JoinResearch & Teaching
Nonmajor Students’ Use of Reflection to Enhance Biology Understanding and Relevance
Journal of College Science Teaching—July/August 2023 (Volume 52, Issue 6)
By Nicole J. Thomas, Tina Vo, and Jaime Sabel
Although most students in nonmajor biology courses will not enter careers in science, they will need a working understanding of biology and how it relates to their lives to make informed decisions on important topics that will affect their lives, including food, environment, energy, and health. This research seeks to improve on nonmajors’ understanding of biology and how it relates to their personal lives. This study was conducted in a biology course for nonmajors at a large urban university in the mid-South. Students were asked to provide written responses and thoughts on a curated set of popular science articles. Student participants provided a total of three article reviews and two reflection papers over the course of 1 semester. These data were qualitatively coded and assessed for recurring themes both on an individual student level as well as across student cases. Our findings suggest that the students who were able to establish personal connections to biology through reading and reflection were more likely to form an interest and understanding of biology as a whole over the course of the semester.
Although most students in nonmajor biology courses will not enter careers in science, they will need a working understanding of biology and how it relates to their lives to make informed decisions on important topics that will affect their lives, including food, environment, energy, and health. This research seeks to improve on nonmajors’ understanding of biology and how it relates to their personal lives. This study was conducted in a biology course for nonmajors at a large urban university in the mid-South.
Although most students in nonmajor biology courses will not enter careers in science, they will need a working understanding of biology and how it relates to their lives to make informed decisions on important topics that will affect their lives, including food, environment, energy, and health. This research seeks to improve on nonmajors’ understanding of biology and how it relates to their personal lives. This study was conducted in a biology course for nonmajors at a large urban university in the mid-South.
Research & Teaching
Biology Students’ Views of Science Communication
A Reflective Approach to Oral Communication in Undergraduate Education
Journal of College Science Teaching—July/August 2023 (Volume 52, Issue 6)
By Alandeom W. Oliveira, Adam O. Brown, Marissa Carroll, Elizabeth Blenkarn, Bradley Austin, and Tiffany Bretzlaff
Educational efforts to promote effective oral science communication at the undergraduate level tend to reinforce strategies related to impression management. Students are taught tactics that can be used to create the impression of competent science communication without reflectively considering epistemological beliefs. Deeper aspects of oral science communication, including underlying epistemic functions, are overlooked. In this article, we examine an undergraduate biology course that includes student reflection about the nature of science communication. Rather than treating science communication as a task of impression management, we prompted students to reflect on their views of science communication. Our findings show that students’ oral performances while they give presentations aligned with their personal views of what it means to communicate scientifically. Viewing science communication primarily as a verbal craft (i.e., an activity with a specialized verbal design) encouraged students to make effective use of verbal strategies during presentations. By contrast, students’ tendency to overlook visual communication in scientific exchanges led to visual performances in need of improvement. Our findings highlight the need for instructional approaches that offer students opportunities to engage in reflective discussions about what it means to communicate scientifically.
Educational efforts to promote effective oral science communication at the undergraduate level tend to reinforce strategies related to impression management. Students are taught tactics that can be used to create the impression of competent science communication without reflectively considering epistemological beliefs. Deeper aspects of oral science communication, including underlying epistemic functions, are overlooked. In this article, we examine an undergraduate biology course that includes student reflection about the nature of science communication.
Educational efforts to promote effective oral science communication at the undergraduate level tend to reinforce strategies related to impression management. Students are taught tactics that can be used to create the impression of competent science communication without reflectively considering epistemological beliefs. Deeper aspects of oral science communication, including underlying epistemic functions, are overlooked. In this article, we examine an undergraduate biology course that includes student reflection about the nature of science communication.
Research & Teaching
Research Project-Based Learning in Meteorology Using an Online Severe Weather Events Archive
Journal of College Science Teaching—July/August 2023 (Volume 52, Issue 6)
By Joby Hilliker and Shannon Hilliker
This article presents a semester-long, interdisciplinary project-based learning (PBL) suitable for secondary and postsecondary students enrolled in a second-semester (i.e., intermediate) meteorology course. This case-study approach builds on the research question “What atmospheric conditions lead to tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds locally?” Students work collaboratively in a series of five activities, using an online database analyzing map and weather data from a subset of severe weather events. Students synthesize the data by identifying the severe qualitative weather variables that appeared most frequently among the cases and modify, if necessary, accepted threshold values for the quantitative variables. Students finalize the project via an oral presentation and technical paper to transform their newly discovered knowledge into improved severe weather forecasting guidance for societal benefit. An analysis of pre- and postsurvey responses from a small student sample reveals increases in both the comfort and experience of the PBL’s components, with the oral presentation showing the most significant impact. After the project, students could identify in greater depth those antecedent atmospheric conditions that generate tornadoes, hail, and strong winds.
This article presents a semester-long, interdisciplinary project-based learning (PBL) suitable for secondary and postsecondary students enrolled in a second-semester (i.e., intermediate) meteorology course. This case-study approach builds on the research question “What atmospheric conditions lead to tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds locally?” Students work collaboratively in a series of five activities, using an online database analyzing map and weather data from a subset of severe weather events.
This article presents a semester-long, interdisciplinary project-based learning (PBL) suitable for secondary and postsecondary students enrolled in a second-semester (i.e., intermediate) meteorology course. This case-study approach builds on the research question “What atmospheric conditions lead to tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds locally?” Students work collaboratively in a series of five activities, using an online database analyzing map and weather data from a subset of severe weather events.
Research & Teaching
Perceptions of Teaching and Learning of STEM Revealed in University Academics’ Drawings
Journal of College Science Teaching—July/August 2023 (Volume 52, Issue 6)
By Vesife Hatisaru, Andrew Seen, and Sharon Fraser
As part of a larger study investigating the perceptions of university academics about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); STEM learning environments; and necessary capabilities for STEM educators at a university, this article reports a sample of academics’ perceptions of STEM and its teaching and learning, as gleaned from their Draw a STEM Learning Environment (D-STEM) depictions and associated texts. The analysis of participants’ perceptions of STEM—conducted both deductively, using research-informed understandings of STEM education, and inductively, through the identification of emerging ideas—indicated that most participants displayed quite limited understandings of STEM education, with few having an awareness of its power for enabling transdisciplinary learning. Both informed representations of STEM and evidence of STEM pedagogical competence were rare. The fact that engaging with the D-STEM instrument was perceived positively by many participants highlights its potential for inclusion in professional learning experiences for academics.
As part of a larger study investigating the perceptions of university academics about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); STEM learning environments; and necessary capabilities for STEM educators at a university, this article reports a sample of academics’ perceptions of STEM and its teaching and learning, as gleaned from their Draw a STEM Learning Environment (D-STEM) depictions and associated texts.
As part of a larger study investigating the perceptions of university academics about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); STEM learning environments; and necessary capabilities for STEM educators at a university, this article reports a sample of academics’ perceptions of STEM and its teaching and learning, as gleaned from their Draw a STEM Learning Environment (D-STEM) depictions and associated texts.
Research & Teaching
An Undergraduate Independent Study Project
Using a Lateral Flow Assay to Detect Troponin
Journal of College Science Teaching—July/August 2023 (Volume 52, Issue 6)
By Ellie Schilling, Joy Sandman, Rida Sait, April Stich, Kwaku Baryeh, and Gifty Blankson
A lateral flow assay was designed and optimized as an independent study project that aimed to develop an assay for the qualitative detection of troponin assay. Lateral flow assays (the classic example being a pregnancy test) have the advantage of being rapid, specific, and user-friendly. They are composed of an absorbent pad, a nitrocellulose membrane, a conjugate pad, and a sample pad with laminated backing. The nitrocellulose membrane is marked with antibodies at a control line and test line, which change color to red when troponin is detected. When there is no troponin, only the control line changes color. We systematically developed the device by conjugating gold nanoparticles to a cardiac troponin antibody and tested for the presence and absence of troponin. The device we assembled allowed for troponin detection at a 500 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) concentration with a red color development at both control and test lines.
A lateral flow assay was designed and optimized as an independent study project that aimed to develop an assay for the qualitative detection of troponin assay. Lateral flow assays (the classic example being a pregnancy test) have the advantage of being rapid, specific, and user-friendly. They are composed of an absorbent pad, a nitrocellulose membrane, a conjugate pad, and a sample pad with laminated backing. The nitrocellulose membrane is marked with antibodies at a control line and test line, which change color to red when troponin is detected.
A lateral flow assay was designed and optimized as an independent study project that aimed to develop an assay for the qualitative detection of troponin assay. Lateral flow assays (the classic example being a pregnancy test) have the advantage of being rapid, specific, and user-friendly. They are composed of an absorbent pad, a nitrocellulose membrane, a conjugate pad, and a sample pad with laminated backing. The nitrocellulose membrane is marked with antibodies at a control line and test line, which change color to red when troponin is detected.
Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, July 25, 2023
By Debra Shapiro
Volume 52, Number 6
Volume 52, Number 6
Volume 52, Number 6
Volume 90, Number 6
Engaging All Students in Our Science Classes
Making science engaging for ALL students requires each of us to know our students as learners with individual interests and identities.
Volume 90, Number 6
Engaging All Students in Our Science Classes
Making science engaging for ALL students requires each of us to know our students as learners with individual interests and identities.
Volume 90, Number 6
Engaging All Students in Our Science Classes
Making science engaging for ALL students requires each of us to know our students as learners with individual interests and identities.
point of view
How I Inadvertently Misled Some Students
Clear key results and simple figures have clear advantages when teaching. However, these same properties can mislead some students. I provide examples from my presentation on the body mass index, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maps of the prevalence of obesity, changes in blood flow to organs when someone moves from rest to exercise, and nutritional values of food. These examples show how simple figures and an emphasis on only major points actually hinder some students’ ability to appreciate other dimensions of an issue as they examine data.
Clear key results and simple figures have clear advantages when teaching. However, these same properties can mislead some students. I provide examples from my presentation on the body mass index, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maps of the prevalence of obesity, changes in blood flow to organs when someone moves from rest to exercise, and nutritional values of food.
Clear key results and simple figures have clear advantages when teaching. However, these same properties can mislead some students. I provide examples from my presentation on the body mass index, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maps of the prevalence of obesity, changes in blood flow to organs when someone moves from rest to exercise, and nutritional values of food.
feature
Improving Writing Skills Through Scripting a Science Podcast for Non-Expert Audiences
Journal of College Science Teaching—July/August 2023 (Volume 52, Issue 6)
By Carolina Sotério and Salete Linhares Queiroz
In this article, we describe and analyze the experience of undergraduate chemistry students who scripted episodes of a science podcast for non-expert audiences. This practice aimed to improve public communication of science and technology, often suppressed throughout science careers but relevant for developing critical thinking. In particular, the script analysis focused on writing strategies used by students to promote suitability to the target audience. In this process, the students were responsible for searching for themes, scripting, and submitting episodes to a local radio station to record and broadcast. We compare feedback from students, experts, and listeners, showing an influence of current issues; a prevalence of interlocution, colloquialism, and apposition as language features; an awareness of using jargon; and a suitability to non-experts.