scholarly journals A Deliberate Practice Approach to Teaching Phylogenetic Analysis

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 676-686 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Collin Hobbs ◽  
Daniel J. Johnson ◽  
Katherine D. Kearns
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Postsecondary Education ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Phylogenetic Trees ◽  
Deliberate Practice ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Plant Systematics ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Tree Construction ◽  
The Impact

One goal of postsecondary education is to assist students in developing expert-level understanding. Previous attempts to encourage expert-level understanding of phylogenetic analysis in college science classrooms have largely focused on isolated, or “one-shot,” in-class activities. Using a deliberate practice instructional approach, we designed a set of five assignments for a 300-level plant systematics course that incrementally introduces the concepts and skills used in phylogenetic analysis. In our assignments, students learned the process of constructing phylogenetic trees through a series of increasingly difficult tasks; thus, skill development served as a framework for building content knowledge. We present results from 5 yr of final exam scores, pre- and postconcept assessments, and student surveys to assess the impact of our new pedagogical materials on student performance related to constructing and interpreting phylogenetic trees. Students improved in their ability to interpret relationships within trees and improved in several aspects related to between-tree comparisons and tree construction skills. Student feedback indicated that most students believed our approach prepared them to engage in tree construction and gave them confidence in their abilities. Overall, our data confirm that instructional approaches implementing deliberate practice address student misconceptions, improve student experiences, and foster deeper understanding of difficult scientific concepts.

Transitioning to Blended Learning: Understanding Student and Faculty Perceptions

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nanette P. Napier ◽  
Sonal Dekhane ◽  
Stella Smith
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Faculty Perceptions ◽  
Liberal Arts College ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Faculty Teaching ◽  
Face To Face Instruction ◽  
The Impact

This paper describes the conversion of an introductory computing course to the blended learning model at a small, public liberal arts college. Blended learning significantly reduces face-to-face instruction by incorporating rich, online learning experiences. To assess the impact of blended learning on students, survey data was collected at the midpoint and end of semester, and student performance on the final exam was compared in traditional and blended learning sections. To capture faculty perspectives on teaching blended learning courses, written reflections and discussions from faculty teaching blended learning sections were analyzed. Results indicate that student performance in the traditional and blended learning sections of the course were comparable and that students reported high levels of interaction with their instructor. Faculty teaching the course share insights on transitioning to the blended learning format.

scholarly journals “A little flip goes a long way” The impact of a ‘partial’-flipped classroom design on student performance and engagement in a first year undergraduate economics classroom

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Singh
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Control Group ◽  
First Year ◽  
Classroom Design ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Traditional Lecture ◽  
Traditional Lectures ◽  
Undergraduate Economics ◽  
The Impact

The flipped classroom is gaining prominence as an active learning pedagogy to engage a new generation of students. However, all courses do not lend themselves to a fully flipped design and instructors are often reluctant to flip lectures. In this study, I experimented with a “partial” flipped classroom design in a first-year undergraduate economics course. In this partial flipped format, traditional lectures were substituted with micro-lectures and the remaining class time was devoted to activities like quizzes, group work and student presentations. The full lectures were panopto recorded and put up on the e-learning site, Blackboard. This format enabled me to combine the benefits of a traditional lecture with a flipped classroom design. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the partial flipped classroom format, I compared the final exam scores of students in the partial flipped classroom with those in the control group, which followed a traditional lecture-based approach. The key results from the analysis revealed that students in the partial flipped classroom performed better in the final exams vis-à-vis students in the traditional classroom format. Furthermore, the partial flipped classroom format was associated with lower odds of students failing in the module. This format also resulted in better student engagement, more flexibility and enhanced student-tutor interaction within the classroom.

scholarly journals Rethinking Exams and Letter Grades: How Much Can Teachers Delegate to Students?

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Kitchen ◽  
Summer H. King ◽  
Diane F. Robison ◽  
Richard R. Sudweeks ◽  
William S. Bradshaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Performance Feedback ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Scientific Reasoning ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Letter Grades ◽  
Design Changes ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

In this article we report a 3-yr study of a large-enrollment Cell Biology course focused on developing student skill in scientific reasoning and data interpretation. Specifically, the study tested the hypothesis that converting the role of exams from summative grading devices to formative tools would increase student success in acquiring those skills. Traditional midterm examinations were replaced by weekly assessments administered under test-like conditions and followed immediately by extensive self, peer, and instructor feedback. Course grades were criterion based and derived using data from the final exam. To alleviate anxiety associated with a single grading instrument, students were given the option of informing the grading process with evidence from weekly assessments. A comparative analysis was conducted to determine the impact of these design changes on both performance and measures of student affect. Results at the end of each year were used to inform modifications to the course in subsequent years. Significant improvements in student performance and attitudes were observed as refinements were implemented. The findings from this study emphasized the importance of prolonging student opportunity and motivation to improve by delaying grade decisions, providing frequent and immediate performance feedback, and designing that feedback to be maximally formative and minimally punitive.

scholarly journals Impact of evidence-based flipped or active-engagement non-flipped courses on student performance in introductory physics

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nafis I. Karim ◽  
Alexandru Maries ◽  
Chandralekha Singh
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Physics Education ◽  
Introductory Physics ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Active Engagement ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Physics Courses ◽  
Engagement Strategies ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

We describe the impact of physics education research-based pedagogical techniques in flipped and active-engagement non-flipped courses on student performance on validated conceptual surveys. We compare student performance in courses that make significant use of evidence-based active engagement (EBAE) strategies with courses that primarily use lecture-based (LB) instruction. All courses had large enrollment and often had 100–200 students. The analysis of data for validated conceptual surveys presented here includes data from large numbers of students from two-semester sequences of introductory algebra-based and calculus-based introductory physics courses. The conceptual surveys used to assess student learning in the first and second semester courses were the Force Concept Inventory and the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism, respectively. In the research discussed here, the performance of students in EBAE courses at a particular level is compared with LB courses in two situations: (i) the same instructor taught two courses, one of which was a flipped course involving EBAE methods and the other an LB course, while the homework, recitations, and final exams were kept the same; (ii) student performance in all of the EBAE courses taught by different instructors was averaged and compared with LB courses of the same type also averaged over different instructors. In all cases, we find that students in courses that make significant use of active-engagement strategies, on average, outperformed students in courses using primarily LB instruction of the same type on conceptual surveys even though there was no statistically significant difference on the pretest before instruction. We also discuss correlation between the performance on the validated conceptual surveys and the final exam, which typically placed a heavy weight on quantitative problem solving.

scholarly journals Phylogenetic Signal, Congruence, and Uncertainty across Bacteria and Archaea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina A Martinez-Gutierrez ◽  
Frank O Aylward
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Trees ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Phylogenetic Reconstruction ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Tree Of Life ◽  
Marker Genes ◽  
Sequence Composition ◽  
Tree Construction ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Reconstruction of the Tree of Life is a central goal in biology. Although numerous novel phyla of bacteria and archaea have recently been discovered, inconsistent phylogenetic relationships are routinely reported, and many inter-phylum and inter-domain evolutionary relationships remain unclear. Here, we benchmark different marker genes often used in constructing multidomain phylogenetic trees of bacteria and archaea and present a set of marker genes that perform best for multidomain trees constructed from concatenated alignments. We use recently-developed Tree Certainty metrics to assess the confidence of our results and to obviate the complications of traditional bootstrap-based metrics. Given the vastly disparate number of genomes available for different phyla of bacteria and archaea, we also assessed the impact of taxon sampling on multidomain tree construction. Our results demonstrate that biases between the representation of different taxonomic groups can dramatically impact the topology of resulting trees. Inspection of our highest-quality tree supports the division of most bacteria into Terrabacteria and Gracilicutes, with Thermatogota and Synergistota branching earlier from these superphyla. This tree also supports the inclusion of the Patescibacteria within the Terrabacteria as a sister group to the Chloroflexota instead of as a basal-branching lineage. For the Archaea, our tree supports three monophyletic lineages (DPANN, Euryarchaeota, and TACK/Asgard), although we note the basal placement of the DPANN may still represent an artifact caused by biased sequence composition. Our findings provide a robust and standardized framework for multidomain phylogenetic reconstruction that can be used to evaluate inter-phylum relationships and assess uncertainty in conflicting topologies of the Tree of Life.

Empirical evidence of deep learning in learning communities

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-321
Author(s):  
Kara Smith ◽  
Robin Lovgren
Keyword(s):  
Deep Learning ◽  
Learning Communities ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Multivariate Regression Analysis ◽  
Individual Student ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate whether learning communities (LCs), defined as a cohort of students jointly enrolled in two distinct courses, increase “deep learning” in either or both courses. This study focuses on the impact of learning communities in quantitative courses.Design/methodology/approachThe hypothesis is tested using a unique data set including individual student performance and characteristics collected from students enrolled in an LC of Principles of Microeconomics and Elementary Statistics. The sample also includes students enrolled in each course separately which allows for testing between groups. The final exam in each course contained questions designed specifically to test deep learning. The design facilitates the use of multivariate regression analysis to examine the correlation between learning in communities and deep learning, holding constant other possible elements of student success.FindingsDespite perceptions among the sample student population that learning increases in both courses as a result of the LC format, the empirical evidence does not reveal any statistically significant increase in deep learning as a result of learning in community. However, the sample is more introverted than the average college student which may meaningfully impact the results.Research limitations/implicationsThere are a number of important motivations for implementing an LC program that are not measured here. These include an increased sense of community among students, breadth (rather than depth) of knowledge, and awareness of the interconnectedness of learning across disciplines. However, to the extent that university instructors are motivated to ensure learning in their own discipline, this resource-intensive strategy may not be the most suitable approach in quantitative courses.Originality/valueLearning communities continue to be a popular pedagogical technique and curriculum requirement, particularly at teaching-focused universities. This research offers an empirical approach to measuring one aspect of their value which is typically left to conceptual or qualitative study.

THE IMPACT OF A FLIPPED CLASSROOM MODEL OF LEARNING ON A LARGE UNDERGRADUATE STATISTICS CLASS

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-140
Author(s):  
PERPETUA LYNNE NIELSEN ◽  
NATHAN WILLIAM BEAN ◽  
ROSS ALLEN ANDREW LARSEN
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Statistics Education ◽  
Course Satisfaction ◽  
Undergraduate Teaching ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Research Journal ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Undergraduate Statistics ◽  
Large Lecture Classes

We examine the impact of a flipped classroom model of learning on student performance and satisfaction in a large undergraduate introductory statistics class. Two professors each taught a lecture-section and a flipped-class section. Using MANCOVA, a linear combination of final exam scores, average quiz scores, and course ratings was compared for the two groups after controlling for the effects of students’ previous achievement, gender, teacher, degree of learner autonomy, and attitudes about math and statistics. The results show significant improvement in the students’ performance and course satisfaction with the flipped classroom. Overall, the results showed that the flipped classroom model can be used in large lecture classes with the help of undergraduate teaching assistants and the use of additional labs. First published May 2018 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives

The Impact of Prior Programming Knowledge on Lecture Attendance and Final Exam

2017 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok Kumar Veerasamy ◽  
Daryl D’Souza ◽  
Rolf Lindén ◽  
Mikko-Jussi Laakso
Keyword(s):  
Regression Model ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Spearman’S Rank Correlation ◽  
Spearman’S Rank Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Programming Knowledge ◽  
The Impact

In this article, we report the results of the impact of prior programming knowledge (PPK) on lecture attendance (LA) and on subsequent final programming exam performance in a university level introductory programming course. This study used Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, multiple regression, Kruskal–Wallis, and Bonferroni correction statistical techniques via SPSS software to analyze the student data for academic years 2012, 2013, and 2014 to test the hypotheses. Only LA, PPK, and final exam (FE) scores were considered for this analysis. Research suggests that PPK influences student LA and FE performance. Similar analysis was conducted on the impact of LA on FE results regardless of students’ PPK levels. The results delivered mixed conclusions. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient results indicated that LA and FE were negatively correlated. However, the coefficient value was not sufficiently statistically significant to conclude that LA does not have an impact on FE results. On the other hand, the results of average LA on student FE results, with linear regression results, revealed that nonattendance of lectures had no effect on student performance in the FE. The multiple regression results of our study identified that, PPK in a regression model, is a good fit of the data, but LA in a regression model is not a good fit of the data.

The Impact of PowerPoint on Student Performance and Course Evaluations in Economics Courses: An Experiment at Six Institutions

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Daniels ◽  
John C. Kane ◽  
Brian P. Rosario ◽  
Thomas A. Creahan ◽  
Carlos F. Liard-Muriente ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Student Performance ◽  
Course Evaluations ◽  
Economics Courses ◽  
The Impact

An Exploratory Study of the Online Learning Environment

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia J. Khanlarian ◽  
Rahul Singh
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
It Use ◽  
Environment Impact ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Improve Student Performance ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Relevant Factors ◽  
Significant Factors

ABSTRACT Web-based homework (WBH) is an increasingly important phenomenon. There is little research about its character, the nature of its impact on student performance, and how that impact evolves over an academic term. The primary research questions addressed in this study are: What relevant factors in a WBH learning environment impact students' performance? And how does the impact of these factors change over the course of an academic term? This paper examines and identifies significant factors in a WBH learning environment and how they impact student performance. We studied over 300 students using WBH extensively for their coursework, throughout a semester in an undergraduate class at a large public university. In this paper, we present factors in the WBH learning environment that were found to have a significant impact on student performance during the course of a semester. In addition to individual and technological factors, this study presents findings that demonstrate that frustration with IT use is a component of the learning environment, and as a construct, has a larger impact than usefulness on student performance at the end of a course. Our results indicate that educators may benefit from training students and engaging them in utility of co-operative learning assignments to mitigate the level of frustration with the software in the WBH learning environment and improve student performance.

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