JoinInterdisciplinary Ideas
The Intentional Integration of Computational Thinking
Science Scope—May/June 2021 (Volume 44, Issue 5)
By Raja Ridgway
from the editor's desk
Mathematics and Computational Thinking
A Bridge to STEM Careers
Science Scope—May/June 2021 (Volume 44, Issue 5)
By Patty McGinnis
Research and Teaching
Undergraduate Student Conceptions of DNA and Their Understanding of Basic Science
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2021 (Volume 50, Issue 5)
By Megan Nieberding, Sanlyn Buxner, Lisa Elfring, and Christopher Impey
An understanding of basic science is central to student success at the university level, even for students who will never work in scientific fields. Our investigation into students’ understanding of DNA is part of a larger investigation into students’ knowledge and attitudes about science. DNA and the concepts associated with it (e.g., heredity and genetic information) are necessary to interpret popular reports of biology, make health-care decisions, and to understand the spread and treatment of diseases in the world. In this research, we have built upon a previous study that looked at students enrolled in an introductory undergraduate astronomy course. The majority of these students are nonscience majors and are representative of the college-educated, general public. Unsurprisingly, the overall science knowledge scores of students who self-reported as science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) majors were higher than the scores of non-STEM majors. We have found that students arrive at college with reasonable levels of general science knowledge. However, a significant fraction seem unaware of two of the most profound insights of biology from the past few centuries: that species evolve and that DNA is the carrier of heritable information.
An understanding of basic science is central to student success at the university level, even for students who will never work in scientific fields. Our investigation into students’ understanding of DNA is part of a larger investigation into students’ knowledge and attitudes about science. DNA and the concepts associated with it (e.g., heredity and genetic information) are necessary to interpret popular reports of biology, make health-care decisions, and to understand the spread and treatment of diseases in the world.
An understanding of basic science is central to student success at the university level, even for students who will never work in scientific fields. Our investigation into students’ understanding of DNA is part of a larger investigation into students’ knowledge and attitudes about science. DNA and the concepts associated with it (e.g., heredity and genetic information) are necessary to interpret popular reports of biology, make health-care decisions, and to understand the spread and treatment of diseases in the world.
Research and Teaching
Starting at the Beginning
Student Misconceptions About Evolutionary Theory as Assessed on the First Day of Class
This study examines what prior knowledge and misconceptions about evolutionary theory students bring with them into an introductory biological anthropology course. One hundred and fifty-three students completed short, anonymous surveys about evolution on the first day of class before any content was discussed. Of a possible seven points, the average score was 3.42, indicating that students overall had an incomplete understanding of evolutionary theory. The only demographic variables that were significantly correlated with the scores were sex and previous exposure to college-level biology. This sample of students performed comparably to students from other universities in similar studies, suggesting that these students’ preexisting deficit in understanding evolution is not confined to Arkansas, the southeast, or other regions of the country reporting low acceptance of evolution and high levels of religious participation.
This study examines what prior knowledge and misconceptions about evolutionary theory students bring with them into an introductory biological anthropology course. One hundred and fifty-three students completed short, anonymous surveys about evolution on the first day of class before any content was discussed. Of a possible seven points, the average score was 3.42, indicating that students overall had an incomplete understanding of evolutionary theory.
This study examines what prior knowledge and misconceptions about evolutionary theory students bring with them into an introductory biological anthropology course. One hundred and fifty-three students completed short, anonymous surveys about evolution on the first day of class before any content was discussed. Of a possible seven points, the average score was 3.42, indicating that students overall had an incomplete understanding of evolutionary theory.
Research and Teaching
The Effect of Online Instruction in an Introductory Anatomy and Physiology Course and Implications for Online Laboratory Instruction in Health Field Prerequisites
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2021 (Volume 50, Issue 5)
By Patrick Brown and Jonathan Peterson
Education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is increasingly online, even the laboratory components of STEM courses. As online laboratory education trends upward in terms of enrollment and variety of course offerings, the central question remains: Is online equivalent to a traditional face-to-face (F2F) lab experience? In this study we conducted a retrospective analysis of student performance in an asynchronous online introductory Anatomy and Physiology course with about half of the students opting for a traditional F2F lab and the other half an asynchronous online lab. Although student demographics and level of preparation (incoming GPA) were nearly identical, students enrolled in the F2F laboratory section outperformed their peers in two of three course exams and in both laboratory practical exams. Our data indicate that the type of cognitive task being asked of the student is the main determinant in the efficacy of an online laboratory experience.
Education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is increasingly online, even the laboratory components of STEM courses. As online laboratory education trends upward in terms of enrollment and variety of course offerings, the central question remains: Is online equivalent to a traditional face-to-face (F2F) lab experience?
Education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is increasingly online, even the laboratory components of STEM courses. As online laboratory education trends upward in terms of enrollment and variety of course offerings, the central question remains: Is online equivalent to a traditional face-to-face (F2F) lab experience?
Research and Teaching
Peer-Led Team Learning as Educational Tool for First-Year Biology Students
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2021 (Volume 50, Issue 5)
By Lillian Arvelo-Márquez, Ana T. Méndez-Merced, José Monterrubio-Álvarez, Karlo Malavé-Llamas, Lilliam Lizardi-O’Neill, Ezequiel De J. Bayuelo-Flórez, and José Soto-Sonera
This article reports the findings of the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) model intervention study in an introductory biology course at a Puerto Rican private university. PLTL introduces to the traditional class format an additional workshop session in which students interact in small groups to solve challenging exercises under the guidance of a peer leader. The questions to be answered are: (1) Does PLTL advance the understanding and learning of biology concepts? (2) Does PLTL increase the number of students passing the course? The methodology consisted of a quantitative approach comparing differences between control (non-PLTL) and experimental (PLTL) groups. Data collection included: final grades, pretests/posttests, opinion questionnaires, and postsession quizzes. The analysis showed an increase in the percent of successful final grades and quizzes, and less dropouts of PLTL over non-PLTL groups. A significant gain of learning was observed between pretest and posttest of both groups (P ≤ 0.05), with no difference among groups. Students’ questionnaires resulted in a higher percentage of positive opinion for the PLTL model. In conclusion, PLTL is a positive educational model for students who struggle to succeed in their introductory science courses.
This article reports the findings of the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) model intervention study in an introductory biology course at a Puerto Rican private university. PLTL introduces to the traditional class format an additional workshop session in which students interact in small groups to solve challenging exercises under the guidance of a peer leader. The questions to be answered are: (1) Does PLTL advance the understanding and learning of biology concepts? (2) Does PLTL increase the number of students passing the course?
This article reports the findings of the Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) model intervention study in an introductory biology course at a Puerto Rican private university. PLTL introduces to the traditional class format an additional workshop session in which students interact in small groups to solve challenging exercises under the guidance of a peer leader. The questions to be answered are: (1) Does PLTL advance the understanding and learning of biology concepts? (2) Does PLTL increase the number of students passing the course?
Research and Teaching
Symbols in Physics
Difficulties Experienced by First-Year Undergraduate Students
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2021 (Volume 50, Issue 5)
By Meredith Begg and Robyn Pierce
Symbols are a cornerstone of the written language of physics and mathematics but inconsistencies in their use pose a challenge to students. This article reports on interviews held with first-year undergraduate physics students, focused on their early experiences with symbols in university physics. Students reported being confused by the symbolic aspects of their studies in physics over and above the concepts being taught. Many students commented on experiencing difficulties, as the symbolic notation used in high school mathematics and physics differed to their tertiary experiences. Additionally, the extent of the multiple uses of a single symbol, and the multiple symbols used for a single concept were at times problematic for students. These experiences highlight the need for greater attention to be focused on early undergraduate students’ prior symbolic knowledge, and the formation of explicit connections between the varied nomenclature both within physics, and between physics and mathematics.
Symbols are a cornerstone of the written language of physics and mathematics but inconsistencies in their use pose a challenge to students. This article reports on interviews held with first-year undergraduate physics students, focused on their early experiences with symbols in university physics. Students reported being confused by the symbolic aspects of their studies in physics over and above the concepts being taught.
Symbols are a cornerstone of the written language of physics and mathematics but inconsistencies in their use pose a challenge to students. This article reports on interviews held with first-year undergraduate physics students, focused on their early experiences with symbols in university physics. Students reported being confused by the symbolic aspects of their studies in physics over and above the concepts being taught.
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The Undergraduate Teacher-Scholar Program
Comparing Near-Peer and Non Near-Peer Instructors in Laboratory Courses
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2021 (Volume 50, Issue 5)
By Sara M. Bourne, Sean Limfat, Sneha Dilip, Seoyoung Han, MaryAnn T. Robak, Peter Marsden, and Anne M. Baranger
Peer learning programs have been developed to support many introductory science courses by providing additional instruction and engagement. These programs are beneficial to both learners and instructors, providing content learning and confidence and attitudinal gains. There is evidence that the benefits of peer learning are higher when students are taught by a near-peer instructor who is close to the learner in age and experience. Building on this existing evidence, a peer learning program, the Undergraduate Teacher-Scholar (UGTS) Program, was created, involving both graduate student and near-peer instructors teaching in the same discussion or laboratory section. This format creates a vertical learning community within the course structure. The Teacher-Scholar program provides the opportunity to compare the roles of graduate student and near-peer instructors teaching the same students the same instructional material. We report differences and similarities in the perceived roles of the graduate student and near-peer instructors by all of the stakeholders involved in the program. Both graduate student and near-peer instructors are valued by students; however, the near-peer instructors provide mentorship and role model qualities that are not replaced by a graduate student instructor.
Peer learning programs have been developed to support many introductory science courses by providing additional instruction and engagement. These programs are beneficial to both learners and instructors, providing content learning and confidence and attitudinal gains. There is evidence that the benefits of peer learning are higher when students are taught by a near-peer instructor who is close to the learner in age and experience.
Peer learning programs have been developed to support many introductory science courses by providing additional instruction and engagement. These programs are beneficial to both learners and instructors, providing content learning and confidence and attitudinal gains. There is evidence that the benefits of peer learning are higher when students are taught by a near-peer instructor who is close to the learner in age and experience.
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Beam Analysis in Statics Courses Using ReshmoBeam
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2021 (Volume 50, Issue 5)
By Joel Hernandez, Rafael Niyazov, and Kibrewossen Tesfagiorgis
This article describes the use and advantages of the MATLAB-based program ReshmoBeam, developed to perform beam analysis, as it is done in statics courses of engineering curricula. An important goal of the article is to facilitate the dissemination of the program among faculty teaching these courses. The program is offered free to interested faculty for potential application in their courses. The program is not intended to compete with existing software for this purpose. Existing programs can be comprehensive; however, the user must pay to use all or some of their features. ReshmoBeam covers a limited, but important range of situations in beam analysis. The program determines the reactions at the beam supports, the shear and bending moment values at points specified by the user if desired, and the maximum values of shear and bending moment. The program also generates the loading, shear, and bending moment diagrams for the beam situation under analysis. Students can quickly verify the correctness of their manual calculations and also explore a diverse range of loading conditions. Furthermore, its use could facilitate a deeper understanding of the material taught in the course.
This article describes the use and advantages of the MATLAB-based program ReshmoBeam, developed to perform beam analysis, as it is done in statics courses of engineering curricula. An important goal of the article is to facilitate the dissemination of the program among faculty teaching these courses. The program is offered free to interested faculty for potential application in their courses. The program is not intended to compete with existing software for this purpose. Existing programs can be comprehensive; however, the user must pay to use all or some of their features.
This article describes the use and advantages of the MATLAB-based program ReshmoBeam, developed to perform beam analysis, as it is done in statics courses of engineering curricula. An important goal of the article is to facilitate the dissemination of the program among faculty teaching these courses. The program is offered free to interested faculty for potential application in their courses. The program is not intended to compete with existing software for this purpose. Existing programs can be comprehensive; however, the user must pay to use all or some of their features.
Point of View
Best Professional Development for Online Faculty? Take an Online Course
Journal of College Science Teaching—May/June 2021 (Volume 50, Issue 5)
By Cheston Saunders
Numerous professional development programs exist to equip science faculty with the skills and knowledge to effectively teach online. An effective way to explore new content while gaining an understanding of the student perspective is to enroll in an online science course.
Numerous professional development programs exist to equip science faculty with the skills and knowledge to effectively teach online. An effective way to explore new content while gaining an understanding of the student perspective is to enroll in an online science course.
Numerous professional development programs exist to equip science faculty with the skills and knowledge to effectively teach online. An effective way to explore new content while gaining an understanding of the student perspective is to enroll in an online science course.