Digital Commons Network^™

Employing Ai To Enhance In-Class Role Playing Scenarios, Eric Fournier

Generative AI Teaching Activities

Role playing can deepen student’s engagement with course content and help them develop skills while learning course material. Students will use AI to develop their characters and help them craft compelling arguments in the role-play scenarios

Ahead Of His Time: Joseph Grinnell, Natural History, And Inclusion And Equity In Stem, David O. Ribble

Biology Faculty Research

Joseph Grinnell designed the Natural History of the Vertebrates (NHV) course at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California at Berkeley, over 100 years ago and the course has changed little over these years. In this essay, I connect modern pedagogical and cognitive understandings of what we know leads to success among students to the course. This analysis reveals that the course continues to be successful because it has all the elements of a student-centered, active-learning class that leads to better cognitive gains, better retention, and importantly, proportionately better gains for students from underserved populations. This study will be …

Revisiting Clickers: In-Class Questions Followed By At-Home Reflections Are Associated With Higher Student Performance On Related Exam Questions, Dana L. Kirkwood-Watts, Emily K. Bremers, Emily Robinson, Kathleen R. Brazeal, Brian Couch

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Clicker questions are a commonly used active learning technique that stimulates student interactions to help advance understanding of key concepts. Clicker questions are often administered with an initial vote, peer discussion, and a second vote, followed by broader classroom explanation. While clickers can promote learning, some studies have questioned whether students maintain this performance on later exams, highlighting the need to further understand how student answer patterns relate to their understanding of the material and to identify ways for clickers to benefit a broader range of students. Systematic requizzing of concepts during at-home assignments represents a promising mechanism to improve …

Roles Matter: Graduate Student Perceptions Of Active Learning In The Stem Courses They Take And Those They Teach, Lorelei E. Patrick, Leigh Ann Howell, Everett William Wischusen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Despite many calls to reform undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education to incorporate active learning into classes, there has been little attention paid to graduate level classrooms or courses taught by graduate students. Here, we set out to understand if and how STEM graduate students’ perceptions of active learning change in the classes they take versus those they teach. We found that graduate students had taken relatively few graduate level classes using active learning and they felt that more time should be devoted to active learning in the courses they were taking. Teaching assistants felt that they were …

Can Learning Be Enhanced With Active Seating?, Judy Beard, Kirk Mathias

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

Overweightness continues to increase at an exponential rate in children. This coupled with the demand to increase academic time in elementary schools has contributed to efforts to discover solutions that meet both challenges. Potential solutions are movement curricula and active seating options. However, little has been published relative to best practices of their implementation. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to discuss the lessons learned while utilizing pedal desks in first and second grade classrooms as stations and whole class seating. Additionally, two different types of heart rate monitors (Polar Oh1 and IHT Spirit) were employed, in an attempt …

Deep Active Learning For Classifying Cancer Pathology Reports, Kevin De Angeli, Shang Gao, Mohammed Alawad, Hong‑Jun Yoon, Noah Schaeferkoetter, Xiao‑Cheng Wu, Eric B. Durbin, Jennifer Doherty, Antoinette Stroup, Linda Coyle, Lynne Penberthy, Georgia Tourassi

Kentucky Cancer Registry Faculty Publications

Background: Automated text classification has many important applications in the clinical setting; however, obtaining labelled data for training machine learning and deep learning models is often difficult and expensive. Active learning techniques may mitigate this challenge by reducing the amount of labelled data required to effectively train a model. In this study, we analyze the effectiveness of 11 active learning algorithms on classifying subsite and histology from cancer pathology reports using a Convolutional Neural Network as the text classification model.

Results: We compare the performance of each active learning strategy using two differently sized datasets and two different classification tasks. …

Student Perceptions Of An Inquiry‐Based Molecular Biology Lecture And Lab Following A Mid‐Semester Transition To Online Teaching, Jeremy L. Hsu, Melissa Rowland-Goldsmith

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The transition to online learning in spring 2020 was abrupt for both students and instructors. While many instructors moved to asynchronous classes, some institutions relied more heavily on synchronous online courses. Here, we evaluate student perceptions of an inquiry‐based molecular biology lecture and lab course following this transition by comparing student survey responses from spring 2019, when the lecture and lab were fully in person, to spring 2020, when the lecture and lab started in person before transitioning to a synchronous online format. Students were asked to identify the main factors that supported their learning in lecture and lab, characterize …

Pedagogical Approaches And Instructional Content That Predict Increased Acceptance Of Biological Evolution In University Students, Clinton Thomas Laidlaw

Theses and Dissertations

Evolution is the central organizing theory of biology. Without evolutionary theory, biology becomes a somewhat tangential assemblage of facts about living organisms, which is precisely how it is viewed by many students. Many teachers teach evolution in a limited capacity or avoid it entirely due to fear of opposition, lack of confidence in their own understanding, or lack of acceptance of the theory themselves. When evolution is not taught, or is not accepted, it cannot be utilized to make sense of the field, and is quickly forgotten by students. While some studies have shown a correlation between instruction about evolution …

Use Of Embark Database And An Active Learning Protocol In A High School Classroom, Landon Goodreau

Honors Theses

With advances in technology, personal genome sequencing has become more affordable than ever before. With this wealth of genetic information come new individualized approaches to medicine and pharmacology, along with moral, legal, and ethical issues to carefully consider. Yet studies suggest that most members of the general public do not have the genetic literacy required to understand the implications of genomic data. It is important that today’s students are able to grasp concepts relating to their own genome to make informed medical decisions in the future. Here I describe an active learning-based activity designed to enhance high school students’ understanding …

An Experiential Report On The Thayer Method Of Teaching Across College-Level Chemistry, Biology, Math, And Physics Courses, Kevin P. O'Halloran, Sairam Tangirala, Fengjie Sun, Leonard E. Anagho, Gerald Agbegha, Clay Runck, David Roth, Amy H. Erickson

Georgia Journal of Science

The Thayer method of instruction is a little-known active learning technique that dates back to 1817 at the U.S. Military Academy. This study describes the implementation and statistical evaluation of an adaptation of the Thayer method in a variety of college science and math courses. All courses had five characteristics in common: (i) students were given a daily reading schedule and instructed to prepare before class, (ii) each class started with a question and answer session, (iii) class time minimized the use of lecture, (iv) class time maximized the use of active learning, and (v) students were frequently quizzed. A …

Using Active Learning To Build A Foundation For Bioinformatics Training., Stacey E. Wahl Ph.D., Amy L. Olex Ms

Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students

As Health Sciences Libraries evolve, the support they offer graduate students has evolved to incorporate many aspects of the research life cycle. At Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, we have partnered with the Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research to offer training workshops for graduate students who are interested in using bioinformatics to plan, analyze, or execute scientific experiments. We offer two series: 1) an 8-week, 1-hour per week seminar series providing a general overview of available techniques and 2) a week-long intensive, two hours per session, series on utilizing free databases from the National Center for Biotechnology …

Smaller Classes Promote Equitable Student Participation In Stem, Cissy J. Ballen, Stepfanie M. Aguillon, Azza Awwad, Anne E. Bjune, Daniel Challou, Abby Grace Drake, Michelle Driessen, Aziza Ellozy, Vivian E. Ferry, Emma E. Goldberg, William Harcombe, Steve Jensen, Christian Jørgensen, Zoe Koth, Suzanne Mcgaugh, Caroline Mitry, Bryan Mosher, Hoda Mostafa, Renee H. Petipas, Paula A.G. Soneral, Shana Watters, Deena Wassenberg, Stacey L. Weiss, Azariah Yonas, Kelly R. Zamudio, Sehoya Cotner

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

As science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms in higher education transition from lecturing to active learning, the frequency of student interactions in class increases. Previous research documents a gender bias in participation, with women participating less than would be expected on the basis of their numeric proportions. In the present study, we asked which attributes of the learning environment contribute to decreased female participation: The abundance of in-class interactions, the diversity of interactions, the proportion of women in class, the instructor's gender, the class size, and whether the course targeted lower division (first and second year) or upper division …

Student Perceptions Of Reasons For Lecture And Active Learning, Calan Koch

Honors Theses

With perceived student resistance to active learning in the classroom, instructors are hesitant to implement such methods into their classroom structure despite how effective they may be. This research seeks to understand student perceptions related to the transition to higher prevalence of active learning techniques. We aimed to find answers to how students perceive the ideal classroom to be structured, what reasons they perceive for lecture and active learning components, and possible explanations to concerns of groupwork during class time. We analyzed 64 interviews with undergraduate biology students at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, developed coding rubrics from commonly found …

Application And Comparison Of Active Learning Implementation Methods In Biochemistry Education, Dylan Thibaut

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Biochemistry has continued to be one of the most complex and important subjects in science education. The purpose of this research is to investigate active learning implementation methods in a Biochemistry I context to determine the most effective means of preparing current science undergraduates. Two Biochemistry I classes over two semesters were analyzed in this study, with class A using a variable active learning schedule and class B using a consistent active learning schedule. Four aspects were analyzed to determine active learning validity: perception of different active learning properties, standardized final exam grades, class grade, and teaching implementation. The consistent …

Examining The Understanding Of Inquiry-Based Learning And Teaching Among Undergraduate Teachers And Students, Maren Hudson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the main aims of inquiry is to engage students as active, not passive, participants in science. The purpose of this study is to describe science educators’ and students’ views about inquiry-based instruction in order to better understand and improve implementation of evidence-based teaching strategies. Inquiry-based techniques have been shown to improve student understanding of scientific concepts, yet, there continue to be challenges in implementing these techniques. This research project utilizes Q Methodology, a research method that captures both common and disparate measures of subjectivity, to identify commonalities and defining viewpoints about inquiry-based teaching and learning. Three significantly different …

Assessment Of Genetic And Education Recovery Plan Objectives For The Bog Turtle (Glyptemys Muhlenbergii), Cassie Marie Dresser

Doctoral Dissertations

Unprecedented declines in biodiversity are threatening the natural world as we know it. Without human intervention, two thousand species listed under the US Endangered Species Act are likely to disappear. Fortunately, these species receive federal protection and increased research effort is needed to create and satisfy the objectives outlined in the mandated Species Recovery Plan. In this dissertation, I address three conservation objectives outlined in the Recovery Plan for North America’s smallest and rarest turtle, the Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii): (1) investigate the potential genetic differentiation in southern portions of the species’ range, (2) investigate the genetic impacts …

Exposing Problems Teaching Students Morphological Species Identification, Trevor Stamper, Lauren Weidner, Gregory Nigoghosian, Ludmila D. Nunes

IMPACT Presentations

When dealing with physical remains, morphological assessment for species is a traditional approach to entomological specimen identification. A dichotomous key guides the user through taxa determination for a specimen by providing a series of dual-choice nodes that center around morphological differences. Each nodal choice leads to either a new set of dichotomous choices or a taxa decision. We evaluated student’s ability to utilize a dichotomous key down to species for a limited set of taxa, by reviewing their nodal decisions along with their confidence level using a Likert scale (1-5).

Along with individual decision recording, students conducted a post-decision group …

Perceptions Of Sport Science Students On The Potential Applications And Limitations Of Blended Learning In Their Education: A Qualitative Study, Justin Keogh, Lisa Gowthorp, Michelle Mclean

Justin Keogh

Perceptions Of Sport Science Students On The Potential Applications And Limitations Of Blended Learning In Their Education: A Qualitative Study, Justin Keogh, Lisa Gowthorp, Michelle Mclean

Lisa Gowthorp

Perceptions Of Sport Science Students On The Potential Applications And Limitations Of Blended Learning In Their Education: A Qualitative Study, Justin Keogh, Lisa Gowthorp, Michelle Mclean

Michelle McLean

Inclusive Teaching Strategies: An Evaluation Of Course Structure And Summative Assessment In Introductory Biology, Oluwaseun O. Agboola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Several active learning strategies have been used when increasing the structure of a course as increasing course structure has been known to improve student learning in introductory STEM courses. Much has been studied on the value of frequent formative assessment; however, few studies have evaluated the effective modes of delivering summative assessment. This study examines the use of summative assessment as an inclusive teaching practice to improve first generation college student success in introductory biology and also uses faculty surveys to find out how instructors structure their introductory biology course and why they are structured that way. Final exams were …

Gamifying A First Year Biology Lab Library Session, Lisa Rose-Wiles, Veronica Amour

Praxis Presentations

Three years of work with a Biology lab course suggests that an embedded librarian has a positive impact on some student research skills. However, student feedback indicated that students want more interactive library sessions. The science librarian worked with an instructional designer to introduce elements of “gamification” into a library presentation and other library materials. In fall 2016 the science librarian integrated Top Hat, a teaching platform designed to help professors engage students, into library sessions for 16 biology labs. She also introduced Bernard Lonergan's Generalized Empirical Method (GEM) as a research framework. In this session we report on the …

Bayesian Causal Inference Of Cell Signal Transduction From Proteomics Experiments, Robert D. O. Ness

Open Access Dissertations

Cell signal transduction describes how a cell senses and processes signals from the environment using networks of interacting proteins. In computational systems biology, investigators apply machine learning methods for causal inference to develop causal Bayesian network models of signal transduction from experimental data. Directed edges in the network represent causal regulatory relationships, and the model can be used to predict the effects of interventions to signal transduction. Causal inference approaches applied to proteomics experiments use statistical associations between observed signaling protein concentrations to infer a causal Bayesian network model, but there is no experimental and analysis framework for applying these …

Comparing Game Simulation To Concept Models For Student-Centered Learning In Biology, Margaurete Romero

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Science education research continues to demonstrate improved learning with active-learning techniques compared to lectures. However, the question of which active-learning methods are the most effective for learning complex scientific principles in various context still remains. Models are commonly used in activities that allow students to simplify complex systems and understand how components interact. I investigated the outcomes for student learning and engagement of two model-based activities - concept models and game simulations. The activities were conducted in an introductory biology course in sixteen discussion sections. Eight sections were assigned to the concept model activity and eight to the simulation activity. …

Sequence Annotation & Designing Gene-Specific Qpcr Primers (Computational), Ray A. Enke

Ray Enke Ph.D.

• Obtaining and annotating genomic DNA and mRNA sequence information
• Designing primers for quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis of a cDNA library

Qpcr Primer Standard Curve Assay (Wet Lab) + Kegg Pathway Analysis (Computational), Ray A. Enke

Ray Enke Ph.D.

• analyzing qPCR standard curve data to determine primer efficiency
• analyzing differential gene expression experimental qPCR data
• applying KEGG pathway analysis of selected candidates genes

Perceptions Of Active Learning Between Faculty And Undergraduates: Differing Views Among Departments, Lorelei E. Patrick, Leigh Ann Howell, William Wischusen

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

There have been numerous calls recently to increase the use of active learning in university science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) classrooms to more actively engage students and enhance student learning. However, few studies have investigated faculty and student perceptions regarding the effectiveness of active learning or the barriers to its implementation. Previous work surveying a single class in a single department has suggested that faculty and students have different perceptions of the effectiveness of active learning strategies and the barriers faculty face when implementing these teaching strategies. We expand on these previous findings by surveying a larger and more …

Traditional Vs. Flipped Library Instruction For The Life Sciences, Michael C. Goates, Megan Frost, Gregory M. Nelson

Faculty Publications

We compared search statement development between traditional lecture and flipped instruction sessions using two separate flipped models. Students in lecture sessions scored significantly higher on developing search statements than those in the flipped model 1 sessions. However, student scores were not significantly different between the lecture and the flipped model 2 sessions. Reasons for lower flipped-session scores may include a lack of student accountability, strong preference for a live demonstration, and disconnections between online tutorial content and in-class collaborative activities. Students in all sessions expressed a strong preference for pedagogies that incorporate elements from both lecture and flipped methodologies. Librarians …

Qpcr Analysis Of Differential Gene Expression (Wet Lab), Raymond A. Enke

Ray Enke Ph.D.

• Analyze qPCR data to determine normalized gene expression for candidate genes identified from an RNA-Seq data set
• Set up additional or repeat experimental qPCR reactions
• Create a draft poster outlining the methods & data collected during the 6-week RNA-Seq analysis lab module

1st Strand Cdna Synthesis From Total Rna (Wet Lab), Raymond A. Enke

Ray Enke Ph.D.