology class for molecular biosciences (biochemistry/biophysics, genetics and cell biology, and microbiology) majors and pre-professional students. Active learning was worth 8% of the course grade. We hypothesized that active learning would improve grades in our course, and that greater concept retention would improve grades in subsequent microbiology coursework. “Control” groups included students enrolled from fall 2009 to spring 2011, and “experimental” groups included students enrolled from fall 2011 to the present. Among microbiology majors, course grades improved (2.50 vs. 2.12 on a 4-point scale), and the rate of student failure (grades of C- and below) decreased (26% [n=31] vs. 36% [n=33]). Variability was observed in later coursework, with improvements in medical microbiology (2.98 vs. 2.59) but declines in immunology and microbial physiology (2.74 vs. 2.99 and 2.7 vs. 3.17, respectively). Average grades for the four courses analyzed improved after active learning (2.69 vs. 2.40). To improve statistical power and to gain better insight into learning outcomes, we are currently comparing course grades among all molecular biosciences majors. Our results have implications for the use and potential improvement of active learning exercises within our course and may inform us about longer-term outcomes for students in our undergraduate degree programs. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching approaches, Recognizing the importance of introducing research experiences throughout the undergraduate curriculum, the Boston College Biology Department designed an introductory laboratory course that immerses students in a semester-long research investigation in functional genomics. Rather than using the traditional format that pairs one-credit laboratory courses with lecture courses, the class adopted the format of an advanced lab course, meeting twice weekly for three hours. We hypothesized that the course would improve students’ understanding of core biological concepts and research methods skills, including the ability to design experiments, find information in online databases, understand the primary literature, and effectively communicate experimental results. We also hypothesized that student-generated results could add to the science knowledge base. For their project, students study the conservation of the enzymes involved in methionine biosynthesis between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, members of the Ascomycota separated from a common ancestor by ∼1 billion years. Student learning is assessed with lab notebooks, prelab quizzes, oral and poster presentations, database assignments, and five “micro-reports” that are compiled into a final report written in the style of a scientific publication. Students also perform an in-depth study of a research publication broken into segments, using a modification of the CREATE process. Pretest/posttest analyses indicated statistically and practically significant growth in both objectively-measured content knowledge and self-reported research methods skills. Student research results have also demonstrated the functional conservation of several enzymes involved in sulfur assimilation between S. cerevisiae and S. pombe. These scientific results are being prepared for a research publication. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Evolution, Pathways Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, This study details the assessment of a novel, year-long, research-based, major core laboratory curriculum completed by biology majors at Pace and LaSalle Universities during the 2013–2014 academic year. In the first semester, students conducted and analyzed microarray data to study the effects of osmotic stress on the yeast transcriptome. Students generated hypotheses on the roles of various affected genes. The following semester, students cloned candidate genes and designed and conducted cell-based functional assays using knockout yeast and overexpression studies to test their original hypotheses. We hypothesized that the year-long program would enhance the students’ biological literacy skills and their aptitude and appreciation for the process and practice of science. To assess this, we administered two validated concept inventories (CI) in a pre- and posttest format. We compared student performance on the CI to the course grades the students earned. Next, the students took the ETS Major Field Test in Biology (MFT). The scores earned on the MFT were compared between students that had and had not taken the year-long program. Finally, the students participated in the classroom undergraduate research experience (CURE) survey to help us determine their perceptions of the impact of the program on their interest/aptitude for research. The CI/course grade analysis showed that the “weaker” students in the first semester made the greatest gains on the CI. They also performed just as well as the “stronger” students on the assignments in the second semester (n=16). The MFT results indicated that the difference between the molecular biology/molecular genetics assessment indicator (AI) score approached significance (p=0.0556, U=13.5, n=9) where the students who took the year-long program performed better. Of the 22 questions about science on the CURE survey, the students indicated improved, statistically significant attitudes on 16 questions. These findings suggest that the program had several positive impacts on the students and we are hopeful that these observations will be strengthened upon inclusion of our 2014–2015 data. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects, Student learning, The American Association for the Advancement of Science report Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action outlined a set of core competencies and skills for the undergraduate biology curriculum, with an emphasis on student-centered learning. This study examines the early alignment efforts of a traditional biology department (41 full-time faculty, 1200 majors) at a mid-sized undergraduate institution (20,500 students). Change was driven by institutional support and external accreditation processes. A mixed method approach was used to evaluate student outcomes with respect to Vision and Change core concepts and competencies, employing summative assessment tools at programmatic milestones. Preliminary analysis examined data collected over three years. Most student learning outcomes showed modest learning gains for core concepts (0.02–0.25, n=299) during a three-course introductory sequence as determined by a validated biology concept inventory administered to three cohorts. One cohort of graduating seniors (n=117) also completed the Major Fields Test on a voluntary basis; the mean percent correct for areas overlapping with Vision and Change core concepts ranged from 29% to 51%. In addition, capstone research projects and presentations for six cohorts were evaluated using a tool that covered five of the six Vision and Change competency areas; aggregate scores ranged from 3.1 to 3.6 on a scale of 1 (novice) to 4 (mastery). Overall, the alignment and evaluation processes provided a baseline for moving forward and highlighted areas for improvement in the curriculum, evaluation plan, and assessment tools. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Previous studies show many students have misconceptions regarding key molecular biology concepts. To achieve better student learning and retention, in-class collaborative activities might be a way to improve student understanding of a difficult yet fundamental molecular biology concept. We hypothesize collaborative learning activities may improve the common misconception regarding the concept that, “information in a gene directs expression of a specific protein.” To test this, the specific concept was taught in both a traditional lecture class and a collaborative learning activity-based class where small groups of students worked on five instructor-developed critical thinking activities relevant to the concept. The activities were designed for students to apply the concept they read in the assigned pre-reading. The students worked together to complete each specific activity and the instructor went over the activity in class and provided answers. Student learning was assessed using eight pre-/postquiz questions, an embedded four-part final exam question, and eight student interviews. A two-sample test was used to statistically compare results from the pre-/postquizzes and final exam. The proportion of students who correctly answered the questions on the postquiz from the collaborative learning class was higher than the traditional class in five of the eight questions, but these results were not statistically significant (p>0.05). The average learning gains from the collaborative learning class (56.74±4.46) were higher than the traditional class (45.25±8.17), but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The collaborative learning class had a statistically significant higher average score in two of the four parts of the embedded final exam question (p, The Small World Initiative (SWI), founded in 2013 by Jo Handelsman at Yale University, provides an exciting model for reforming the introductory biology laboratory by engaging students in an authentic, semester-long research project based on antibiotic discovery from soil bacteria. The research addresses the compelling global challenge of an inadequate pipeline of new antibiotics in the face of increasing antibiotic resistance among human pathogens. Our overarching goal in implementing this model at the University of Pittsburgh has been to transform the quality of the student experience in our very large introductory biology lab course by capturing the excitement of scientific discovery. We hypothesize that many students who do not persist in biology-related majors despite their strong interest in the field at college entry are driven away by an uninspiring curriculum, which they perceive as a lot of work without much reward. We further hypothesize that the authentic research experience exemplified by the Small World Initiative engages students to a high degree, leading to increased persistence by these students in science majors. We designed the course with emphasis on the development of students’ science process skills and have included features intended to bolster student ownership and drive student enthusiasm across the semester. The Project Ownership Survey (POS) developed by David Hanauer was administered to these students (n=13) and to students in a traditional, non research–based lab (n=33). Students rated their level of agreement with statements such as “My research will help solve a problem in the world,” “I had a personal reason for choosing the research project I worked on,” and “The word ‘happy’ describes my experience of the lab course.” We found a significant difference between students’ mean ratings, with Small World Initiative students rating their level of agreement with statements ∼70% higher than students in the traditional lab. We conclude that the Small World Initiative curriculum effectively promotes ownership and engagement. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Impact of microorganisms, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, To enhance active learning, a guided enquiry–based lab was implemented in a microbiology course at Washington & Jefferson College. Over 10 weeks, students (n=20) characterized bacterial diversity using culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. Students crafted the study question, proposed a hypothesis, collected and analyzed data, and inferred conclusions. It was hypothesized that such a lab would improve students’ attitudes toward science and increase experimental design, data analysis, and scientific writing abilities. Experimental design ability was assessed using the Experimental Design Ability Test (EDAT; Sirum et al. 2013) administered at the beginning and end of the course. Mean EDAT scores significantly increased (pre-EDAT=3.7; post-EDAT=6.2; paired t-test, p=2.73×10−5). Ability to interpret data was assessed using Ability for Data Analysis Test (ADAT; Sirum et al. 2013) administered at the beginning and end of the course. Mean ADAT scores remained the same (pre-ADAT=4.15; post-ADAT=4.3; paired t-test, p=0.59). Data analysis ability was also assessed using an instructor-designed graph interpretation question. These scores also remained the same (pretest=66.7%; posttest=66.9%; paired t-test, p=0.98), showing no gain in data analysis ability. Students’ attitudes to science, open-ended labs, and scientific writing were surveyed before and at the end of the course with 22 questions based on the Likert scale. The survey showed that students’ confidence in executing biology lab-based tasks increased modestly (pretest=3.65; posttest=4; paired t-test, p=0.02), whereas attitudes toward science remained the same (pre-test=3.61; posttest=3.42; paired t-test, p=0.10). Affinity for open-ended labs increased (pretest=3.73; posttest=4.07; paired t-test, p=0.005) and confidence in scientific writing increased (pretest=2.9; posttest=3.9; paired t-test, p=0.0001). These data show increase in experimental design ability and improved confidence in science and scientific writing. They also reveal gaps in attitudes and competencies that should be considered for future iterations. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects, Student learning, Although it is widely accepted that active-learning pedagogy bolsters student learning and engagement in college-level biology courses, little is known about how students perceive the academic rigor in these courses. As faculty strive to adopt active learning pedagogy while meeting institutional benchmarks associated with academic rigor, we ask what it means for a course to be “rigorous” from a student perspective? How do students define the attributes that make a learning experience “easy” or “hard”? To answer these questions, we administered an end-of-semester survey to 120 students enrolled in 100-and 300-level active-learning biology courses. Results from their open-ended responses were coded for patterns by two raters with established inter-rater reliability. We compared distributions between the courses using Chi-square and discovered that students perceived active-learning classes as both “hard” and “easy” due to increased cognitive demand coupled with peer and instructor support. Students defined active-learning courses as easy due to the format of the learning (e.g., workload seems manageable, content is logical and easy to follow, strong alignment between instruction and assessment, and high degree of faculty support). Simultaneously, students defined active learning as hard because they may not have entered the course with appropriate background knowledge and/or skills, and they find the cognitive demands of these courses to be difficult; patterns did not differ among courses (Chi-square, p=0.5, Cramer’s V=0.116). Results show that active-learning courses, although often perceived and communicated as “easy” by students, are also seen as academically rigorous due to increased cognitive demand. Students recognize they are being asked to do more higher-order thinking, yet find the intrinsically student-centered nature of active learning helps them overcome the challenges associated with course difficulty. These findings highlight the importance of being aware of and responding to student perceptions of academic rigor as we continue to implement national calls for reform in undergraduate biology. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Students come to college with a significant amount of prior knowledge which often includes misconceptions that hinder their ability to learn correct concepts in STEM disciplines. Misconceptions, or “alternative beliefs” amongst students have been widely studied in the literature (Nakhleh 1992; Kind 2004) and it is observed that when they are challenged directly and students are provided with opportunities to re-construct their worldview, the proportion of students able to use scientific concepts increases significantly (Fisher and Wandersee 2001), indicating that clearing misconceptions early on is crucial to student learning. Our study aims to identify and resolve misconceptions in three important gateway STEM courses by using student reflective activities and guided-inquiry learning. Faculty members teaching three STEM courses, Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics, are working to identify and address common misconceptions that prevent students from being successful in these courses. These are gateway courses with considerably high attrition rates. To enhance conceptual understanding and the learning process, instructors conduct reflection sessions outside classroom instruction to specifically address students’ alternative beliefs in order to foster conceptual understanding of course material rather than rote memorization. During pilot implementation last semester (fall 2014), students reflected on their own prior knowledge and belief systems and worked with peers to discover the correct concepts. They analyzed each other’s erroneous beliefs and, in the process, recognized and corrected their misconceptions. We saw a marginal difference between experimental and control groups last semester. However, we are redesigning and refining the intervention sessions of reflections, the exam wrappers, and the study skills/attitude surveys this semester to collect more meaningful data to assess whether resolving misconceptions early on will increase conceptual understanding in community college students. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Teaching approaches, Teaching tools, As the United States becomes an increasingly diverse society, it is essential that students be provided with role models that include minorities. To that end, we are continuing a project to develop and test inquiry-based approaches for undergraduates that focus on the life and work of minority scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of biology. Our efforts have most recently concentrated on Lydia Villa-Komaroff, a pioneering Hispanic biotechnologist. In 1978, she led the research team that first transformed bacteria to produce human insulin. We hypothesized that the use of these activities would increase the students’ appreciation for this scientist’s work as well as improve their comprehension of the science behind the discoveries that she made. Exercises were developed for a General Microbiology and a nonmajors Biology course. Student teams in both courses employed an inquiry-based, collaborative approach whereby they constructed a timeline of Villa-Komaroff’s life and career using references provided by the instructor. Students in the General Microbiology course subsequently conducted a transformation lab exercise using procedures similar to those developed by Villa-Komaroff and her colleagues. The nonmajors biology students extracted DNA from eukaryotic cells to model the first steps that Villa-Komaroff’s team took to transform the bacteria. A pre- and posttest, designed to measure the students’ comprehension of basic concepts important to the project as well as overall course goals, was given to students in both courses. Comparisons of pre- and posttests given to students in the General Microbiology course showed that test scores improved from a mean of 42% on the pretest to 58% on the posttest. Test results for the nonmajors biology course improved from a mean of 40% on the pretest to 59% on the posttest. In conclusion, this approach is a viable, inquiry-based alternative to traditional methods of teaching to help undergraduates understand the important contributions minority scientists have made to the field of biology. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Information flow, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects, The economic changes that have taken place worldwide have created a high demand for college graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, also collectively known as STEM. This increased demand has led to numerous think tanks, policies, and programs investigating how these numbers can be increased across all disciplines in STEM. One of the overwhelming findings is that the STEM fields lack diversity. Statistics show that the number of Blacks earning bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields has increased, but at a slower pace than in non-STEM fields (NSF, 2011). The hypothesis for this study is that creation of an organization that encourages and provides academic and professional support for basic science research along with mentoring will help black males develop the desire to matriculate through undergraduate and graduate degrees in STEM fields. Black male students in STEM fields met at least once a month outside of regular class meetings to discuss academics, pitfalls, and also any concerns with their progress in their field of study. In addition to monthly meetings, students were voluntarily asked to complete a Students Individual Development Plan (IDP), which asks the student to target new goals and expectations. To track progress of implementation of this plan, grades were calculated and tracked at the end of each semester and compared with other disciplines outside of STEM. The data showed a significant increase (p, This study examined the efficacy of project-based learning (PTBL) in an undergraduate neurobiology course to improve attitudes and increase confidence toward neuroscience content and improve critical thinking skills. Students are often interested in learning about diseased states of the nervous system but can be discouraged by having to learn the chemical and cellular mechanisms underlying the pathologies. Thus, it can be a challenge to provide students with significant learning experiences that they are excited about. I hypothesized that PTBL would 1) improve critical and integrative thinking skills; 2) build confidence in understanding neuroscience and promote positive attitudes toward neuroscience; and 3) increase understanding of neuroscience concepts. To test these hypotheses, students were grouped into teams and completed three substantial projects consisting of team-authored research papers and poster presentations. Rubrics measured learning gains in ability to address specific project goals (Goals), provide evidence from a variety of valid resources (Resources), make logical, supported statements (Thinking), and analyze and synthesize ideas and concepts (Integration). Preand postsurveys assessed attitudes toward neuroscience, teams and projects, and understanding of neuroscience concepts. Pre- and posttests measured knowledge of neuroscience content. Analysis of papers revealed significant increases in research, thinking, and integrative skills (p< 0.05). By the end of the course, students reported significantly higher confidence in neuroscience knowledge (p=0.004). However, there was no change in attitudes toward neuroscience, working in a team or on projects. Students answered more questions correctly on the neuroscience content posttest than the pretest (p=0.036), and, as student attitudes toward neuroscience improved, so did their ability to correctly answer content questions (p=0.013). PTBL is an effective tool that educators can use to actively engage students while enhancing critical thinking skills and content knowledge in undergraduate biology courses. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects

Delaware Technical Community College (DTCC) is one of the pilot schools involved in the Community College Undergraduate Research Initiative (CCURI) which is responding to the call for reform of undergraduate science education. The major tenet of this initiative is to engage students early in their course of study by embedding undergraduate research into the curriculum. At DTCC this is accomplished by incorporating research-based laboratories, case studies, and problem-based learning activities in the microbiology and biotechnology classrooms. In the microbiology course, a custom in-house laboratory manual with accompanying technique Power-Points and pre-lab quizzes was developed with a focus on culture-dependent analysis of microbial communities in soil. Several case studies, problem-based learning, and primary literature activities related to the research were used throughout the semester. As part of the integrated research project, students in a linked biotechnology course furthered the soil microbe research by analyzing the same soil samples in a culture-independent analysis. In addition, students were provided with the opportunity to continue research by enrolling in DTCC research courses in the academic school year and summer which also connects students with the scientists at local universities. To collate the student-generated data, DTCC Computer and Information Science students are developing a database for use by microbiology students to develop hypotheses and query the relationships between soil conditions and microbial communities. Our hypothesis is that students who are participating in research-based classroom activities will be more engaged and have improved critical thinking skills. In Spring 2011, the use of the CAT instrument developed by Tennessee Tech University was piloted in a small study (N = 16) to measure gains in critical thinking. The instrument was administered at the beginning and end of the semester to a microbiology class. The CAT total score increased from 17.13 to 19.44 with significant gains made in 3 out of 15 skills assessed (p < 0.05). The CAT instrument is being used to monitor gains in critical thinking skills as students move through their program of study and engage in undergraduate research. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Impact of microorganisms, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, An interdisciplinary study examining the roles of c-di-GMP and its associated phosphodiesterases with respect to gene expression, cell signaling, and enzyme kinetics was incorporated into multiple courses in Otterbein University’s Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) program. Undergraduate science classes often appear to students to be detached from one another; this inquiry-based project was intended to demonstrate the interplay between multiple disciplines and to provide a research experience within the Otterbein BMB curriculum. Several aspects of this project were launched in the 2012–2013 academic year. In Physical Chemistry 1, cyclic di-GMP phosphodiesterase activities in crude lysates from wild-type, heat-inactivated wild-type, and mutant cells were examined and quantified via kinetic assays. In Microbial Genetics, a three week intensive course offered during the January term, students completed a mini-project using the same wild-type and mutant cells. In this project, students examined potential targets of c-di-GMP signaling through semi-quantitative PCR. Students wrote formal lab reports and made short presentations of their project. Student learning was assessed primarily via pre- and post-lab surveys; pertinent questions on pre-lab assignments and subsequent exams were also evaluated. In the Spring 2013 Cell Biology and Biochemistry 2 labs, students will also participate in this process. Preliminary data indicate that students demonstrated an increased understanding of content-based objectives (for instance, enzyme specificity and kinetic experiment design in Physical Chemistry) following relevant labwork and class projects. Students across multiple classes reported that the project increased their understanding of the scientific process and their awareness of the multidisciplinarity of the research questions involved. This interdisciplinary project will be refined for future offerings of BMB courses. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Systems, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, Innovative assignments that engage students and, hopefully, lead to more significant learning have gained much attention in science pedagogy recently. I investigated whether these kinds of assignments lead students to develop better skills and, more importantly, to understand complex concepts better than more traditional types of assignments. The question addressed by this study was: do graph interpretation and data analysis assignments help students understand core ecological concepts better than traditional types of homework? Forty-three students in an introductory ecology course at Connecticut College participated in the study. Ten concepts were divided between the two types of assignments, with an effort to pair similar types of concepts. One concept in each pair was assigned to traditional types of homework consisting of a short reading assignment followed by 2–3 questions about the reading. The other concept in each pair was assigned to homework that consisted of a short reading assignment and interpretation and analysis of data that reflected the concept. Student understanding was assessed by performance on exam questions during the semester. Exam questions included multiple choice, short answer and data analysis or problem-solving questions. When results from all exam questions were combined, there was no significant difference on performance between concepts taught by traditional homework and concepts taught by data analysis homework assignments. However, when short answer and data analysis exam questions were analyzed separately from multiple-choice exam questions, students did signifcantly better (p < 0.01) on concepts taught by data analysis homework compared to concepts taught by traditional methods. These data suggest that different types of homework assignments help students develop different skills, but it is not clear that these skills translate to better understanding of ecological concepts. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching approaches, This work represents four years of ongoing assessment research in Biology 211, the first course in our year-long majors introductory series, covering molecules and cells, metabolism, genetics, and gene expression. Within this project, we have 3 distinct learning cohorts: No Active Learning (2009), Active Learning (2010–2011), and Clickers (2012). This year’s presentation will focus on our incorporation of clicker technology, specifically testing the hypothesis that daily participation incentives will increase both learning and attendance, by comparison with previous cohorts. Compared to the No Active Learning cohort, the Clicker cohort did not show a significant difference in exam scores (ANOVA, p > 0.05), but did have a significantly different grade distribution, with a 21% increase in the number of A and B students (contingency analysis, p < 0.05). Clicker cohorts did not show a significant difference in terms of exam scores or grade distributions compared to Active Learning cohorts. Active Learning and Clicker cohorts showed similar attendance patterns during the first half of the term (89% attendance); however, during the second half of the term, Clicker cohorts showed slightly higher attendance (85%) than Active Learning cohorts (76%). While attendance appeared to increase, students were only able to correctly answer about 50% of Clicker questions, suggesting that they were not considering Clicker feedback in a way that translated to improved study or exam performance. Finally, we will describe pre-course advising efforts, including the ongoing development of a predictive “pretest” (scores were significantly correlated with final course grades, regression analysis, p < 0.0001, R-squared = 0.39). ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, The goal of the present study was to analyze the use of concept maps to gauge student understanding of the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology. Despite recent efforts to focus biology curricula on such fundamental concepts as the Central Dogma, anecdotal evidence among educators, as well as data from the education literature, indicate that students retain many misconceptions about the Central Dogma. Concept maps challenge students to assimilate new concepts into existing knowledge frameworks, and thus require higher levels of cognitive understanding such as the ability to synthesize new information. The hypothesis guiding this study is that student performance on concept maps reveals misconceptions that are missed by multiple-choice tests. Our prediction was that in an intermediate-level genetics course, students would show significant learning gains on a concept inventory but would not show significant improvement on a concept map because their retained misconceptions would only be apparent when higher levels of understanding are tested. Students enrolled in two sections of a genetics course at Beloit College, taught concurrently by the same instructor, completed two pre- and post-course assessments: 1) Central Dogma concept maps and 2) the Genetics Concept Assessment (Smith et al., 2008). Thirty-three student scores (out of 42 students) were analyzed, and statistically significant learning gains were revealed using any one of three different measures: concept inventory (student’s paired t-test p < 0.005), concept map (p < 0.00005), or increase in number of concept map connections (p = 0.02). However, analyses of variance indicated no dependence of the change in score on the concept inventory and either 1) the change in score on the concept map (F1,31 = 0.1, p = 0.77) or 2) the change in the number of connections made on the concept map (F1,31 = 0.1, p = 0.73). These results indicate that these two assessment methods may be measuring different levels of understanding and addressing different types of misconceptions. Therefore, care must be taken when interpreting evidence of student learning gains when only a single assessment method is used. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Information flow, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching tools, In recent years, different approaches and interventions have been applied to undergraduate laboratories intended to increase students’ learning outcomes. The objective of the current study was to assess the impact of a research-based approach upon student learning in a genetics laboratory. Two hypotheses were tested: first, a research-based laboratory will promote student learning, and second, it will provide students with the necessary skill sets to carry out independent research studies. A total of 160 students participated over a three-semester period, and the study was carried out with approval from the Institutional Review Board. The test instrument consisted of collaborative and critical-thinking questions dealing with principles of molecular genetics. Pretest and posttest scores were then compared to assess student learning and overall gain of knowledge. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests at the significance level of p < 0.01. Data for each individual semester displayed similar trends, and therefore analysis was performed as one integrated study. Results revealed that for all but three questions the number of correct responses significantly increased. The average posttest score significantly increased (35.58 ± 4.21) when compared to the average pretest score (20.25 ± 1.86). Also, scores for both collaborative-learning and critical-thinking type questions significantly increased. However, the learning gains were not significantly different between male and female groups. These results validate that a research-based approach broadens not only students’ learning skills but also their understanding of concepts. Furthermore, the number of students enrolled in independent research studies increased over the three semesters this study was conducted. A majority of the students enrolled in independent research studies comes from the cohort with prior research-based lab experience. As such, this study validated our hypotheses that a research-based laboratory both promotes student learning and enhances undergraduate research experience, and thus can be applied to a number of other biology courses. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Evolution, Information flow Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching approaches, This study explores the metacognitive and motivational issues faced by students in an introductory chemistry course at a large, urban community college. We asked whether students’ understanding of course expectations were aligned with their instructors’. We also asked if self-reports of poor study habits correlated with lower metacognitive abilities in students. To do this, we surveyed 110 students enrolled in 5 sections of a 4-unit, 7-hours-a-week lecture/lab prerequisite course for the university-transferable general chemistry sequence. We found a discrepancy between instructors’ estimates of required study time for this course (12–15 h/w), students’ estimates (only 37% of students thought they should study over 7 h/w to be successful), students’ availability (only 26% were available for more than 7 h/w) and students’ actual study time (only 7% actually studied this long). Among students who did not feel they studied enough, 32% indicated job and/or family responsibilities as the sole reason for not studying and 22% said they simply could not focus on their work. To find out what kept students from focusing on their work, we used the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) to assess motivation and learning strategies. Students who felt they had enough time to study (G1, n = 24) had similar MSLQ scores to students who indicated job and/or family responsibilities as the sole reason(s) for not studying enough (G2, n = 26). However, students who indicated they could not focus as the sole reason (G3, n = 16) had significantly lower scores in 4 of the 5 categories for cognitive and metacognitive strategies, including rehearsal (G1 vs. G3, p = 0.021; G2 vs. G3, p = 0.003), elaboration (p = 0.01, p = 0.02), organization (p = 0.0147, p = 0.0017), and metacognitive self-regulation (p = 0.0004, p = 0.0003). In terms of motivation, they also scored lower on task value (p = 0.003, p = 0.003). Together, these results indicate that community college freshmen may not be fully aware of the expectations of an introductory science course, and that a portion of them may lack the learning strategies required to study adequately for such a course. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Teaching approaches, Senior level microbiology students often desire primary research experience. However, opportunities for research can be limited. We hypothesized that integration of experimental questions from research lab programs into teaching lab programs may provide experience with primary research as well as improve student understanding of microbiological concepts beyond the limits of pre-prepared lab assignments. To test this, the senior-level bacterial genetics lab course, M475L, at the University of Hawaii, was designed to approximate the experience of doing post-graduate-level novel research. Course evaluations were then compared to M461L, Immunology, which was also taught Fall semester, but did not use research in its teaching exercises. During Fall semester, 2012, a class of 15 students conducted two semester-long experiments addressing unanswered research questions about an unusual model system: the cyanobacterium Anabaena. Students performed a novel forward genetic screen by transposon mutagenesis. A semester-long draft writing process was paired with critical reading of primary literature and culminated in the creation of a journal style manuscript about the second experiment. To assess learning from this course design, students were given a 4-item assessment covering course learning goals in microbial genetics at both the beginning and the end of the semester as well as a course evaluation survey. Evaluation surveys showed that attitudes toward the research-based course design were overwhelmingly positive. 100% of students “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that they “gained a good understanding of concepts/principles in this field” compared to 72% for the comparison group. In addition, the proportion of M475L students answering the pre-/posttest questions correctly increased for each question over the semester. A pre-/posttest was not administered to the comparison group. We conclude that integrating novel research into teaching labs can be an effective method for conveying concepts, providing primary research experience, and helping spark enthusiasm for microbiology in general. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Information flow, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, Meeting students at their level of preparation and graduating them with fewer credit hours, as mandated by the state of Texas, compounded the difficulty of instilling in students core concepts and competencies defined in the 2011 Vision and Change report. A major overhaul of the undergraduate microbiology curricula was necessary to meet these challenges and convince students to master additional content, regardless of their level of preparation. Support by the National Institutes of Health permitted testing the hypothesis that revamped and newly created courses integrating biological modeling, computational knowledge, statistical analysis, and data analysis would result in increased understanding of relevance, thus resulting in higher graduation rates. Beginning with the first introductory biology lab, students were required to run experiments, use a calculator and computer to analyze and model data, and then write up and present their results. The math requirement also changed from two statistics courses to one, where generating and analyzing statistics in team biology projects presented to the class of biology majors was the final project. To assess student learning, we focused on student performance indicators such as retention in major, success in subsequent courses, graduation numbers, and continuation to graduate and professional programs. We also collected attitudinal surveys. Results of these curricular modifications show that over a six year period between Fall 2006 and Fall 2012, the number of biological science students has nearly tripled at the University of Texas at El Paso, with the percentage of underrepresented minorities, primarily Hispanic, rising 10% (to over 85%). Assessing degree output six years prior, the six-year graduation rate has risen from 78% to 85% over a six-year timeframe. If we only maintain our current 85% graduation rate of biological science students, by 2018 we should see more than 1,200 students, 85% of whom are Hispanic, entering the workforce or continuing at the graduate level prepared to critically address not only biology-related problems but complex interdisciplinary issues. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Retention of students in STEM is a critical problem at U.S. universities since only 60% of STEM majors earn a degree. The recent report “Engage to Excel” identified intellectual engagement and achievement, motivation, and identification in the field as factors strongly linked to student persistence in STEM. A best practice to enhance student retention is early and sustained engagement in mentored undergraduate research. Five years ago, SMB initiated the Students Targeted towards Advanced Research Studies (STARS) program, a research fast-track designed to allow students to complete their baccalaureate and Ph.D. education in as little as seven years. The program identifies promising freshmen pursuing a research career and engages them in research through a first semester introduction to research course and a series of research rotations over their first three years. An innovative foundation of the STARS program is a culture of intensive mentoring that includes an annual assessment of student progress by the entire SMB faculty. Our hypothesis was that a research and mentoring intensive program like STARS would lead to significant gains in student persistence in the Molecular Biosciences, and an increase in student matriculation to graduate programs. Assessment of our first 15 students shows that STARS has positive impacts on student retention with all enrolled STARS students persisting in SMB, as compared to a departmental 62% retention rate for other certified majors and an overall 77% STEM completion rate (2008 and 2009 certified majors; 164 students). STARS students complete their BS degree in an average of 3.6 years, as compared to 4.3 years for other students, indicating that they effectively balance their intensive research experience and academic obligations. Out of the first 7 STARS students who earned their bachelor’s degree, 86% are in Ph.D. programs (5 SMB; 1 Stanford); in comparison, only 14% of non-STARS students entered graduate programs even though 47% of these students participated in at least one semester of mentored undergraduate research. In summary, the STARS experiment is proving to be successful. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Biology of Women is a capstone course for majors and nonmajors designed to bridge GenEd courses with major courses at the all-women’s college within Trinity Washington University. For this course, a pilot study was conducted to investigate whether learning outcomes improve when students participate in an activity in which they connect concepts to themselves. In Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses, Dee Fink explains that a “taxonomy of significant learning” includes “caring, human dimension, and integration.” My hypothesis is that incorporating these components into an activity in which students create a graph based on data they collect from themselves will improve learning about hormonal regulation of the reproductive cycle. For this activity, students first predicted physiological effects from existing graphs of abnormal hormone levels. Students graphed their own basal body temperatures throughout their reproductive cycles and graphically predicted accompanying physiological changes. The efficacy of this activity was measured by averaging the percentage of students correctly answering relevant questions after the topic was introduced by lecture (48%), after the activity (84%; p < 0.05), and in the final quiz (84%). In comparison, for an objective on diseases of women taught with a combination of lecture, case study, and discussion, averages of 86% and 89% of students correctly answered questions on in-semester and final quizzes, respectively. In contrast, when pedagogy included only lecture for a genetics objective, the percentage of students answering a question correctly on an in-semester quiz, 71%, decreased to 29% on the final quiz. In conclusion, after completing the graphing activity, the average percentage of students correctly answering questions about reproductive cycle hormones significantly increased. This suggests the activity was effective, although not more than other engaging pedagogies encouraging active learning. Comparison of data from lecture-only vs. graphing self-data pedagogies shows that the latter may improve retention of knowledge. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Information flow, Systems Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, At Florida International University (FIU), we have an NIH-funded program called QBIC (Quantifying Biology In the Classroom), whose mission is to improve the pedagogical approaches used in our department for teaching biology concepts. Central to our new approach is a strategy we call the Teaching Pentagon. The Teaching Pentagon uses five classes to integrate concepts and student learning approaches to maximize retention of the material and to immediately contextualize the subject with real-world applications. The classes are separate but the syllabi are linked such that the student is exposed to the same concept in different ways every single week. We have been using this approach for three years and recently completed an assessment that sought to address our hypothesis that this integrative approach both improves concept retention and the sense of community among our students. Compared to a control group QBIC students performed better on tests of scientific reasoning (Lawson test) and reported a greater sense of community (CLASS). The QBIC students were not significantly different than the control group on their knowledge of biology concepts (BCI test). Our results suggest that our teaching strategy is successful at increasing above-knowledge traits and affect behaviors both of which may have positive consequences for pre-professional school standardized examinations. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching approaches, “Micro- and Nano-space Explorations of Health and Disease,” the NIH-sponsored Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) project at the University of Southern Maine (USM) has established a sustained learning network of scientists and K–12 teachers engaged in content workshops and microbiology, microscopy, and nanotechnology laboratory experiences. We hypothesize that the experiences will inspire increased active micro- and nano-scale classroom observation and inquiry. USM faculty and staff involved in the SEPA program in the USM Department of Applied Medical Sciences provide learning opportunities in the form of readings, group discussions, microscopy, and molecular microbiology laboratory activities to enhance content knowledge applicable to the biology curriculum as part of the university’s engagement with the community. Seventy-eight teachers have participated (20 in more than one program) in 2–3-week summer workshops and/or 4–12-week fall and spring Saturday programs. Overall, SEPA professional development programs at USM have provided light microscopes equipped with digital cameras, and training in their use, to 48 grade 3–8 teachers in three 2-week summer workshops and bioscience content in five fall and four spring semester Saturday morning workshops, including on some occasions laboratory isolation of bacteriophages followed by TEM imaging, and molecular biological studies of the phage genomes. Conclusion: Success was measured by a 16–18% improvement on posttests over pretests, teacher comments regarding their own increased emphasis on microscopy in the classroom, improved student interest in the variety of samples viewed, teacher comfort in adding the microbial world to their curriculum, and universal peer-recommendation of the programs. Classroom inquiry has also been actively reinforced and supported through outreach of project staff providing resources such as portable fluorescence imaging and scanning electron microscopy. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects, In 2011, Advanced Biochemistry, a senior capstone course for biochemistry majors, was first offered. The course objectives focused on students’ ability to access and use primary literature. Despite engaging conversation and excellent student presentations, course evaluations were lower than usual (3.65/5 compared to 4.3/5 from my previous semester). Notwithstanding, the evaluation of the instructor was equivalent to historical results. In an effort to improve the course, in 2012 a challenge based learning (CBL) design was used by framing the course around four big questions relevant to our local community and world. In addition to this change, iPads were introduced halfway through the semester. These changes were made to test two interrelated hypotheses: first, that a CBL course design would increase students’ engagement in the course and therefore their achievement of learning outcomes and, second, that the use of technology in this design (iPads) would increase student connectivity and result in a further increase in achievement and course satisfaction. To test these hypotheses, after IRB approval, student surveys were administered by a third party three times throughout the semester and course artifacts were collected and graded by several different faculty. These data show a clear improvement in students’ perception and, to a lesser degree, achievement in the course. Most significantly, course evaluation results increased when compared to the previous year (4.5/5 as compared to 3.65/5 in 2011). Students also rated the CBL approach as highly effective in achieving core course outcomes and related skills (all queried outcomes averaged 4.2/5 at midterm). With the addition of iPads at the midterm, only a marginal gain was observed in the CBL assessment data by the end of the term (from 4.2/5 to 4.45/5). With regard to achievement, while iPads did not increase mastery of course learning objectives as measured by their cumulative graded work (without iPads averaged 90.2% while with iPads averaged 88.6%), student surveys and comments note the devices increased their time spent on class related material and their self-reported learning in the course. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Systems, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching approaches, As part of its 2011 Core Curriculum revision, St. Joseph’s College created a new freshman seminar course meant to offer a laboratory experience of careful and critical reading, writing to learn, research skills, and cooperative classroom activities. Individual course sections were to focus on a unique and engaging topic related to the discipline of the instructor which would help students develop the pivotal learning skills necessary for academic success including the requisite information literacy necessary for college-level research. One of these courses, “Magic Bullet, Miracle Drug: The History of Antibiotic Therapy,” was designed to consider the discovery and subsequent development of antimicrobial therapies, the way in which the introduction of these drugs influenced society and medicine, and modern day concerns about the spread of antibiotic resistance. Through the development of appropriate research skills and utilizing a variety of resources, students were to investigate the important role that antimicrobial compounds have played in the treatment and control of human infectious disease and to examine the history of antibiotic discovery and development. It was hypothesized that the “Magic Bullet” course would not only achieve the general objectives of the freshman seminar by improving information literacy and research skills but would also improve scientific literacy and student knowledge of the scientific process. Preand posttesting of students by library faculty and by the course instructor indicated that students did in fact show significant progress in all areas including improved scientific literacy. A subsequent survey of students involved in the “Magic Bullet” class indicated that they had found the specific course content as effective a means of developing research, critical reading, and writing skills as any other course they had taken during their first semester of college. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Impact of microorganisms Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, The University of North Texas-Howard Hughes Medical Institute (UNT-HHMI) Transitions Summer Workshop (TSW) provides students in the life sciences who have completed the first year of community college with the opportunity to learn academic success skills and receive an introduction to research methods. Up to 16 students have participated in this program each of the previous two summers. The goal of this program is to teach students a suite of research laboratory skills that have broad-based applications across most sub-disciplines of biology in an effort to foster careers in research. Our hypothesis was that, to engage students in learning laboratory skills, we should provide the laboratory experience and research methodology skills within the context of a research project. Therefore, the laboratory activities were organized within the framework of the successful Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (PHAGES) program of Graham Hatfull and the HHMI Science Education Alliance. While isolation of a bacteriophage remains a desired outcome, the primary expectation is for students to develop laboratory skills such as use of standard laboratory equipment, preparation of microbiological growth media and chemical solutions, and management of data. Program evaluation included collection of pre- and postexperience data on a modified version of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) and Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) surveys, as well as a follow-up survey later in the academic year. When asked on the presurvey what they expected to learn in the program, laboratory skills was cited by the majority of students. On the postsurvey, the laboratory experiments were indicated as the most cited “best aspect” of the program. Laboratory techniques was also rated 4.92 on a 5 point scale (5 = very large amount) of self-reported learning on the follow-up survey. As well, participants successfully isolated 7 mycobacteriophages (2011) and 7 Streptomyces phages (2012) during the program. The results demonstrate that the TSW program is successfully using a phage hunting framework to provide community college students with essential research laboratory skills. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Impact of microorganisms, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects, A revision of our curriculum to introduce inquiry-based laboratory modules revolving around the same research topic into several of the core requirement courses aims to address two of the main curriculum challenges of a biology department at a regional comprehensive university: to ensure that our students graduate with a cohesive view of biology as a discipline and to be able to articulate the scientific research process. In the initial stage, from Spring 2012 to Spring 2013, inquiry-based modules that lasted two weeks out of a 15-week course were introduced to two of the core requirement classes, Bio3120 Cell and Molecular Biology and Bio3800 Ecology. In the modules, students went through a series of refining steps that incorporated formative assessment to formulate their hypothesis and then they executed the experiment they designed and analyzed the data. Learning impact of these modules was assessed by a new problem set examining the students’ internalization of the scientific method (formulate hypothesis, analyze results, and interpret data). The problem set also contained a component that assessed the students’ ability to integrate knowledge from different sub-disciplines in biology. Responses from four sessions of treatment and four sessions of control condition were de-identified and scored by three graders independently using the same rubric. Initial analyses of the internal validity of the rubric showed significant correlation in how each grader scored the entries (p < 0.05). Preliminary analyses of student responses showed no overall significant differences between treatment and control (p > 0.05). However, feedback from students indicated positive response to the inquiry nature of the module and engagement during the module was generally high. Possible factors that might have led to lack of significant differences in the assessment instrument will be discussed. Follow-up steps for the implementation of these inquiry-based modules will also be presented. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, Hands-on projects, In large traditional classrooms of over 200 students, students are introduced to the content of subject material through the delivery of lecture. Using “hands-on” activity-based learning can be a challenging task in a large microbiology class. Students coming to class with no prior knowledge of what to expect in class has led to poor student learning. To address this issue, a student-friendly online MasteringMicrobiology textbook website was used to test the hypothesis that if the students were introduced to the material prior to lecture, their learning and overall performance in the course would improve. The study used the online set-up of prelecture homework on each chapter followed by a postlecture quiz on the same content a few days after the lecture. The homework included interactive tutorials, end-of-chapter critical thinking questions, and animations. A deadline was assigned for both the pre- and postlecture quizzes, and a total of 25 sets of quizzes were used for the entire semester, which was credited for 5% of the total grade. Based on the comparison of overall grades from 2011 (without MasteringMicrobiology) and 2012 (with MasteringMicrobiology), an analysis of student final course grades showed that those students who did better on their MasteringMicrobiology homework also performed better in the course. 85% of the students who earned an A in the course had also earned a score of over 90% on Mastering-Microbiology assignments. Those students who did not pass the class averaged a score of about 35%. Also the amount of time they spent on MasteringMicrobiology was lower than those that made an A, B, or C grade. In addition, the overall number of students receiving A or B grades increased significantly during the three semesters in 2012 when MasteringMicrobiology online resources were included, compared with the three semesters with no MasteringMicrobiology in 2011. The data suggest that MasteringMicrobiology can predict a student’s success based on the effort that student puts into the MasteringMicrobiology homework. If a student completes the homework consistently, his or her homework scores and final grade will reflect the effort. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Structure and function, Impact of microorganisms Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Teaching tools, Recent studies report failure rates from 30% to 56% in undergraduate introductory biology (Freeman et al., 2011), and that in-class active learning dramatically improves student success (for example Crossgrove & Curran, 2008; Freeman et al., 2007, 2011). One of the problems with implementing active learning is faculty resistance to a perceived increased workload. We asked, “Are take-home active-learning exercises equal to in-class active-learning exercises in promoting student learning in undergraduate introductory biology classes?” We hypothesized that in-class and take-home active learning exercises support higher learning gains than traditional lecture and that in-class active-learning exercises promote higher gains than take-home active learning exercises. Three sections of General Biology I were taught at Frostburg State University in Fall 2012. Sections 1 and 2 were taught by the same faculty member, using a crossover design. Four chapters were targeted as active-learning chapters. In each case, two chapters were paired, with the first chapter as a “warm-up” to active learning and the second chapter a more involved topic. The first set focused on metabolism and cellular respiration, while the second set focused on cell division and Mendelian genetics. When Section 1 participated in in-class active-learning exercises, Section 2 was given the same exercises as take-home homework and vice versa. Section 3 was taught by a different instructor as a more traditional lecture. All sections were given a pre-/posttest addressing major concepts for the semester. Preliminary data indicate no significant difference in pre-/posttest gains between students who participated in in-class active learning and those given the same exercises as homework and significant gains in pre-/posttest scores in students who participated in either type of active learning of the cell division and Mendelian genetics chapters compared to students in the traditional lecture section (2-tailed t-test with unequal variance; p < 0.1). These data support the use of take-home active-learning exercises to improve student learning gains in introductory biology. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Teaching approaches, Oral presentation assignments help students develop independent learning skills. In the process of preparing a presentation, students search and evaluate information (evidence-based engagement), decide whether to include it (content relevancy), organize information in a logical manner (audience engagement), adhere to the instructions (logistics) and attempt to appear credible (credibility). The final product is often a traditional 10–15 minute PowerPoint presentation. An alternative presentation format is Pecha Kucha—20 slides shown for 20 seconds each. Instructors who have adopted Pecha Kucha have claimed that it is pedagogically superior to traditional presentations. However, while studies have shown that Pecha Kucha improves student presentation and communication competence, its impacts on learning have never been examined. Involving students in three classes, this study was designed to test the hypothesis that Pecha Kucha offers students a better learning experience. Each group of students was responsible for one independent project, and each project had two phases of research and presentation. Phase I presentation took place at midterm and phase II presentation at the end. In one course, phase I presentation was in the Pecha Kucha format and phase II was in a traditional format. In another two courses, phase I was in traditional while phase II was in Pecha Kucha. Five decision-making processes in presentation preparation were assessed through 30 questions: evidence-based engagement, content relevancy, audience engagement, logistics, and credibility. Also assessed were the students’ confidence levels in presenting their projects to experts and to novices. Results (student’s paired t-test) indicated that there were no statistically significant differences between the two formats in all five areas. Students in both groups became significantly more confident in presenting to experts at the end of the term (p = 0.02, p = 0.05), regardless of the format. Although Pecha Kucha did not seem to engage students differently, students reported that they preferred listening to Pecha Kucha than to traditional PowerPoint presentations. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Systems, Impact of microorganisms Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Most Microbiology courses include a laboratory activity on the identification of unknown microbes. This exercise consists of providing students with microbial cultures and running a series of staining procedures and biochemical assays to identify the organisms. However, this approach lacks molecular techniques, such as sequencing of genes encoding 16SRNA, which is currently the method of choice for identification of unknown bacteria. A laboratory activity was developed to teach students how to identify microorganisms using 16SRNA PCR and validate their identity using classic biochemical techniques and staining procedures. We hypothesized that designing an experimental protocol to confirm the identity of a bacterium will improve students’ knowledge of microbial identification techniques and the organism’s morphological, cultural, and physiological characteristics. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria were isolated from the root nodules of Medicago truncatula and prepared for 16SRNA PCR analysis. Once DNA sequencing revealed the identity of the organisms, the students searched the available literature to learn about the properties of rhizobia and designed an experimental protocol to verify their identity. This laboratory activity was field tested over two semesters with a total of thirty Biology students (juniors and seniors) enrolled in the General Microbiology course at Hamline University. An assessment was conducted by analyzing pre- and posttests scores and by grading student worksheets and laboratory presentations. The assessment showed that average student scores increased from 66% to 80% after the completion of this laboratory activity. The highest normalized learning gains (G) were obtained for learning objectives addressing appropriate selection of microbial identification methods (G = 0.50) and recognizing the physiological and biochemical properties of nitrogen fixing bacteria (G = 0.62). The assessment data suggested that this laboratory activity improves students’ learning and is a suitable alternative to traditional “identification of unknowns” projects. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Structure and function Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects, Teaching approaches, The hypothalamic-pituitary-target organ axis is a critical concept for understanding neuroendocrine regulation of biological processes. Yet, it is one that students struggle to understand and for which little information on teaching approaches and learning outcomes is known. The goal of this study was to examine the effectiveness of progressive clinical cases in students’ understanding of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. The hypotheses were that using this approach would result in: 1) enhanced understanding of the function and regulation of the HPG as students progress through the cases (assessed by pre-/posttests); 2) a positive perception of this learning method and its benefits (assessed by surveys); and 3) retention of this information through the semester. Simple ‘Qwik cases’ were introduced that presented the diagnosis and required the students to work backwards to diagnostic tests and symptoms. More complex ‘full cases’ followed, where students had to apply their knowledge, working forward to a diagnosis. A pretest was given on the first day of class and posttests after Qwik cases (A), full cases (B) and as a question set included on the final exam (C). Anonymous online surveys coincided with posttests A and B. Sampling took place during the Fall semester of 2011 and 2012. Students performed better on all post-tests as compared to the pretest (n = 28–36; p = 0.0004). This gain was seen for both the function (p = 0.0003) and the regulation (p < 0.0001) subconcepts. Students agreed that the Qwik cases (81.6 ± 7%) and the full cases (79.2 ± 2%) improved their understanding and interest in the material and that the progression from Qwik to full cases was helpful (81.1 ± 6%). Scores on posttest C were greater than the pretest (p < 0.001) but not when compared to the other posttests, suggesting that the students did retain an understanding through the semester, but that they did not show an improvement in their scores as they progressed from posttests A to C. In conclusion, the use of progressive clinical cases appears to enhance student understanding of, and interest in, this important biological concept and may help with retention of this material. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Systems Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching approaches, The explosion of genomic sequence information, particularly for microbial organisms, presents unique opportunities to engage large numbers of undergraduate students in authentic research projects. The Boston College Biology Dept. has replaced two traditional 1-credit labs that accompanied introductory lecture classes in molecular cell biology and genetics with a 3-credit laboratory class that meets twice weekly for 3-hour sessions. We hypothesized that adopting an advanced lab class format for introductory students would improve students’ understanding of core biological concepts, proficiency in experimental design, ability to find relevant information in online databases, ability to understand the primary literature and proficiency in scientific communication, providing a firm foundation for the major. For the scientific project, students study the phylogenetic conservation of the enzymes involved in methionine biosynthesis. During the semester, students learn and practice basic techniques of microbiology, molecular cell biology and genetics. Conservation of MET gene function is tested by cross-species plasmid complementation of S. cerevisiae met deletion strains. Student learning is assessed with pre-lab quizzes, lab notebooks, oral and poster presentations, database and literature assignments, and a series of “micro-reports” that are assembled into a final research report in the format of a scientific publication. Pre- and post-course evaluation instruments include concept tests and student self-assessed confidence and learning gains. Comparison of pre- and post-course confidence data on a 5-point Likert scale shows statistically significant gains in measures associated with experimental design (0.23–0.30), technical proficiency (0.21–0.79), written and oral communication (0.10–0.73), database usage (1.48–1.58), and ability to use and understand primary literature (0.12–0.37). This research project was deliberately designed to have a flexible format that could be easily adopted for metabolic pathways in other genetically-tractable organisms with sequenced genomes. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Evolution, Pathways Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, Recent studies emphasize the value of incorporating undergraduate research into classrooms. From 2011–2012, five modules from “Discover the Microbes Within: The Wolbachia Project” (S.R. Bordenstein et al., (2010) American Biology Teacher 72, 478) were incorporated into two upper division elective courses. Originally designed for hands-on research in high schools, we hypothesized that the molecular activities would also benefit college students by 1) increasing their interest in research and 2) improving self-assessed laboratory skills. During this lab unit, students collected insects, extracted DNA, set up polymerase chain reactions (PCR), performed gel electrophoresis, and used BLAST analysis to determine if their insects were Wolbachia infected. We administered a pre- and postsurvey tool designed for the high school “Wolbachia Project.” This survey assessed student responses in seven areas, including laboratory skills and intention to study science. Despite open-ended written comments in which students indicated that they were already very interested to study science, analysis of student responses to the intention to study science questions revealed a decreased interest following the laboratory exercise; the mean score of student responses decreased by 8% (n = 44) on a 5-point scale from 4.18 (presurvey) to 3.87 (postsurvey), where response 3 corresponded to “somewhat true” and response 4 corresponded to “mostly true.” It is possible some students were turned off by research-oriented activities; a wide variety of biology majors and minors are enrolled in these courses. For the laboratory skills questions, the mean value of student responses increased by 20% (n = 44) on a 3-point scale from 1.92 (presurvey) to 2.31 (postsurvey), where response 1 corresponded to “new to me,” response 2 corresponded to “need to practice,” and response 3 corresponded to “routine for me.” Data from this study led us to conclude that the Wolbachia Project decreased student intent to study science. We also conclude that student-assessed laboratory skills increased through these research-based modules. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Impact of microorganisms Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects, Internet access in Paraguay is still not as widespread as in other countries. Virtual education was implemented at a Paraguayan university, at the undergraduate level, about three years ago. Its implementation at the graduate level started more recently. This work evaluates the perception of undergraduate students (UGS) and graduate students (GS) of the advantages and disadvantages of virtual education in microbiology. The hypothesis is that UGS have greater ease and experience with virtual education. Both groups were asked to complete a web survey. The survey included eight questions with closed answers and two about personal characteristics. It was eventually completed by 44 GS and 60 UGS. This report summarizes only the questions that had the most answers from each group. About the training needs of teachers and students in relation to the virtual approach to education, 36.4% of GS responded that teachers must know how to use the time available to answer questions and strive to be technologically up to date. Time management by students was the most important issue for 46.7% of UGS. The major advantage to students of using virtual education, according to both groups (40.9% of GS, 45.0% of UGS), was that it allows studying to be adapted to the student’s personal schedule. The drawbacks were the need for access to certain technological tools (36.4% of GS), and the delayed or slow feedback and error correction (38.3% of UGS). The major advantage of virtual platforms for 61.0% of GS was the ease of access to information, and to 48.3% of UGS was that it encourages debates and discussions. The main disadvantages were indicated to be the need to have motivated and involved students (44.2% of GS), and the technological division between teachers and students (50.0% of UGS). It was concluded that GS are more concerned with access to, and use of, this tool, and that UGS are not concerned about the use of, and problems with, the internet. UGS are more concerned with improving teaching strategies and minimizing the technological division between teachers and students for a better use of virtual education. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Impact of microorganisms Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, Teaching tools, Immunology is a complex topic for students to understand, in part due to the sheer volume of terms but also the intricacy of the functional relationships of the many parts. My microbiology students generate concept maps at the end of an immunology unit to help them visualize the ties among parts of the immune system. I have found that the maps they created looked like flow charts with very little webbing, indicating a lack of comprehension of the interconnectedness of the parts of the immune system. To improve student understanding of the immune system, I chose to integrate an immunology-based CREATE module to specifically address the interplay among the parts of the immune system and between the immune system and pathogens in disease processes. My hypothesis is that working through the three primary research articles that compose the module will strengthen students’ understanding of how the pieces of the immune system work in concert to battle infections. To begin to test this hypothesis, I made comparisons between concept maps from students in my CREATE class and students from 2 previous semesters who did not use the module. All classes were given identical seed concepts and instructions on creating a concept map. The non-CREATE student groups (n = 9) used 15.7 ± 0.4 (ave ± SE) concepts with 16.1 ± 0.8 links per map, while the CREATE student groups (n = 4) utilized 20.5 ± 3.0 concepts with 25.8 ± 2.5 links per map (p = 0.015 (concepts) and p = 0.0003 (links)). The largest difference between the two groups was found in the number of labeled links that were present on the maps (1.2 ± 0.6 for non-CREATE vs. 21.8 ± 3.0 for the CREATE class, p = 5.7 × 10−7). While this was a small pilot study that needs to be further examined, the results suggest that the use of an immunology-based CREATE module had a strong impact on the students’ understanding of the basic concepts of the immune system and the interplay between its various parts, as evidenced by the improved intricacies of their concept maps. Additional repetitions and assessments are still needed and will be examined to continue to explore the benefits of the immunology-based CREATE module to the general microbiology classroom. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Systems, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching tools, La Roche College is a small college with resources and faculty dedicated to classroom teaching but little option for student research. To improve biology student research within our limits, I created BioSOLVE I & II as a new model of ABSL. ABSL combines novel research and service focused on a community issue, all within a structured class (N. Trun, AAAS Vision & Change conference, 2009). BioSOLVE I students learn about scientific research, a community issue, and biology theory and lab skills to address the issue. BioSOLVE II students focus on lab research. Both courses require community service and engage students in all aspects of novel research. We collaborate on the Feral Cat Project (Trun, AAAS, 2009) as our community issue. To test the hypothesis that Bio-SOLVE improved the quantity and quality of biology student research, I assessed data from 4.5 years of BioSOLVE. A course evaluation showed all students liked the research and service, felt the combination was an effective way to learn, and would recommend the course to others. Analytical, communication, and lab skills were assessed by graded lab performance, lab notebooks, scientific writing and oral presentations. All students earned high grades, similar to their other science courses. Course evaluation comments showed an understanding of novel research, including rewards and challenges. Twenty-two students were involved in research in 4.5 years of BioSOLVE, compared to 8 students over the previous 12 years combined. Ten BioSOLVE students worked on the same project for 2–4 semesters, compared to only 1 prior student working beyond one semester. Six of the 10 BioSOLVE II students did additional research credits. Three of those 6 did Honors research projects; 2 won a campus-wide competition for best Honors presentation. In the previous 12 years, no biology student did an Honors project. BioSOLVE alumni had excellent success obtaining research internships, graduate school admission, and graduate scholarships. Thus, BioSOLVE increased student interest and involvement in biology laboratory research, created an ongoing cohort of student researchers, and may serve as a model for other small, non-research colleges. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching approaches, Implementation of an interdepartmental, research-based laboratory curriculum involving over 250 UCLA life sciences majors per year is underway. Students experience the process of discovery as participants in team-based research projects spanning two quarters. We hypothesized that students would demonstrate learning gains in higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS) associated with the research process. To test this hypothesis, we are utilizing a mixed-methods assessment approach, analyzing data from a rubric-guided evaluation of course assignments and self-report instruments. Bloom’s Taxonomy was used to classify performance indicators on assignments and surveys, and scores for items categorized as HOCS were compared at two time points. This study focuses on a virology lab in which students use the host Propionibacterium acnes to cultivate novel phages from their skin. Of 12 students completing the P. acnes project in Fall 2012, 10 (83%) participated in entry/exit surveys in which they estimated their skill level (3-pt scale) at the start and end of the program. Mean differences (md) were calculated, with students reporting significant learning gains (p ≤ 0.05) in several HOCS categories, including writing reports (md = 0.9), devising hypotheses (md = 0.9), analyzing scientific data (md = 0.8), and solving problems collaboratively (md = 0.7). Paired-samples t-tests also reveal significant changes (p ≤ 0.05) in levels of experience (5-pt scale) with bioinformatics tools (md = 2.0). 71% of students who completed the surveys expressed an increased level of interest in biology after completing the course, with about two-thirds of the students citing real-world relevance and practical applications of the project as attributing factors. Thematic analysis of reflection questions in a course assignment indicate having a personal connection to the project helped promote student engagement. Trends in learning gains, observed with outcomes data from performance evaluation of research presentation slides by a content evaluator, will provide direct evidence students are achieving specified learning outcomes as suggested by self-report data. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Impact of microorganisms, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, In hybrid courses with reduced class time there is often less time for instructors to reinforce concepts and thus retention of course content is a problem. My hypothesis is that team-based learning will enhance student retention of course content. Team based learning has been shown to increase student performance and increase students’ retention of course content. This study examines whether the same content-retention gains can be seen in a hybrid classroom. To determine if retention was improved four hybrid sections of microbiology were examined. Two sections used team-based learning and two sections had a traditional classroom setting. The team-based learning consisted of putting the students into teams for the entire semester and assigning problem solving tasks that were completed as a team. The traditional classroom completed the same tasks but did not have set teams and completed the activities as a class discussion. Course content retention was measured using posttests looking at questions from the first unit of study compared with the last unit of study. In addition, students were asked to look at their syllabus and reflect on the material they learned in each unit. These reflections were scored by looking at whether the students discussed key learning concepts from the first unit compared with the last unit of the course. The results of this study indicated that students in team-based learning scored 83% on posttest questions covering the first unit of study compared with traditional classroom students who scored 73% on first-unit questions. The scores on the last unit of study were 80% and 81% respectively. Semester reflections showed that 97% of team-based learning students correctly discussed a learning objective from the first unit on their reflection while only 50% of traditional classroom students correctly discussed a learning objective from the first unit. Data from the first unit were again compared with the last unit of study and no difference was seen. In conclusion, this study indicates that team-based learning can be used as a teaching method to increase student retention of information in hybrid courses with reduced class time. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching approaches, To provide research experience early and provide it to those who do not undertake summer research, undergraduate course-based research is ideal. But, is course-based research effective in engaging students in ‘real’ science? To investigate this, a research-based lab curriculum centered on soil bacterial diversity was implemented in an undergraduate microbiology course at W & J College from 2010–2012, and assessed. It was hypothesized that this course-based research would effectively engage students in the scientific process in a manner comparable to non-course-based research. Students designed a project to test the effect of an abiotic factor on soil bacterial diversity. They cultured soil bacteria and obtained bacterial 16S rDNA. Using RFLP and bioinformatics (sequence) analysis of 16S rDNA, soil bacterial diversity was characterized. Student outcomes were assessed using CURE (Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience) surveys. For the 50 students surveyed, course elements relevant to design of study, collecting, analyzing, and presenting data showed substantial increases in the post-course survey compared to the pre-course survey (pretest = 3.37 ± 0.09; posttest = 3.84 ± 0.1). Learning gains made from this course-based research (n(exp) = 50) were compared with learning gains in other course-based research and summer research (n(other) = 4465). In categories such as “understanding the research process” (exp = 3.69 ± 0.14; other = 3.52 ± 0.02) and “ability to analyze data and other information” (exp = 3.66 ± 0.25; other = 3.76 ± 0.04), the two groups were similar. In categories such as “learning lab techniques” (exp = 4.08 ± 0.26; other = 3.77 ± 0.11), “ability to read and understand scientific literature” (exp = 3.68 ± 0.09; other = 3.39 ± 0.09) and “skill in science writing” (exp = 3.94 ± 0.27; other = 3.42 ± 0.09), students undertaking this course-based soil bacterial diversity research (exp) showed higher learning gains than all other students (other). In conclusion, this course-based research effectively teaches elements of the scientific process and is at least as effective as undertaking other course-based research or summer research. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects, Providing students with assignments that focus on critical thinking is an important part of their scientific and intellectual development. However, as class sizes increase, so does the grading burden, prohibiting many faculty from incorporating critical thinking assignments into the classroom. In an effort to continue to provide our students with meaningful critical thinking exercises, we implemented a novel group-centered, problem-based testing scheme. We hypothesized that having students perform critical thinking problem sets as group work, compared to performing the sets as individual work, would improve final cumulative exam scores and be positively received by students. During two semesters of our recombinant DNA course, students had the same lecture material and similar assessments. In the Fall semester (n = 68), student learning was assessed by two collaborative take-home exams, followed immediately by individual, closed-book, in-class exams on the same content, as well as a final cumulative exam. Student teams on the take-home exams were instructor-assigned, and each team turned in one collaborative exam. In the Spring semester (n = 56), the control group of students were required to turn in their own individual take-home exams, followed by the in-class exams and final cumulative exam. For the majority of students, learning outcomes were met, regardless of whether they worked in teams. However, students working in instructor-assigned teams significantly outperformed the control cohort on the final cumulative exam, 81.37% vs. 76.67%, respectively, by an average of 4.7% (p ≤ 0.01). In addition, 87% of students working in teams strongly agreed/agreed that collaborative learning helped them grasp the course material and grading was reduced for instructors. These data suggest that group-centered, problem-based learning is a useful model for achievement of student learning outcomes in courses where it would be infeasible to provide feedback on individual critical thinking assignments due to grading volume. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Course design, Student learning, Students were given problems in my microbiology class that required them to apply and synthesize various aspects of the course content including information flow, gene regulation, pathways, and host defenses. Students worked on these problems in groups and were evaluated using individual, oral mini-tests. This preliminary investigation attempted to characterize classroom dynamics and student behavior during the exercise. It was hypothesized student understanding and engagement would be related. Further, grit may predict student behavior. Surveys were administered addressing factors that might be relevant to the exercise, including student interactions and confidence. Included was a grit survey (Duckworth and Quinn, 2009) that assessed students’ tenacity. Students responded using a Likert scale and relationships between variables were determined using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Students who understood the problems on their own were likely able to develop their own answers (p < 0.001). Students requiring help from others were less able to develop answers on their own (p < 0.001) and did not benefit from thinking about the problems on their own (p < 0.001). The capacities of individuals to understand the problems and develop answers were not related to active engagement in class discussions. Interestingly, the ability to understand the problem on their own and develop their own answers were not related to the students’ desire to have more of their course grade depend on this type of exercise. Grit was unrelated to the students’ ability to understand the problem and develop answers on their own. However, this trait was positively associated with active engagement (p = 0.06) and increasing engagement (p < 0.01) during class discussions. Grit and willingness to have grades depend on this type of exercise were positively, but not significantly, correlated (p = 0.11). Confidence in their answer did not appear to alleviate students’ nervousness during the oral mini-test. These results are based on a single exercise in Fall 2012. Data collected in the spring of 2013 for each of three rounds of problems will also be presented. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Pathways, Information flow Pedagogical Category(ies): Teaching approaches, The percentage of students who do not pass introductory biology is alarmingly high, reaching up to 40% in universities across the country. While recent studies have focused on helping students practice higher-order thinking skills, the effect of metacognitive training on student performance in introductory biology has not been well studied. Metacognition can be divided into metacognitive knowledge (what we know about our own thinking) and metacognitive regulation (how we control our thinking to facilitate our learning). We hypothesized that providing students with the opportunity to learn metacognitive regulation skills would increase their metacognition and result in increased exam performance. In Fall 2012, short metacognition units were added to a large introductory biology lecture course, and students were guided through an exam reflection assignment designed to help them evaluate their approach to preparing for the first exam and create a plan for the second exam. To measure pre- and post-course metacognition, the Metacognitive Assessment Inventory (MAI) was used, and student performance was measured by comparing exam grades before and after the training. Preliminary analysis revealed that students’ overall preand post-course MAI scores did not change significantly, although scores on MAI questions specifically directed at evaluation skills increased. Additionally, an increase in the class average on the second exam (75.95%) compared with first exam (73.05%) was observed. We conclude that completion of the exam reflection assignment correlates with an increase in exam performance, but that the initial metacognitive regulation training was too brief, and needs to be extended. Complete analysis of this project will include a comparison of data from Fall 2012 and Spring 2013, and qualitative assessment of written responses to the exam reflection assignment. We predict that high-quality answers on the assignment will correlate with increased MAI and exam scores. This study is expected to contribute to our understanding of the effect of metacognitive regulation on student performance. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Misconceptions about key learning concepts often create barriers to the ability of students to acquire new knowledge. If instructors are unaware of these misconceptions, they will persist, but awareness of them enables the development of appropriate classroom intervention strategies. A validated two-tiered concept inventory for microbiology (HPI Concept Inventory) was used to assess student understanding of key learning concepts through pre- and postsurveys given to students in several microbiology courses throughout the curriculum (from lower- to higher-level courses). It was hypothesized that analysis of student explanations to their answers on the presurvey taken at the beginning of their first class in General Microbiology would reveal key misconceptions they harbor before receiving formal instruction on the subject. Student responses to five questions from the HPI-CI related to the subject of antibiotic resistance were selected for initial qualitative analysis. Presurvey data were collected from the use of the HPI-CI in six distinct offerings of General Microbiology. Teams of faculty (from instructors to research-active faculty) at two peer institutions coded student explanations (∼500 individual responses per question) associated with student HPI-CI multiple choice-response selections. Some of the most common misconceptions related to the function/targets of antibiotics, the structural difference between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, the role of genetic change in resistance, and vernacular misuse. Thus it can be concluded that students do harbor significant misconceptions prior to completing General Microbiology. The codebook of misconceptions generated from the first phase of assessment data analysis is now being used to quantitatively categorize these misconceptions. A subsequent analysis of student responses in the postsurvey for General Microbiology will reveal what concepts remain after instruction and what new ones have emerged due to instruction. As the process is repeated in courses through the curriculum, evidence-based reform in individual classes and the curriculum will be implemented. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Evolution, Structure and function Pedagogical Category(ies): Student learning, Undergraduates in general microbiology courses are typically trained to use compound brightfield microscopes and rarely exposed to other instruments, such as darkfield, phase contrast, fluorescence, and electron microscopes. We hypothesized that students would improve their understanding and appreciation of these microscopes if they were able to use them directly. New lab exercises were developed where students began in traditional labs that cover the components, care, and maintenance of bright-field microscopes and viewing specimens such as plankton, yeasts, and bacteria. During subsequent lab periods students engaged in hands-on activities in our electron microscopy center where they studied preparing specimens for viewing and operation of both scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The students then worked in teams to view and interpret electron micrographs of specimens generated by the instruments. A pre- and posttest measured the students’ comprehension of basic concepts, including an understanding of resolving power, how images are formed by compound light and electron microscopes, how specimens are prepared for light and electron microscopy, and the applications of different forms of microscopy. The test included both objective and subjective questions and was administered to 17 and 20 students during the Spring and Fall 2012 semesters, respectively. The mean score on the pretest was 44% and 40% for the Spring and Fall semesters, respectively; this value improved to 70% and 63% on the posttest. All students over the two semesters improved in their level of knowledge as a result of the activity; the range of improvement was 9–36%, with a mean value of 24%. The results revealed that this approach helped the students to appreciate the array of microscopic tools available and to understand the applications of each instrument. Students were effectively engaged through active learning, improved in their content knowledge, and were directly exposed to research techniques. In the future we plan to expand the number of laboratory exercises where we employ this type of approach. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Structure and function, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects, This outreach project tested the hypothesis that the delivery of material in a case study and hands-on experimental approach to high school students by an undergraduate student teaching team will result in the students being actively engaged in science topics, leading to an increased appreciation of and learning of science topics, specifically microbiology-centered topics. A team involving an undergraduate institution (students and faculty), a high school classroom (AP biology students and teacher), and STEM administrators administered a case study teaching module in the Florida public school system. The undergraduate students created the case study teaching module, prepared the materials needed to deliver the project, and then delivered the teaching and assessment module to students in an AP Biology high school class. To assess increase in knowledge and appreciation for the sciences, specifically microbiology, preand posttests were given to the students along with a numbered survey including open-ended questions. The scores on the posttest (mean = 60.7%) were significantly higher than the scores for the pretest (mean = 38%) with a 23% increase in the mean (p < 0.0001, p-value = 3.236e-06), indicating an increase in understanding of microbiology material. This increase in knowledge could be due in part to the delivery of material as a case study and hands-on activity as the material on the exam had previously been covered in the high school course. For the survey statements, “Overall, I feel more confident about the material covered in class and know more about microbiology,” 15 of the 16 students answered Strongly Agree (5). For the question, “I believe this project was useful and beneficial,” all 16 students answered Strongly Agree (5). One student commented, “This was incredibly helpful and helped me to understand microbiology immensely.” In conclusion, the high school students gained understanding and appreciation of microbiology topics when material was delivered by biology undergraduate students in a hands-on, case study manner. This is evident through their significant improvement on knowledge exam questions and their responses to evaluation questions. ASM Curriculum Guideline Concept(s): Impact of microorganisms, Advancing STEM education and research Pedagogical Category(ies): Hands-on projects