Education Commons^™

Posters As An Effective Assessment Tool For A Capstone Course, David Gosselin, Doug Golick

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

A rubric was developed to assess student posters as a mechanism to evaluate learning outcomes for a senior capstone course. The analytic rubric allows for the efficient and systematic collection of data from posters by students who worked across a variety of disciplines including the physical, biological, Earth sciences, social science, and the humanities. The rubric effectively addressed a fundamental assumption and requirement put forth during rubric development, that is, it needs to be relatively easy to use without training while at the same time producing consistent results across evaluators. The overall Chronbach’s alpha of 0.80 across semesters indicates acceptable …

In Their Own Words: The Significance Of Participant Perceptions In Assessing Entomology Citizen Science Learning Outcomes Using A Mixed Methods Approach, Louise I. Lynch, Jenny Dauer, Wayne A. Babchuk, Tiffany Heng-Moss, Doug Golick

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

A mixed methods study was used to transcend the traditional pre-, post-test approach of citizen science evaluative research by integrating adults’ test scores with their perceptions. We assessed how contributory entomology citizen science affects participants’ science self-efficacy, self-efficacy for environmental action, nature relatedness and attitude towards insects. Pre- and post-test score analyses from citizen scientists (n = 28) and a control group (n = 72) were coupled with interviews (n = 11) about science experiences and entomological interactions during participation. Considering quantitative data alone, no statistically significant changes were evident in adults following participation in citizen science when compared to …

Insects As Educational Tools: An Online Course Teaching The Use Of Insects As Instructional Tools, Douglas A. Golick, Tiffany M. Heng-Moss

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Publication of the 1996 National Science Education Standards (NSES) initiated a push to transform science education by engaging K-12 students in active learning through inquiry-based teaching (National Research Council, 1996). Students need opportunities to construct knowledge by asking questions, developing hypotheses, collecting and analyzing data, and interpreting and communicating results. Inquiry teaching has been shown to improve students’ attitudes toward science, enhance their performance, and promote scientific literacy (Haury, 1993; Lindberg, 1990: Mattheis and Nakayama, 1988; Rakow, 1986).

Providing both pre- and in-service teachers with courses and professional development programs that promote inquiry teaching are vital to teacher education (National …

Using Web-Based Key Character And Classification Instruction For Teaching Undergraduate Students Insect Identification, Douglas A. Golick, Tiffany M. Heng-Moss, Allen L. Steckelberg, David W. Brooks, Leon G. Higley, David Fowler

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The purpose of the study was to determine whether undergraduate students receiving web-based instruction based on traditional, key character, or classification instruction differed in their performance of insect identification tasks. All groups showed a significant improvement in insect identifications on pre- and post-two-dimensional picture specimen quizzes. The study also determined student performance on insect identification tasks was not as good as for family-level identification as compared to broader insect orders and arthropod classification identification tasks. Finally, students erred significantly more by misidentification than misspelling specimen names on prepared specimen quizzes. Results of this study support that short web-based insect identification …

Using Insects To Promote Science Inquiry In Elementary Classrooms, Douglas A. Golick, Tiffany M. Heng-Moss, Marion D. Ellis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Nebraska public schools created Bugs in the Classroom, a professional development initiative with the goal of empowering teachers to use insects in science inquiry instruction in elementary classrooms. The initiative included workshops for elementary educators on science inquiry and teaching with insects. This paper includes a description of the workshop as well as an evaluation of the impact of the workshop on participating teachers' knowledge of scientific inquiry, entomology knowledge, and inquiry practice. Also included are recommendations for similar professional development activities.

Bumble Boosters: Students Doing Real Science, Douglas A. Golick, Diana M. Schlesselman, Marion D. Ellis, David W. Brooks

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Bumble Boosters was a lottery grant funded cooperative project between the University of Nebraska- Lincoln, Department of Entomology, the Lincoln Public Schools, Science Focus Program, and the Lincoln Folsom Children’s Zoo. The primary education goal of the project was to create a community of learners to conduct authentic research on bumble bees in Nebraska. Participants were actively engaged in collecting bumble bees and placing nesting domiciles. Internet technology was employed to facilitate networking between project participants. Systematic evaluation was conducted during and after the project.

The Present Methods Of Teaching Entomology, J. H. Comstock

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The present methods of teaching entomology followed in the United States have been developed almost entirely by men now teaching this subject. A second generation of teachers has begun its work; but the first is still on the stage. We h3i¥e progressed far enough, however, to make it worth while for the teachers to compare methods, in order that each may profit by the experience of the others. In a conference of this kind the contribution of each to the discussion will be, naturally, at first, merely a statement of the methods evolved in our several widely separated institutions. Then …

Present Methods Of Teaching Entomology, H. T. Fernald

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

In teaching entomology, much depends upon the ultimate aim of the student. A course in introductory entomology, whether as a required or an elective subject is sure to include many students who will not continue the subject farther. It is at least probable, that these students will form over half of the class, and accordingly, the introductory treatment should be arranged on the basis of the greatest good to the greatest number. This will usually mean some slight knowledge of insect anatomy, particularly external anatomy, and a general survey of insects as a group, with special attention to the pests …

The Present Methods Of Teaching Entomology, Herbert Osborn

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

In a discussion of the methods of teaching entomology, it is almost necessary to take a hasty view of the growth of the subject and of the different methods of imparting knowledge in it during the past half century. We need scarcely go back of this, because for the United States, at least, the growth of the teaching of entomology as a subject included in a college curriculum has had its growth within that time. In fact, practically all of the development of the teaching outside of two or three localities has been within the last twenty-five' years. Naturally the …

Present Methods Of Teaching Entomology At The University Of Nebraska, Lawrence Bruner

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

'When our Secretary sent out his preliminary notification of this meeting and asked me to take part in a discussion of "present methods of teaching Entomology," the matter at first seemed of little importance so far, at least, as the speaker was concerned. However, after giving the subject some thought I have decided that it might be well at least to take the time and trouble to attempt to explain briefly a few of the methods by which the student in Nebraska is enabled to absorb some entomological information. In order to do this with an unbiased feeling it might …