Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

A Tetrahedral Version Of The Mach Model For Explaining Biological Mechanisms, Caleb M. Trujillo, Trevor R. Anderson, Nancy J. Pelaez

PIBERG Instructional Innovation Materials

This document is intended for both instructors and students. Modified from the original MACH model this version, once cut and folded, creates a tetrahedral model that can conveniently be used as a teaching and learning tool to inform and guide students on how to write expert quality explanations of biological mechanisms. Each vertex of the tetrahedron represents a component of the model namely, Methods, Analogy, Context, and How. For a coherent and complete explanation about molecular mechanisms, it is important to integrate information pertaining to all four components of the model. The tetrahedral MACH model has been tested in both …

Online Versus Face-To-Face Biology: A Comparison Of Student Transactional Distance, Approach To Learning, And Knowledge Outcomes, Mary Erin Riggins

Dissertations

Community colleges are among many other institutions increasing course offerings online, but there is still some concern about the quality of online learning. Educator concerns, a lack of empirical evidence on biology courses offered online, and the need for an equal opportunity for education support the need for clarification of the quality of distance education in biology, especially in the community college setting. Student attitudes, approaches to learning, and performance should all be studied in order to formulate a better evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of online courses (Svirko & Mellanby, 2008).

The purpose of this study was to …

Engaging Non-Scientists In Stem Through Problem-Based Learning And Service Learning, Andrew Tawfik, Rebecca J. Trueman, Matthew M. Lorz

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

This study follows the evolution of a single biology course designed for non-science majors. In its original design, the course used only traditional pedagogical techniques, such as lecture and textbook homework assignments. Over several iterations of the course, the class combined problem-based learning (PBL) and service learning to better support student knowledge. For this study, our goal was for students to learn biology concepts as they engaged in a lake cleanup project within the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Data sources consisted of pretest, posttest, and final exam scores to assess learning. The results suggest the combination of PBL and service …

Instructional Scientific Humor In The Secondary Classroom, Francine Wizner

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study is an examination of the manner in which educators employ scientific content humor and how that humor is perceived by their students. Content humor is a useful strategy in drawing the attention of students and improving their receptivity toward scientific information. It is also a useful tool in combating the growing distractions of the electronic classroom. Previous studies have found that humor has a positive effect on knowledge, memory, and understanding. However, few studies have been conducted below the undergraduate level and mainly quantitative measures of student recall have been used to measure learning. This study employed multiple …

Under Graduate Curriculum Integration: Bringing Students Together Through Research, Clay Runck, James Russell, Allison D’Costa

Interdisciplinary STEM Teaching & Learning Conference (2012-2019) (Archived)

At Georgia Gwinnett College we are integrating the undergraduate educational experience for our Bachelor of Science students in the Biology discipline. We are using the opportunities presented by the genetic information revolution to combine biology courses in a longitudinal and integrative research project aimed at cataloguing biological diversity over space and time on the developing Georgia Gwinnett College campus.

Comparing Biology Grades Based On Instructional Delivery And Instructor At A Community College: Face-To-Face Course Versus Online Course., Amanda Rosenzweig

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Through distance learning, the community college system has been able to serve more students by providing educational opportunities to students who would otherwise be unable to attend college. The community college of focus in the study increased its online enrollments and online course offerings due to the growth of overall enrollment. The need and purpose of the study is to address if there is a difference in students’ grades between face-to-face and online biology related courses and if there are differences in grades between face-to-face and online biology courses taught by different instructors and the same instructor. The study also …

2b: "Copy Of Carbon Dioxide Data Illinois Natural Gas", U.S. Energy Information Administration

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

No abstract provided.

2b: "Copy Of Carbon Dioxide Data Illinois Totals", U.S. Energy Information Administration

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

No abstract provided.

2b: "Copy Of Carbon Dioxide Data Illinois Petroleum Products", U.S. Energy Information Administration

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

No abstract provided.

2b: "Copy Of Carbon Dioxide Data Illinois Coal", U.S. Energy Information Administration

Ecosystem Disruption & Climate Change

No abstract provided.

Monitoring Australian Year 8 Student Achievement Internationally : Timss 2011, Sue Thomson, Kylie Hillman, Nicole Wernert

TIMSS 2011 and PIRLS 2011

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS 2011) is an international study directed by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). In Australia, TIMSS was managed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), and funded by the Australian and state and territory governments.

The goal of TIMSS is to provide comparative information about educational achievement across countries to improve teaching and learning in mathematics and science. It also provides comparative perspectives on trends in achievement in the context of different educational systems, school organisational approaches and instructional practices and to enable this, TIMSS collects …

Changes In Perceived Self-Efficacy And Attitude Toward Science And Teaching Science In Elementary School, Betsy Ann Sullivan

Dissertations

This study was developed in an effort to ascertain if a proposed biological laboratory curriculum as developed and modeled by the instructor would affect the attitudes and perceived self-efficacy towards science, science teaching and ability to learn science of pre-service elementary teachers. Self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies were incorporated as the variation. Attitudinal topics investigated were the perceived ability to learn science and to teach science.

Students in one biology for non-science majors' biology laboratory class at the University of Southern Mississippi participated in this case study. The group participated in the modified laboratory section which utilized SRL activities, including reflections …

An Examination Of Laboratory Activities For Elements Of Inquiry In Arkansas Secondary Biology Courses, Michele E. Snyder

Theses and Dissertations

In the last 20 years, several panels recommended improving science teaching by incorporating inquiry approaches into K-12 classrooms. These panels assert that inquiry improves student learning in large part by giving students ownership. However, many teachers still present labs that simply call for students to follow written directions. This cookbook approach is the antithesis of inquiry. To take a "snap shot" of biology teaching, I surveyed Arkansas biology teachers to 1) determine teachers' qualifications, 2) assess the labs that they considered their "best" via a rubric that assesses inquiry activities, and 3) discover the reasons teachers valued certain labs. The …

Calculus, Biology And Medicine: A Case Study In Quantitative Literacy For Science Students, Kim Rheinlander, Dorothy Wallace

Numeracy

This paper describes a course designed to enhance the numeracy of biology and pre-medical students. The course introduces students with the background of one semester of calculus to systems of nonlinear ordinary differential equations as they appear in the mathematical biology literature. Evaluation of the course showed increased enjoyment and confidence in doing mathematics, and an increased appreciation of the utility of mathematics to science. Students who complete this course are better able to read the research literature in mathematical biology and carry out research problems of their own.

Cooperative Learning: Attitudes, Perceptions, And Achievement In A Traditional, Online, And Hybrid Instructional Setting, Allison Hardin Duckworth

Dissertations

Cooperative learning has been sufficiently studied to be accepted as an effective method of education. Student reception of cooperative learning, and therefore the degree of its success in a given situation, will depend on the mode of delivery. New technology for delivering courses totally online challenges many aspects of traditional education, and is particularly difficult for cooperative learning that relies heavily on intense face-to-face communication among students. This study was conducted to compare cooperative learning in a traditional setting to that in hybrid and online settings. A model for delivering a cooperative learning experience has been developed utilizing concept maps …

The Effect Of Individual Or Group Guidelines On The Calibration Accuracy Of High School Biology Students, Camilla C. Walck

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

The effect of individual or group guidelines on the calibration accuracy of high school biology students was investigated. The study was conducted with 102 International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program biology students in a public school setting. The study was carried out over three testing occasions. Students worked in group or individual settings with and without calibration guidelines. Four intact classes were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: groups calibrating without guidelines; groups calibrating with guidelines; individuals calibrating without guidelines; individuals calibrating with guidelines. The students participated in the calibration activities one block before they actually took each of the …

Seeing The Future: Biology Research Allows Undergraduates New Insight Into Their Own Futures, Merideth Krevosky, Jeffery Bowen

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Factors Influencing West Virginia Secondary Biology And Science Teacher Attrition Rates, Seth Perry

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The high rate of attrition for beginning teachers has been blamed on many factors. Nationally these include low pay, urban versus rural school settings, age, with younger teachers leaving sooner, and other variables making a complex problem with no clear component responsible for the loss of teachers. This study examined the self reported variables that contribute to high school teachers in West Virginia leaving their profession. An electronic survey instrument was distributed to current secondary teachers across the state. Teachers were asked to respond to questions related to professional satisfaction, perceived value from students and parents, administrative support, content versus …

Community-Based Inquiry Improves Critical Thinking In General Education Biology, Ian J. Quitadamo, Celia L. Faiola, James E. Johnson, Martha J. Kurtz

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

National stakeholders are becoming increasingly concerned about the inability of college graduates to think critically. Research shows that, while both faculty and students deem critical thinking essential, only a small fraction of graduates can demonstrate the thinking skills necessary for academic and professional success. Many faculty are considering nontraditional teaching methods that incorporate undergraduate research because they more closely align with the process of doing investigative science. This study compared a research-focused teaching method called community-based inquiry (CBI) with traditional lecture/laboratory in general education biology to discover which method would elicit greater gains in critical thinking. Results showed significant critical-thinking …

Biolojam – The Educational Comic, Stacey Barrie

Senior Honors Projects

BioloJam is a biology comic aimed towards 7th and 8th grade students. The goal of the project was to create an educational resource that students would find entertaining and enlightening. The project is available on the web and is free to use for educational purposes by teachers, students, and parents. There are two comics: the larger, more complicated “Cell Breakout” and the smaller, more conversational “Giraffic Park.” In Cell Breakout, the three heroes are trapped inside a video game in a plant cell, and learn all about cell functions as they try to escape. In Giraffic Park, the trio are …

A Culturally And Linguistically Responsive Curriculum For Secondary Biology Teachers, Raquel Georgina Martinez

All Graduate Projects

Research was conducted in the following areas, which help support the need for a culturally and linguistically responsive curriculum for secondary biology teachers. The history of both bilingual education and science, the importance of bilingual education, a summarization of selected bilingual and ESL models, bilingual and science curriculum, supported bilingual research, standardized tests, science and ELL students, and in closing secondary bilingual research. Based on the conducted research, the curriculum was developed utilizing the late-exit bilingual model, preview/review, and the incorporation of the student's culture.

Students’ Assessment Of Biology Education At Marshall University, Chris A. Barker

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this thesis research was to evaluate the quality of scientific education offered in the College of Science’s Department of Biology at Marshall University. The objectives of this study were to emphasize the important aspects of higher education assessment, point out that a scientifically literate citizenry is imperative for society to function effectively, and to determine what factors contribute to differences among students with regard to their perception of the quality of scientific education they are receiving at Marshall. A survey questionnaire was administered to students in eleven biological science courses during the Fall semester of 2003 and …

Virtual, On-Line, Frog Dissection Vs. Conventional Laboratory Dissection: A Comparison Of Student Achievement And Teacher Perceptions Among Honors, General Ability, And Foundations Level High School Biology Classes, Ronald H. Kopec

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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1: "To Know Ourselves", The U.S. Department Of Energy, The Human Genome Project

Genomics: Past & Future

AT THE END OF THE ROAD in Little Cottonwood Canyon, near Salt Lake City, Alta is a place of near-mythic renown among skiers. In time it may well assume similar status among molecular geneticists. In December 1984, a conference there, co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, pondered a single question: Does modern DNA research offer a way of detecting tiny genetic mutations—and, in particular, of observing any increase in the mutation rate among the survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings and their descendants? In short the answer was, Not yet. But in an atmosphere of rare intellectual fertility, …

2: "The Mapping Of Chromosome 16", Norman A. Doggett, Raymond L. Stallings, Carl E. Hildebrand, Robert K. Moyzis

Genomics: Past & Future

Human chromosome 16 is the main focus of the mapping efforts at Los Alamos. The large photomicrograph on these opening pages illustrates the starting point for those mapping efforts, the evaluation of our chromosome-16-specific library of cloned fragments. Among the 23 pairs of human chromosomes, one pair, chromosome 16, is identified by fluorescence in-situ hybridization. Thousands of yellow fluorescent probes derived from the clone library have hybridized to both copies of chromosome 16. The high density and uniform coverage of the fluorescent signals were a strong indication that we could use the library to construct a map of overlapping cloned …

Pretest Development For Gifted Biology Students, Paulette B. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Public education has redirected concern for the education of a subpopulation within the public schools which have special needs rooted in their innate abilities to excel in selected areas. That subpopulation identified as gifted students has traditionally been approached with a variety of attitudes and teaching methods which may or may not have fully addressed the student's unique talents. The implementation of a comprehensive program of gifted education within the school system isa renewed commitment to provide appropriate education for this subpopulation of gifted learners and as such involves different teaching methodologies. The utilization of an individualized learning program which …

Objectives Of Animal Use In Biology Courses, William V. Mayer

Education Collection

To confine discussion of educational use of animals to experimentation is to focus on only part of the animal use problem. To focus on use of animals in the classroom solely is to negate the value of field and community resource areas such as zoos, animal parks, nature trails, etc. The primary objective in dealing with living organisms is to inculcate a respect for all life. Objectives that focus on use of living animals for experimental purposes can, at best, be secondary and may in many cases be contrived. An understanding of animal life requirements and animal contributions is an …

No Pain Infliction By Untrained Youths, Christine Stevens

Education Collection

Outlined are the efforts of the Animal Welfare Institute (AWl) for the last twenty-five years to end abuses to animals in high school biology programs. After concluding that the AWl's two brief rules prohibiting painful experimentation were not well understood by students even after years of effort, the AWl adopted the rules of the Canadian science fairs, which are similar to the Westinghouse Talent Search in that they simply prohibit experimentation on vertebrate animals. The presentation includes reference to the AWI manual, "Humane Biology Projects."

Humaneness Supersedes Curiosity, F. Barbara Orlans

Education Collection

Ethical considerations need to be addressed with respect to educational use of animals. Society extends greater latitude in what is permissible to do to an animal in the name of science to a professional research worker than to a high school student. A balance needs to be made of the significance of the expected experimental results, on the one hand, which the ethical costs, (in terms of pain or death to the animal), on the other. A reasonable boundary can be drawn, based on ethical as well as on practical considerations, to exclude invasive procedures on vertebrate animals in high …

The Challenge And Motivation Of Students Through Live Animal Projects, Thurman S. Grafton

Education Collection

The subject of use of live animals by secondary schools either in classroom work or science fairs is a very controversial and often emotional issue. The author emphasizes the dedication to humane treatment of animals while at the same time explaining the process by which rules have been formulated to provide for the appropriate use of live animals. The difference between permission and mandate is clarified for the purpose of explaining the need to provide for the more effective challenge and motivation of the high achiever while still allowing for more modest undertakings by the average student The perils of …