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In this study, we assessed a highly structured, yearlong, case-based course designed for undergraduate pre-health students. We incorporated both content learning assessments and developed a novel method called Multiple Mini Exams for assessing course impact on the development of skills that professional schools often seek in pre-health students, focusing on students' abilities to collaborate with others, display bedside manners, synthesize patient case details, appropriately use scientific and medical language, and effectively attain patients' medical histories. This novel method utilized a rubric based on desired medical student skills to score videotaped behaviors and interactions of students role playing as doctors in a hypothetical patient case study scenario. Overall, our findings demonstrate that a highly structured course, incorporating weekly student performance and presentation of patient cases encompassing history taking, diagnosis, and treatment, can result in content learning, as well as improve desired skills specific for success in medical fields.

Within the eukaryotic cell, the actin cytoskeleton is a crucial structural framework that maintains cellular form, regulates cell movement and division, and facilitates the internal transportation of proteins and organelles. External cues induce alterations in the actin cytoskeleton primarily through the activation of Rho GTPases, which then bind to a diverse array of effector proteins to promote the local assembly or disassembly of actin. We have harnessed the extensively studied functions of RhoA in the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton to craft a practical series for Stage 2 Biology students. This series not only imparts essential tissue culture laboratory skills but also reinforces them through repetition. These activities are presented in a scenario designed for students to explore the function of a hypothetical RhoA family member. Students produce slides from transfected cells, undertake fluorescence microscopy, process the images using ImageJ, and compile their findings in a comprehensive scientific report. The composition of the report requires independent acquisition of new knowledge and synoptic learning. According to student feedback, this early experience greatly aids in solidifying and honing the skills required to report on more extensive and intricate research projects, such as capstone projects.

Environmental risk perception has a long-time travel in the public participation in environmental fields. This perception involves individually socially constructed physical and mental experiences that involve many factors just for knowledge, attitudes, and the culture that develops in society. An individual's understanding of environmental risk provides an overview of an individual's preparedness for appropriate environmental risk strategies and measures. This cross-sectional survey study aims to collect data on the environmental risk perception of Indonesian students. The survey data instrument used in this study is the environmental risk perception scale (ERPS) questionnaire, transformed into Google Forms in the Indonesian language. The target respondents were 1,267 students from 1,300 undergraduate population size of educational study programs in the field of biology who came from various institutions in Indonesia. Sexual category, grade point average (GPA), and university status to explore the perception of the active student environment of prospective biology teachers with various parameters. The results showed several interesting findings: the female sex is more sensitive to environmental risks, academic abilities play a more logical role in environmental risk analysis, and respondents who have taken environmental courses have a higher sensitivity to environmental risk.

The aim of this study is to examine the opinions of prospective teachers about biology and nature-related activities for mentally disabled students. The survey method was used in this quantitative study. Attitude scale towards biology and nature-related activities for mentally disabled students was used as a data collection tool. The scale was applied to a total of 258 (183 females, 75 males) prospective teachers studying at the education faculty of a state university and taking special education courses. According to the findings, prospective teachers expressed their positive opinions about all the activities specified in the scale. However, a few prospective teachers stated that some of the activities, especially interaction with animals, were not applicable for their mentally disabled students. However, when the findings are evaluated in general, it is concluded that biology and nature-related activities are very valuable for mentally disabled students.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among pre-service science teachers' global scientific literacy and various variables within the scope of the structural equation model. Since the relations among the variables were investigated in the structural model established for this study, correlational research methodology was applied. The application was carried out with 294 pre-service teachers studying in the departments of chemistry, physics, biology and elementary science education of a state university. The data of the study were obtained with the scales of global scientific literacy, the perception of science process skills, the inquiry skills, the self-directed learning readiness in laboratory, the attitude scale towards the laboratory and the personal information questionnaire. Within the framework of structural equation modeling, the causal and relational analyses of the data were examined. The results showed that the proposed model of the relationship among global scientific literacy and the variables predicting global scientific literacy was also found to be compatible with the data, and the entire model was confirmed except for the attitude towards the laboratory. In this context, it can be claimed that these variables play an essential role in pre-service teachers' being global scientifically literate.

The importance of teaching the Luria-Delbrück experiment to biology students is increasingly recognized by educators, and improved pedagogical methods for teaching the classic experiment have been proposed and tested in the classroom. However, there are still obstacles that impede the proper teaching of the classic experiment. This note proposes two strategies to further improve the teaching of the classic experiment. The first strategy is to be frank with an inherent limitation of the classic experiment, and instructors should explain from a logical point of view why the classic experiment cannot be used to refute the possibility of directed mutation. The second strategy is to emphasize the pioneering work of Delbrück on developing the mutant distribution that enables researchers to estimate microbial mutation rates using data generated by fluctuation experiments, and instructors should shift their attention to the overlooked essential role of the mutant distribution.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has underscored the importance of mRNA vaccines. The mechanism for how such vaccines work is related to the core biology topic of the central dogma, which students often misunderstand despite its importance. Therefore, we wanted to know whether students can apply their biology knowledge of central dogma to the real-world issue of how mRNA COVID vaccines work. Accordingly, we asked college biology students of different expertise levels how the COVID vaccine worked. Later, we cued them by telling them the vaccine contains mRNA and asked them what the mRNA does. We used thematic analysis to find common ideas in their responses. In the uncued condition, fewer than half of the students used central dogma-related ideas to explain what was in the vaccine or how the vaccine worked. Inaccurate ideas were present among all groups of biology students, particularly entering biology majors and non-biology majors, including the idea that the COVID vaccines contain a weakened, dead, or variant form of the COVID virus. After students were cued, many more students in all expertise groups expressed central dogma-related themes, showing that students could apply the knowledge of central dogma if prompted. Advanced biology majors were much more likely to state that the vaccines code for a viral protein, indicating their advanced application of central dogma concepts. These results highlight inaccurate ideas common among students and show changes in the ability to apply knowledge with student expertise level, which could inform future interventions to support student learning about vaccines and central dogma.

Laboratory courses offer a unique opportunity, and sometimes challenge, to engage students in projects where they can experience ownership and authentic science practices. An important science practice is writing, which can lead to increased learning about concepts and science communication. Experiencing a sense of ownership in research can lead to various student outcomes, such as increased motivation, greater interest in research, and higher retention in STEM fields. Although previous work has extracted aspects of ownership from students' descriptions of research experiences, studies have not examined directly how students define and perceive ownership. In addition, we do not have a clear idea of whether a sense of ownership is related to student attitudes toward scientific writing in a lab course setting. To better understand the relationship between ownership and writing directly from students' perspectives, we used analysis of student responses to surveys and interviews in an upper-division laboratory course. Using a grounded theory approach for the analysis of 167 survey responses and 9 interviews, we found that students have varying perceptions of project ownership, with the most frequent being opportunities to contribute ideas and shape the project (autonomy), doing the work, and leadership. Students largely perceived that increased ownership had positive influences on their writing, such as increased understanding and thinking, freedom in writing, and increased motivation. Learning about how students perceive ownership in the context of a lab course is useful for considering how lab course structure may support the development of a sense of ownership and may influence how we can engage students in meaningful writing practices.

Students' scientific literacy may be improved by the integration of social issues into biology courses, enabling them to make informed decisions on social issues in the context of their scientific knowledge. Additionally, this may allow students to recognize the connection between science and society. Although there are a number of benefits with having students learn about social issues in biology courses, most undergraduate courses may follow a traditional curriculum, which emphasizes the scientific content without framing it in a social context. Here, we investigated whether undergraduate students have been exposed to social issues in previous biology courses and examined how their perceptions changed before and after taking a biology course that incorporated social issues. In surveys, most students reported having no exposure to social issues in biology courses. Most students, especially females and persons excluded because of their ethnicity or race (PEERs), agreed with the integration of social issues in biology courses before taking the course. Students found reflection essays to be a useful tool in allowing them to think and share their thoughts on social issues as well as relate the course content to their personal lives. These results highlight students' interest in learning about social issues from a scientific perspective and how reflection essays may be used to practice applying their knowledge to real-world issues.

Psychological distance (PD) can be a barrier to how students perceive climate change impacts and severity. Localizing climate change using place-based approaches is one way instructors can structure their curricula to help combat students' PD, especially from a spatial and social viewpoint. We created a novel classroom intervention that incorporated elements of place-based education and the Teaching for Transformative Experiences in Science model that was designed to lower undergraduate biology students' spatial and social distance of climate change. Our research questions sought to determine whether students' PD changed following our intervention and whether variables beyond our intervention might have contributed to changes we identified. To measure the efficacy of our intervention, we administered a survey that contained several instruments to measure students' recognition and psychological distance of climate change pre- and post-intervention. We found that students' psychological distance to climate change decreased after participating in our classroom intervention. Additionally, course level was the only outside variable we identified as a predictor of students' post-activity scores. Participation in our activity lowered our students' spatial and social psychological distance, which could have impacts beyond the classroom as these students become the next generation of scientists and voters.

The experience of transferring to a 4-year college, especially in STEM programs, can be particularly challenging for students. While much of the onus for preparing students for transfer has been placed on community colleges, the 4-year institutions to which students transfer have critical roles to play. With this in mind, we established the Pre-transfer Interventions, Mentoring, and Experience in Research (PRIMER) program to support students transferring into the biology department at our university. The design of this program is based around the key elements of Schlossberg's Transition Theory, focusing on the support and strategies elements of the theory. Through a weekly academic skill course, peer mentoring, and informal academic and social supports, our goals were for students to increase their involvement in the campus community and to increase their use of academic support resources. We used qualitative and quantitative assessments to compare sense of community and use of campus resources between students who participated in our program and others. We found that students in our program strongly increased their sense of community during the semester compared to other students and used campus resources at a higher rate. Our insights from the PRIMER program can help others in developing programs to support transfer students in biology departments.

There is a consensus amongst scholars that learning from student feedback depends on how the feedback is sought and used by the individual teachers. Using Hand and Rowe's (2001) framework of eliciting and using student feedback, the purpose of this self-study was to investigate how I, as a novice teacher educator, can use dialogue with my students to learn about and how to foster student interaction in my biology classroom. I collected data through multiple sources including students' written feedback, my reflective journal, focus-group interviews with the students, and video recordings of my teaching. Data were analysed through a narrative approach. Findings indicate that the continuous dialogue with my students helped me learn about student interaction and fostering it in my classroom through a variety of ways. This study also illustrates that the teacher needs to establish trust with students from the onset such that the dialogue cannot only be of professional value to the teacher but also improve the students' learning. These insights are discussed, and recommendations are made in the article.

In the Cirebon region, there are several environmental issues exists, one of the problems is pollution. In the context of modern information technology, there's a growing preference for electronic-based educational materials. This study aims to evaluate the environmental pollution levels in Cirebon and develop a e-pocket book as a biology learning resource for high school students. The research follows the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) and utilizes observations, questionnaires, and documentation for data collection. The environmental assessment was conducted in Cirebon city and regency, and the learning media developed at MAN 2 Cirebon City. Results from the Environmental Quality Index (IKLH) indicate moderate pollution levels in Kejaksan District and mild-moderate levels in Talun District. The e-book was created using the Canva application and finalized into a link format compatible with laptops and Android smartphones. It underwent validation by material experts, media experts, biology educators, and student users, receiving favorable feedback with an overall rating of 87.24% deemed very satisfactory. It can be concluded that the development of this e-book on environmental pollution can be used as a learning media.

This research aims to produce integrated biology teaching materials with the values of the Al-Qur'an and As-Sunnah that are valid and effective in improving cognitive, psychomotor, and strengthening students' faith and devotion. This development research (R&D) uses the ADDIE model which consists of five stages, i.e. analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The data collection techniques used were literature studies, observations, interviews, questionnaires, and tests. Data collection instruments used include interview sheets, validation sheets, questionnaire sheets, pre-test and post-test question sheets, observation sheets, and checklists. The teaching materials were validated by three validators (material experts, learning experts, Al-Qur'an/Hadist experts), and practitioners from several biology teachers from different schools. The data was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively (triangulation). The research results showed that the teaching materials developed met the very valid category based on the assessment of material experts, learning experts, Al-Qur'an/Hadist experts, and practitioners. Moreover, the products received excellent responses from the students. The teaching materials could improve students' cognitive and psychomotor and also increase students' values of faith and piety. Further action will be extended to schools, especially schools with Islamic nuances so that they can be used both as self-taught materials for students and as teaching materials for teachers to use in the learning process.

As a form of implementing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in educational institutions, an appropriate learning model is needed, which also accommodates aspects of spirituality. Before developing a model, baseline data is needed, so a broad-scale or national needs analysis is needed. This research aims to determine the profile of spirituality-based action competence for sustainability (ACS) among prospective biology teacher students throughout Indonesia. This research is a cross-sectional survey. The target respondents are students of LPTK biology education study programs in Indonesia. The target population size is 650 people, so based on the Krejcie and Morgan table, the minimum sample size with a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 5% is 620 students. The data collection instrument used in this research is the action competence for sustainability instrument based on spirituality (ACSIS). Data on respondent characteristics were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. The mean and standard deviation of scores were calculated for each item. Comparisons of two groups of students were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U Test, while comparisons of more than two groups used the Kruskal-Wallis H Test. We discuss interesting findings in this research, including the aspects of spirituality in ACS among prospective biology teacher in Indonesia.

Learning must be able to develop knowledge, skills, and mindsets so that the graduates produced have attitudes, abilities and knowledge that are integrated and skilled in life. One way to achieve learning can be done through habits of mind because the success of learning is strongly influenced by habits of mind. The purpose of this study is to as certain how habits of mind and cognitive learning outcomes in biology are affected by learning process oriented guided inquiry learning with blended learning support. A pretest-postest design wih a non-equivalent control group was employed in this study. The trial ran from February to June 2022. Utilizing the habits of mind questionnaire, pupils' thought patterns were assessed. Essay tests are also used to evaluate the results of cognitive learning. In this study, google form, LMS, and google meet were used for data collection. Statistical Product and Service Solutions software version 23 is used for data analysis and the results of covariance analysis (ANCOVA) showed a p value < 0,005, meaning that POGIL-supported blended learning can empower habits of mind and cognitive learning outcomes in biology learning. There is a substantial difference between the outcomes of the least significant difference and increasing habits of mind and cognitive learning outcomes. As a result, POGIL with moodle support can be used to enhance students' habits of mind and cognitive learning results in biology classes.

GCSE examinations (taken by students aged 16 years in England) are not intended to be speeded (i.e. to be partly a test of how quickly students can answer questions). However, there has been little research exploring this. The aim of this research was to explore the speededness of past GCSE written examinations, using only the data from scored responses to items from a sample of 340 GCSE components. Speededness was calculated as the average (mean) percentage marks lost from the longest string of unanswered items at the end of each student's examination paper. The potential impact of student ability on examination completion patterns was taken into account. The data suggested that most GCSEs analysed were unlikely to have been speeded. This method of exploring the speededness of exams using only scored responses has potential (although there are limitations), and it can flag potentially problematic components for further investigation.

Primary Scientific Literature (PSL) significantly contributes to cultivating students' scientific literacy. However, students' visual strategies while reading PSL remain unclear. This study utilized eye-tracking technology to clarify students' visual attention allocation and fixation transactions during PSL reading, and explored their associations with students' self-reported reading strategy levels and reading outcomes. Thirty-eight undergraduate students majoring in biology (22 females and 16 males) participated in the study. They wore eye-tracking glasses while reading a PSL that included sections like abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and reference. Participants also completed a Primary Scientific Literature Strategies Assessment and a post-reading exam. The study demonstrated that reading time and fixation count on the results page were positively correlated with self-reported PSL reading strategy scores and reading outcomes. The reading time and fixation count on the methods page are positively correlated with self-reported PSL reading strategy score. Moreover, the higher group showed significantly greater attention to results compared to the lower group. The higher group exhibited significant interaction between texts and figures in fixation transactions within the results, whereas this interaction was absent in the lower group. The research provided recommendations for educators to enhance students' PSL reading strategies and abilities.

The purpose of this study was to assess the relative effectiveness of cooperative learning (CL) strategies on learners' peer relatedness, academic support (AS), and learning gains in Biology. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent group pre-test post-test design was employed, involving a sample of 81 students. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected, and analyses were conducted using t-tests, one-way MANOVA, bivariate correlation, and regression analysis. As anticipated, the t-test and MANOVA results revealed that participation in CL strategies had a moderate to substantial effect on the measured variables, with Partial [eta-squared] values ranging from 0.471 to 0.722. In addition, regression analysis indicated that peer relationships and AS together accounted for 43.2% of the variance in overall learning gains. Qualitative findings highlighted significant challenges to the effective implementation of CL, including students' unfamiliarity with the method, resource constraints, and teacher resistance. The findings provide preliminary evidence that shifting classroom instruction from a content-centric approach to a learner-centered approach can enhance not only the quality of teaching but also the quality of learning and key indicators of student success.

Brightpoint's HyFlex Pilot Program was a year-long project funded by the Online Virginia Network (OVN) to support faculty in the design and delivery of an actual HyFlex course. The cohort consisted of faculty who teach in the biology, architecture, early childhood, and web design disciplines. Participants worked in collaboration with one another and the Center for Teaching and Learning. In the following essay, members of the 2021-22 pilot cohort will reflect on their experiences learning and implementing a HyFlex approach in their courses. Each author will share challenges and successes as well as conclusions with implications for practice by colleagues statewide.

Federal second chance Pell grants were recently made widely available to incarcerated students in the United States to fund undergraduate education. Piedmont Virginia Community College was a pilot site for this expansion and began full scale implementation of transfer-oriented associate degrees at three correctional centers in its service area. The college did not have a biology laboratory curriculum that would meet general education requirements and be feasible in a correctional center, where students do not have internet access or even reliable computer (word processing or spreadsheet) access and where materials are restricted for entry. This paper will serve to introduce the laboratory curriculum that was created to accompany a non-majors general biology laboratory course with materials that were pre-approved to pass through security screening in at least one local correctional facility. The lab manual (at this link) contains student information and instructions as well as a linked suite of files, photos, sample data, and instructions for any instructor to quickly deploy with just a USB flash drive and facility laptop (with no internet). Incarcerated PVCC students enrolled in this course benefit from a hands-on lab experience that mirrors the on-campus lab as much as possible. We hope that by publishing this laboratory manual, we might assist others in developing high quality laboratory experiences for incarcerated students. Every student deserves a second chance.

Various similar primary studies report varying impacts of applying blended problem-based learning (Blended PBL) in improving students' 21st-century skills. This study aims to group similar studies on the effect of blended PBL on students' 21st-century skills in science learning through meta-analysis. In addition, studies were analyzed on variations in models, education levels, subjects, and 4C skills. There are 44 articles worth analyzing. The data was analyzed using Excel and JASP applications by presenting results in size effect values, forest plots, and published bias tests. The results of the analysis show that science learning with blended PBL improves 21st-century skills that are better at science learning than other learning (g = 0.617, 95% Cl 0.296-0.937, p < 0.001, I[superscript 2] = 96.861%). Analysis of moderator variables showed that in the variation model, level of education, subjects, and 4C skills, there was a significant effect. These findings confirm that blended PBL is efficiently used to train students' 21st-century skills in science learning.

Biology teachers' attitudes play a vital role in successful scientific investigations. Some biology teachers situated in the central part of South Africa experience challenges that include a lack of the necessary scientific knowledge and skills, which hinders the presentation of scientific investigations. These challenges adversely influence these biology teachers' attitudes towards conducting scientific investigations. The result is that they conduct the minimum number of investigations with their learners, or don't conduct them at all. Professional, in-service training workshops allow biology teachers to develop the necessary scientific knowledge and skills to successfully conduct scientific investigations. This study aimed to understand how a scientific investigation workshop affected biology teachers' attitudes by measuring the ABC attitude model's affective, cognitive and behavioural components. Likert-type, five-point scale items were used for the 20 pre-surveys and the same for the 20 post-surveys that were completed and collected for analysis. This research provided information on how vital in-service training programmes such as this scientific investigation workshop are in fostering positive attitudes toward scientific investigations amongst biology teachers. The findings that emerged from this study imply that implementing this scientific investigation workshop has developed biology teachers' confidence in their science skills and knowledge to facilitate scientific investigations. The findings also indicate that this workshop caused a significant improvement in teachers' intended behaviours in implementing scientific investigations in the science classrooms, as they gained valuable knowledge and skills regarding the science apparatus and the use thereof in conducting scientific investigations.

With the onset of COVID-19, colleges and universities moved to emergency remote teaching, and instructors immediately adjusted their curricula. Many instructors adapted or developed new online lessons that they subsequently published as Open Educational Resources (OERs). While much has been examined related to how entire course designs evolved during this period, the same attention has not been paid to how individual lessons were structured to meet online learners' needs. As such, we evaluated OER lessons for the integration of universal design for learning (UDL) guidelines and active learning strategies. We evaluated OER lessons published in "CourseSource," which is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal that focuses on biology lessons implemented in undergraduate classrooms and provides the necessary details and supporting materials to replicate the lesson. We found that biology instructors used a variety of UDL guidelines and active learning strategies to encourage student learning and engagement in online teaching environments. This study also provides a collection of OER online lessons that instructors and educational developers can use to inform the practice of engaging biology students.

Systems thinking (ST) is an essential skill for understanding complex issues, making predictions and informed decisions. This research explores how students applied ST in complex health contexts using the 'One Health' (OH) approach. OH highlights the interdependence relationship between animal, human and ecosystemic health (including plants). Eighteen upper secondary school students were involved in activities that aimed to foster their capacity to apply ST to explain the causes of the COVID-19 pandemic, to anticipate future pandemics and to propose actions for preventing them. Individual written tasks were examined using content analysis methods. Four dimensions of ST were considered, and levels were established based on the literature and in interaction with data. Most participants articulated various aspects of ST in their responses, but they did not do so consistently. Students had difficulties both in anticipating future pandemics and in proposing actions to prevent them. After the completion of the activities, most students showed an improved understanding of the OH notion. They identified the components, relationships and provided examples of causal interrelationships, such as those involved in zoonotic diseases. The findings point to the potential of the OH approach in Biology education, as it promotes students' understanding of complex health issues from a systemic view.

The purpose of the drawing method is to reveal the hidden beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and understanding of students without being dependent on words. It is more useful than other techniques in that it is easy to apply and a lot of data can be obtained with a drawing. Some misconceptions can be revealed by asking students to describe or illustrate some objects or phenomena. Biology is mostly concerned with the diagnosis of structures, their interrelationships and their functions. For this reason, it is very important to draw the biological structures correctly. Human circulatory system' comprehension is a major point in biology education. Because understanding this system is a basis for learning the transport and exchange of substances in the human body, the lymphatic system, gas exchange, and other important biological concepts. The aim of this study is to examine the cognitive structures of biology teacher candidates about the "circulatory system" with the drawing technique. In this study, a case study was conducted to reveal the biology teacher candidates' drawings in detail. In order to explore biology teacher candidates' drawing of the circulatory system in detail, their drawings were collected as data through 32 high school students (teacher candidates) in biology education faculty from Turkey. After the drawings were completed, each drawing was effectively scored for the presence or absence of at least one organ/structure in circulatory system. In addition, the drawings were further reclassified, taking into account the pattern of the path of pulmonary and systemic circulations. According to the findings obtained from the drawings of the biology teacher candidates about the circulatory system, it was revealed that the teacher candidates had many misconceptions, mistakes and incomplete information.

The present study has aimed to develop and validate a protein concept inventory (PCI) consisting of 25 multiple-choice (MC) questions to assess students' understanding of protein, which is a fundamental concept across different biology disciplines. The development process of the PCI involved a literature review to identify protein-related content, validation interviews to iteratively validate and refine the created items (n = 26), and data collection from a large sample (n = 291) for statistical analysis. An expert interview was held with two different field experts regarding the content validity of the draft PCI tool, the suitability of the options, and the clarity of the items. Free choice format (multiple marking) was used to answer the developed MC items. In scoring these items, positive points were given to correct options, and negative points were given to incorrect options. Evidence regarding the psychometric properties of the PCI trial form was collected through factor analysis, group differentiation, internal consistency, and item analysis using quantitative data. The evidence collected demonstrates that the validity and reliability of the PCI as a measurement tool have been confirmed. PCI's scoring approach and the use of response patterns created by multiple markings in teaching are discussed.

The implementation of instructional models in the classroom significantly impacts students' learning abilities and achievements. The adoption of a teacher-centered learning approach might lead to reduced student engagement in the learning process, consequently influencing their ability to acquire life skills. The current study aimed to determine the educational attainment, teaching experience, utilization of learning media and application of learning models by junior and senior high school biology teachers in Ternate, Indonesia. This study employed a qualitative research method that utilized survey questionnaires. The respondents were 25 biology teachers of junior high school and 30 biology teachers of senior high school. The research findings showed that (1) 84% of the junior high school biology teachers have the undergraduate education and 16% of them have the master education; 69.77% of those of the senior high school have the undergraduate education and 30.23% of them have the master education. (2) Both the junior and the senior high school biology teachers have over 15 years of teaching experience. (3) Among the junior high school biology teachers, the use of student worksheet is only 20%, and the use of learning media is 14%; Among the senior high school biology teachers, the use of student worksheet is 36.66% and the use of learning media is 23.33%. (4) The uses of conventional learning and the use of cooperative learnings among junior high school biology teachers are 83% and 17%, respectively; where as among those of senior high school are 73.34% and 26.66%, respectively. In conclusion, the educational qualifications of junior and senior high school biology teachers in Ternate have satisfied the necessary criteria for teaching. However, the teachers have not been able to enhance the quality of education in the city. This highlights the importance of developing innovative learning models to improve the learning abilities and achievements.

Environmental problems caused by waste and exploitation of natural resources can be exacerbated by a lack of awareness and concern for the environment. One of the contributing factors is the lack of utilization of learning resources and environmental-based media in education. This study aims to develop and validate a teaching module based on the PjBL (Project-based Learning) model to increase students' environmental awareness, especially on the topic of environmental change. By using the 4D Model, this study uses quantitative descriptive analysis involving validation by two experts. The validation values for learning plan, learning media, and students' worksheet were 3.48, 3.52, and 3.45, respectively. The results of the recapitulation of validity data show a total score of 3.48 with a valid category. It was concluded that teaching modules based on project to improve environmental character are worthy of being applied in Biology learning at school.

Low literacy levels are believed to be one of the causes of environmental damage problems. It is felt that the current implementation of the problem-based learning model is still not optimal in increasing students' environmental literacy, especially regarding sustainable issues. This research aims to (1) produce a sustainable issue-based learning model, and (2) test the level of validity and reliability of the model. The research was carried out at Malang State University and PGRI University Semarang involving biology learning experts, educational technology experts, and environmental experts as research subjects. The instrument in this research is an expert validation sheet. Validation results were analyzed using the average score while reliability was analyzed using percentage agreement. The research results show that the development of PBIB syntax including orientation, concept strengthening, observation, investigation, report, and reflection is classified as valid with a score of 3.87, while the reliability is 3.88 (reliable). This research indicates that the PBIB model can be used in learning and potentially increase students' environmental literacy.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of scripted biology curriculum as a means of providing students with the information required to increase content knowledge, while comparing curriculum developed by the teacher that utilizesthe Understanding by Design (UbD) framework (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). The study used a mixed method, concurrent triangulation design which revealed that there was a significant difference between student growth from the pretest to the posttest. The teacher reflection logs and student focus groups identified two themes regarding science content knowledge: instructional/learning style and using discussion within the instructional cycle for both curricula. It was evident that the increase in content knowledge was associated with the utilization of discussion during the learning cycle. The teacher reflection logs and student focus groups also identified two themes when looking at the perception of the learning environment: the effect of teacher relationship on instruction and the effect of time on the learning environment. According to the instrument used, both groups of students showed growth, however, there was a larger gain among the students receiving the Understanding by Design curriculum. A major contributing factor for the growth among all students was the relationship the teacher had with them to meet their individual academic needs.

Good metacognitive allows individuals to more easily adapt to changes in the learning environment and face challenges that arise. They tend to be more flexible in changing their learning strategies according to new needs and situations. The aim of this research is to determine the correlation between metacognitive and the academic resilience of students concentrating on biology subjects at State of Senior High School 1 Tasikmalaya. This research was carried out from January to March 2024. The method used was correlational with a population of 950 students. Sampling was carried out using a quota sampling technique, that 10% of the population was taken which represents the research characteristics of 211 students. The study instruments used consisted of 3 validated instruments, including the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and Academic Resilience 30 (ARS-30). The data were analyzed using a bivariate correlation regression test. Based on the study results, it shows that there is a correlation between metacognitive and (R= 0.792; R2 = 0.627). The Effective Contribution (EC) given by metacognitive to academic resilience, is 15.7%. So, it could be concluded that the correlation between metacognitive to students' academic resilience in biology subjects at State of Senior High School 1 Tasikmalaya is in the strong category because it is in the regression criteria between 0.60 - 0.799.

The biological concept has a broad scope and requires the visualisation of bioprocesses to provide complex understanding. Learning media can help visualise bioprocesses to enhance students' cognitive abilities. The study aimed to develop, test the practicality, and test the effectiveness of video animation in improving grade XI high school students' understanding of the coordination system. This study involved 66 high school students in grade XI of the science department at State Senior High School 2 Malang, Indonesia. This research used the Lee & Owens Multimedia-Based Instructional Design method, which consisted of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation stages. In the evaluation stage, we conducted face validity by media experts and content validity by material experts, successively getting results of 97% and 100%. Then, the concurrent validity test was obtained from student assessments of the media interface with a result of 97%, the user-friendly with a result of 100%, and the appropriateness of the material with a result of 95%. In the final stage, construct validity was carried out through an effectiveness test using a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group design. Data analysis was performed using the Independent T-test, with the results showing a significance of 0.006 < 0.05, which showed a significant difference in the average post-test between the control and experimental classes. The average score in the experimental class increased from 76.32 to 89.03, but the control class increased from 76.38 to 84.56. The results showed that the video animation media effectively improved students' abilities. Therefore, this learning media can be a recommendation in the learning coordination system.

"Kurikulum Merdeka" is a learning experience framework that offers flexibility and focuses on essential content, character development, and students' competencies. Teachers had the discretion to develop their modules to choose, design, and organize the learning contents for students, based on their needs. By using that module, there is more flexibility and independence either for teachers and students, while enhancing the relevance, interactivity, and effectiveness of learning. This research aims to develop problem-based teaching modules on biology based on "Kurikulum Merdeka" as a reference in the learning process. This research and development, referring to Borg and Gall's model, consists of (1) research and information collection, (2) planning, (3) developing a preliminary form of the product, (4) preliminary field testing, and (5) main product revision. The participants in this development research are teachers as learning experts and students of a senior high school in one of the districts of East Lombok as a subject in limited trials. Data collection used closed questionnaires to determine the feasibility and ideality of the instrument. Data analysis using quantitative descriptive analysis involves analyzing the results of instrument feasibility and ideality from experts and students. The results show that the developed module was included in the very feasible and ideal learning resources. The readability test of the worksheet after limited trials was included in the good category for the biodiversity content, and quite good for the virus and ecosystem content. Therefore, the problem-based teaching module on biology content in phase E of grade XI of senior high school is considered feasible.

Student academic stress can impact class participation. Integrating psychological treatment into learning strategies can help manage academic stress. The objective of this research is to enhance students' metacognitive and self-efficacy by reducing their learning difficulties and cognitive anxiety. This will be achieved by integrating Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR) into learning strategies, which will help to alleviate academic stress during the learning process. The study is designed as a quasiexperimental study using a pretest-posttest nonequivalent control group design. The study was conducted at Bandung City State High School with the participation of 70 class XI MIPA students from two different classes, 35 in the experimental class and 35 in the control class. Both classes utilized problem-based learning (PBL), with the experimental class receiving the IBSR technique at the beginning of learning and various stages of core PBL activities. A questionnaire rating scale with 8 scales was used to collect data on academic stress, learning difficulties, cognitive anxiety, and student self-efficacy. Additionally, students' metacognitive abilities were measured using an open-ended essay. After two weeks of learning, the IBSR psychological intervention in the experimental class had lower student learning difficulties and cognitive anxiety than the control class. The IBSR psychological intervention in the experimental class on students' self-ability and metacognitive abilities also had higher results than the control class. The research suggests that teachers should consider psychological interventions when implementing learning innovations that improve student learning performance.

Further analysis of the effectiveness of integrating project-based learning (PjBL) in Invertebrate Zoology courses to improve students' science process skills and conceptual understanding needs to be carried out. This research was aimed to analyze the integration of PjBL in the Invertebrate Zoology course on scientific process skills and conceptual understanding of student. As for seeing the effect of each indicator from each predictor, a qualitative descriptive analysis was carried out. Respondents in this study were students of the Biology Education Study Program FTTE Universitas Bengkulu. A sample of 30 respondents was taken by random sampling technique. The research instrument is a questionnaire for scientific process skills and tests for understanding concepts. The hypothesis is tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The integration of PjBL has a significant influence on the scientific skills process of 0.038 with an F value of 4.524 and also has a significant influence on concept understanding at 0.018 with an F value of 0.018. It was concluded that there was an effect of the integration of PjBL on scientific process skills and conceptual understanding of Invertebrate Zoology, with a significance level of 0.05, so that it can be taken into consideration in developing learning in the Invertebrate Zoology course.

Development of scientific explanation abilities in students is an important aspect in science education. However, traditional learning methods such as textbooks and PowerPoint presentations are often less effective in improving skills due to lack of student interactivity and involvement in the learning process. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of using augmented reality media based on problem-solving frameworks to empower scientific explanation. The research design was used a Nonrandomized Control Group, Pretest-Posttest Design. The study used a quasi-experimental method with a factorial design of 2 x 2. The research sample was 72 students, one of senior high school in Indonesia. The sample was divided into two groups: the control group using two-dimensional learning media based on books, PowerPoints, and videos. The treatment group used augmented reality learning media based on problem-solving frameworks. The material used in the study is the human circulation system in biology subjects. The instrument used to obtain scientific explanation data is an essay test developed from scientific explanation indicators adapted from McKneill et al. Data analysis using ANCOVA (p=0.05%) with pre-test values as covariates. The results showed that augmented reality media based on problem-solving frameworks could empower and more significantly improve the ability of scientific explanation, this is evidenced by the average value of scientific explanation skills in the experimental class is higher than the control class.

Metacognitive skills are important because they help people develop an understanding of effective strategies. This skill also helps improve one's critical thinking and creative thinking so as to be able to overcome problems in everyday life. The purpose of this research is to train students' metacognitive skills through biology learning using the EAQD-PC learning model (acronym of exploring, analyzing, questioning, defining--peer coaching) which is integrated learning journals (LJ). This research was conducted at the University of Muhammadiyah Bone, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Using a quantitative research design, 43 students were taught by EAQD-PC-LJ. Metacognitive skills were tested with an essay test three times. Previous essay tests were validated by expert raters and tested on previous batches of students to measure empirical validity and reliability. All tests are valid and reliable. The results of the treatment showed an improvement in students' metacognitive skills through three tests. The findings of this study prove that EAQD-PC-LJ is effectively used to improve students' metacognitive skills through the learning process. Learning journals have an important role as a tool to train students' mastery of concepts and knowledge.

Non-optimal use of teaching materials and learning techniques impacts students' low skills, especially problem-solving abilities and learning independence. The study aims to develop a flipped classroom-based e-module that is feasible, practical, and effective in improving students' problem-solving skills and learning independence. This research and development use the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) model. Next, the field trial design uses a quasi-experimental method with a non-equivalent control group design, which means using two groups, namely experimental and control. The research subjects were students from SMA N 1 Seyegan who were selected using a cluster random sampling technique with a lottery system. Through drawing, class XI MIPA 3 was obtained as the control class and XI MIPA 4 as the experimental class, each consisting of 34 students. The data collection instruments used were product assessment questionnaires from material experts, media experts, biology teachers, and students, as well as independence questionnaires and problem-solving ability test instruments. Hypothesis testing was carried out using multivariate testing. The research results show that the e-module is considered suitable for use in learning based on material and media experts, is considered practical in its use according to the assessment of teachers and students, and is effective in improving problem-solving abilities and learning independence.

Creativity in biology education is a crucial aspect that enhances students' understanding of the subject. It consists of several indicators (fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration), which can also be used as measuring tools for creativity. This study aimed to determine the influence of the Problem-Oriented Project-Based Learning (POPBL) model in fostering creativity among high school students. The experiment was conducted in April until June 2023. The participants of this study consisted of 10th-grade students from State High School 1 Grogol. The cluster random sampling technique selected X6 as the control and X7 as the experimental classes. This was a quasi-experiment with a Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design, in which two groups were chosen randomly where the classes had previously been tested for equality first. The analysis employed was an analysis of the covariance test. The statistical analysis revealed that students' creativity in the experimental group was significantly higher than in the control group. Based on this study, we conclude that the POPBL model significantly improved student creativity. We suggest that with higher creativity, students will be able to solve the problems they face in life better.

The biology material on the excretory system has a high level of learning difficulty, including the complexity of the material and the high level of abstraction, which can affect students' learning process and outcomes. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the internal and external sources causing learning difficulties by conducting research that aims to interpret: 1) the level of students' learning difficulties based on the cognitive level of the excretory system material, 2) the factors causing students' learning difficulties based on the cognitive level of the excretory system material. This research is a qualitative study using an ex post facto method conducted at SMA Negeri 2 Konawe Selatan. The subjects of this research are 56 Grade XI students who experience learning difficulties, and the biology teacher. The data collection techniques used are: 1) tests, which were analyzed descriptively statistically; 2) interviews, which were analyzed through four stages: collection, reduction, display, and conclusion, followed by testing the validity of the data through triangulation. The results of this research show that: 1) Students' learning difficulties viewed from the cognitive levels of each learning indicator on the excretory system material are generally categorized as slightly difficult with a percentage of 58.93%; 2) The factors causing students' learning difficulties are students' interest in learning, students' habits during the learning process, evaluation techniques, as well as family, school, and community environmental aspects.

Modules are teaching materials designed to be studied by students independently or with minimal guidance from educators because they are equipped with their learning instructions. This study aims to determine the feasibility of teaching materials for reproductive system disorders submaterial modules from the inventory of medicinal plants that facilitate and relieve menstrual pain in Tumiang Village, Samalantan District, Bengkayang Regency. The research method was used research and development (R&D) Borg and Gall model, including potential problems, data collection, product design, design validation, and product revision. The validation of the teaching materials was done by five validators using validation sheets. The aspects assessed in the validation sheet consist of content, language, presentation, and graphics. The validation data were analyzed using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and the Content Validity Index (CVI). The results of the validation of the module's instructional materials yielded a CVR value of 1.00 for each criterion with a valid category and a CVI value of 1.00 with a valid category. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the module on reproductive system disorders from the results of the inventory of medicinal plants that facilitate and relieve menstrual pain is suitable for use as teaching material.

In the 21st century, students must have high knowledge and thinking skills which can be achieved through learning activities. This study aimed to develop a Project-Based Module (PBM) on the topic of determination, differentiation, and organogenesis that is feasible and effective in improving students' cognitive learning outcomes (CLO), critical thinking (CTS), and problem-solving skills (PSS). The module used the 4D developmental model consisting of define, design, develop, and disseminate, which then underwent validation and student response for its feasibility in terms of material adequacy, learning process, and layout design. The module was also tested for its effectiveness in improving CLO, CTS, and PSS. The result showed that the module was tested valid and categorized as "very worthy" as 91.6% by material expert, learning expert, and layout expert. Students gave excellent responses to the module as 87.77% with a very worthy category. Moreover, the independent t-test results show a significant difference in CLO (P = 0.00), CTS (P = 0.00), and PSS (P= 0.00) between the control and experimental posttest results. Thus, the project-based module improves student's CLO, CTS, and PSS in the animal development course. Further research needs to be extended for wider-scale trials to obtain maximum results.