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Articles 1 - 15 of 15
Full-Text Articles in Biology
Ne Stem 4u Afterschool Intervention Leads To Gains In Stem Content Knowledge For Middle School Youth, Christine E. Cutucache, Taylor Boham, Jamie Luhr, Amie Sommers, Nikolaus Stevenson, Erkko Sointu, Kati Mäkitalo‐Siegl, Sirpa Kärkkäinen, Teemu Valtonen, Neal Grandgenett, William Tapprich
Ne Stem 4u Afterschool Intervention Leads To Gains In Stem Content Knowledge For Middle School Youth, Christine E. Cutucache, Taylor Boham, Jamie Luhr, Amie Sommers, Nikolaus Stevenson, Erkko Sointu, Kati Mäkitalo‐Siegl, Sirpa Kärkkäinen, Teemu Valtonen, Neal Grandgenett, William Tapprich
Biology Faculty Publications
Afterschool interventions in STEM are linked to learning gains during the school day. These opportunities engage and excite students about STEM concepts since they observe a more hands-on, project-oriented approach. Often these opportunities for afterschool interventions are infrequent in nature and leave gaps for students in their maturation and understanding. Herein we describe the first report of an afterschool intervention, named NE STEM 4U, targeting socioeconomically disadvantaged middle school youth via a twice weekly, year-long intervention, studied across two years. We assessed the impact of this program on i.) short-term, individual student gains in STEM content knowledge and ii.) delivery …
The Impact Of Online Homework, Time On Homework, Gender, And Metacognition In Improving Student Achievement In Undergraduate Biology Courses, Donald Bishop Cook Jr
The Impact Of Online Homework, Time On Homework, Gender, And Metacognition In Improving Student Achievement In Undergraduate Biology Courses, Donald Bishop Cook Jr
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
This study sought to address a gap in the literature to determine whether a relationship exists between use of online homework and student achievement in undergraduate biology courses. Previous studies have examined other STEM courses, but few have considered biology. The purpose of the study was to determine whether homework grades in online homework systems can predict student achievement in introductory undergraduate biology courses. This study utilized a correlational analysis by multiple regression using archival data to determine whether final course grades in undergraduate biology courses can be predicted by grades on online homework, time spent on online homework, gender, …
Environmental Impact- Using Digital Media To Focus Student Learning, Crystal Randall, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch
Environmental Impact- Using Digital Media To Focus Student Learning, Crystal Randall, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch
Faculty Publications & Research
Environmental issues are global challenges that our students will have to address in their future. Addressing these issues through curriculum helps bring purpose to students’ learning. We have developed a capstone project in our introductory biology class that allows students to engage in these issues in a creative and personalized manner, and which asks students to not only address the biology at the core of these issues but also suggest possible solutions to the problem. In this session, we will share how we scaffold our curriculum to prepare students for this experience, as well as show examples of student work.
Engaging Students In Fundamental Biological Concepts Through Un Sustainability Goals, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch
Engaging Students In Fundamental Biological Concepts Through Un Sustainability Goals, Sowmya Anjur, Donald Dosch
Faculty Publications & Research
Advanced Biological Systems is year-long introductory biology course for Juniors at IMSA. It is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development goals, the use of which has been identified as an initiative for curriculum development. These goals help to bring purpose to students’ learning. We have identified three of the seventeen goals as guideposts for our curriculum. These are clean water and sanitation, sustainable cities and communities, and good health and well-being. In this presentation, we will share our curriculum development process and examples of instruction linked to these UN goals.
Developing A Backup Plan: Implementing A Career-Planning Course For Undergraduate Biology Majors., Julianne M. Winters, Haizhi Wang, Laura E. Duwel, Elizabeth A. Spudich, Jennifer S. Stanford
Developing A Backup Plan: Implementing A Career-Planning Course For Undergraduate Biology Majors., Julianne M. Winters, Haizhi Wang, Laura E. Duwel, Elizabeth A. Spudich, Jennifer S. Stanford
Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology Faculty Papers
Career-planning courses are known to be effective career interventions for undergraduates, but their effect on developing alternate career plans was previously unknown. Forming alternate career plans increases the likelihood that students have viable career options available to them upon graduation because it encourages students to realistically consider multiple possibilities. Here we describe a one-term career-planning course developed in the context of an undergraduate biology curriculum. We assessed whether this course promoted development of primary and alternate career plans using a pre/post survey. We saw a significant increase in the percentage of students indicating they had plans aimed at achieving primary …
Nebraska’S Wildlife Club; Nebraska Honors Program Clc Expanded Learning Opportunity Clubs, Alexandrea E. Otto
Nebraska’S Wildlife Club; Nebraska Honors Program Clc Expanded Learning Opportunity Clubs, Alexandrea E. Otto
Honors Expanded Learning Clubs
The goal of the club is to educate and explore with students the wildlife and nature that surrounds them every day. The main focus was to educate students on wildlife native to Nebraska; ranging all the way from West Nebraska to the wildlife found in cities such as Lincoln.
The Learning Loss Effect In Genetics: What Ideas Do Students Retain Or Lose After Instruction?, Amber Todd, William L. Romine
The Learning Loss Effect In Genetics: What Ideas Do Students Retain Or Lose After Instruction?, Amber Todd, William L. Romine
Biological Sciences Faculty Publications
Modern genetics is a relatively new domain, but it is increasingly important for students to have a firm grasp on the content, because genetic technologies are becoming more commonplace. In a previous study, we used the Learning Progression-based Assessment of Modern Genetics to assess high school students’ knowledge of genetics concepts after an intensive inquiry-based genetics instructional period. Given that this type of intensive inquiry-based instruction is unique, we are now investigating how students’ knowledge of genetics changes after instruction (i.e., learning loss effect). Using a six-measure longitudinal design, we found that students retained significant gains in five of the …
Yeast: The Gateway To Redefining And Improving Biology Labs, Connor Loomis
Yeast: The Gateway To Redefining And Improving Biology Labs, Connor Loomis
Biology Summer Fellows
Building off of collegiate research performed during the summer of 2018, this lesson plan outlines a lab for secondary students using yeast. Yeast is an affordable and convenient organism to introduce to secondary education, and students can learn a lot about biology through it. Essentially, the goal of the lab is for students to explore the effects of certain substances on the growth of yeast. While content is emphasized, this lesson plan also looks to build students’ understanding of science in general as well as proper laboratory skills and technique. In addition, it pushes students in their thinking as they …
Rwu Microbiologist Publishes Book On Cell-To-Cell Communication, Jill Rodrigues
Rwu Microbiologist Publishes Book On Cell-To-Cell Communication, Jill Rodrigues
Featured News Story
Avelina Espinosa co-authors work on kin discrimination and recognition in unicellular organisms.
Multiple–True–False Questions Reveal The Limits Of The Multiple–Choice Format For Detecting Students With Incomplete Understandings, Brian Couch, Joanna K. Hubbard, Chad Brassil
Multiple–True–False Questions Reveal The Limits Of The Multiple–Choice Format For Detecting Students With Incomplete Understandings, Brian Couch, Joanna K. Hubbard, Chad Brassil
School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications
By having students select one answer among several plausible options, multiple–choice (MC) questions capture a student’s preferred answer but provide little information regarding a student’s thinking on the remaining options. We conducted a crossover design experiment in which similar groups of introductory biology students were assigned verbatim questions in the MC format or multiple–true–false (MTF) format, which requires students to separately evaluate each option as either true or false. Our data reveal that nearly half of the students who select the correct MC answer likely hold incorrect understandings of the other options and that the selection rates for individual MC …
Breaking Out From Tradition: Redesign Of Large Physiology Lecture Increases Engagement, Inclusion, And Student Outcomes, Jordyn Dickey, John Redden, Kristen Kimball
Breaking Out From Tradition: Redesign Of Large Physiology Lecture Increases Engagement, Inclusion, And Student Outcomes, Jordyn Dickey, John Redden, Kristen Kimball
Honors Scholar Theses
The human digestive system is a diverse network of cells, tissues, and organs that is regulated by intrinsic (e.g. nervous and endocrine systems) and extrinsic factors (e.g. secretions, pH, and the microbiome). Given the volume of content and the dense physiology involved, this system is difficult for instructors to teach and equally challenging for students to understand. This is especially true in our two-semester Human Anatomy and Physiology course for pre-health students at the University of Connecticut. In the Spring 2017 semester, we developed and implemented an active learning based approach when teaching the histology and regulation of gastric secretions …
The Effect Of Undergraduate Biology Research Experiences And Mentoring Structures On Student Self-Efficacy, Kyle Harris
The Effect Of Undergraduate Biology Research Experiences And Mentoring Structures On Student Self-Efficacy, Kyle Harris
Doctoral Dissertations and Projects
Collaborative inquiry within undergraduate research experiences (UREs) is an effective curriculum tool to support student growth. This study seeks to understand how collaborative inquiry within undergraduate biology student experiences are affected within faculty mentored experiences and non-mentored experiences at a large private southeastern university. Undergraduate biology students engaged in UREs (faculty as mentor and non-mentor experiences) were examined for statistically significant differences in student self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was measured in three subcomponents (thinking and working like a scientist, scientific self-efficacy, and scientific identity) from student responses obtained in an online survey. Responses were analyzed using a nonparametric equivalent of a t …
Eight-Legged Encounters—Arachnids, Volunteers, And Art Help To Bridge The Gap Between Informal And Formal Science Learning, Eileen Hebets, Melissa Welch-Lazoritz, Pawl Tisdale, Patricia Wonch Hill
Eight-Legged Encounters—Arachnids, Volunteers, And Art Help To Bridge The Gap Between Informal And Formal Science Learning, Eileen Hebets, Melissa Welch-Lazoritz, Pawl Tisdale, Patricia Wonch Hill
Eileen Hebets Publications
Increased integration and synergy between formal and informal learning environments is proposed to provide multiple benefits to science learners. In an effort to better bridge these two learning contexts, we developed an educational model that employs the charismatic nature of arachnids to engage the public of all ages in science learning; learning that aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas associated with Biodiversity and Evolution). We created, implemented, and evaluated a family-focused, interactive science event—Eight-Legged Encounters (ELE)—which encompasses more than twenty modular activities. Volunteers facilitated participant involvement at each activity station and original …
Genuine Faculty-Mentored Research Experiences For In-Service Science Teachers: Increases In Science Knowledge, Perception, And Confidence Levels, Christine E. Cutucache, Heather D. Leas, Neal F. Grandgenett, Kari L. Nelson, Steven N. Rodie, Robert Duncan Shuster, Chris Schaben, William E. Tapprich
Genuine Faculty-Mentored Research Experiences For In-Service Science Teachers: Increases In Science Knowledge, Perception, And Confidence Levels, Christine E. Cutucache, Heather D. Leas, Neal F. Grandgenett, Kari L. Nelson, Steven N. Rodie, Robert Duncan Shuster, Chris Schaben, William E. Tapprich
Biology Faculty Publications
The overall purpose of this multifocused study was to explore how participation in genuine mentored scientific research experiences impacts in-service science teachers and the knowledge and skills needed for their own science teaching. The research experiences resulted from a partnership between the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Omaha Public School District. This Teacher- Researcher Partnership Program facilitated opportunities in inquiry, science content, interaction with laboratory instrumentation and technologies, critical discussion of literature, and dissemination of findings for participating in-service science teacher professional development utilizing an inquiry-based theoretical framework wherein we examined science teacher preparation via inquiry-based methods in …
Many Paths Toward Discovery: A Module For Teaching How Science Works, Rebecca M. Price, Kathryn E. Perez
Many Paths Toward Discovery: A Module For Teaching How Science Works, Rebecca M. Price, Kathryn E. Perez
Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations
Improving students' understanding of how science works requires explicit instruction. Here, we test the efficacy of a module based on two previously published activities (the "Cube Puzzle" and the case study "Asteroids and Dinosaurs") that teach how science works to college science majors. Students also use the How Science Works Flowchart from Understanding Science (http://undsci.berkeley. edu/) to reflect on these activities. To assess the efficacy of this module, we asked students to illustrate the process of science before and after the intervention. After the intervention, students' diagrams were significantly more complex and nonlinear. Students also incorporated more social aspects of …