Which Way Is Better? Comparison of Two Interactive Modeling Approaches for Teaching Meiosis in an Introductory Undergraduate Biology Course

2019 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-109
Author(s):  
Kelsey J. Metzger ◽  
Joanna Yang Yowler
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Learning Gains ◽  
Free Response ◽  
Traditional Lecture ◽  
Undergraduate Biology ◽  
Modeling Approaches ◽  
Post Assessment ◽  
Mitosis And Meiosis

The processes of mitosis and meiosis are oft-cited and long-standing examples of concepts that are difficult for students to learn and understand. While there are many examples in the literature of “how-to-do-it,” innovative instructional approaches for teaching mitosis and meiosis, publications that include measurement of learning gains are fewer. Moreover, when measurement of learning gains are reported, the outcomes of innovative approaches are most often compared to outcomes from traditional lecture-format instruction. In contrast, this research compares two active-learning approaches to teaching meiosis through modeling in an introductory undergraduate biology course for health sciences majors. Items from the published, validated Meiosis Concept Inventory were used for pre- and post-instruction assessment. In addition, we collected data regarding student perceptions of the learning experience in each modeling scenario through two Likert-scale items and two free-response items. Overall, students demonstrated significant learning gains from pre- to post-assessment. We found no significant differences in performance on the posttest between the two modeling approaches, indicating that the selection of the modeling activity used to support student learning can be made on the basis of other criteria, such as instructor preference, physical classroom layout, or available supplies.

scholarly journals Learner-Centered Inquiry in Undergraduate Biology: Positive Relationships with Long-Term Student Achievement

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 462-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry L. Derting ◽  
Diane Ebert-May
Keyword(s):  
Learning Experience ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Introductory Courses ◽  
Traditional Lecture ◽  
Undergraduate Biology ◽  
Learner Centered ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
High Level ◽  
Biology Curriculum

We determined short- and long-term correlates of a revised introductory biology curriculum on understanding of biology as a process of inquiry and learning of content. In the original curriculum students completed two traditional lecture-based introductory courses. In the revised curriculum students completed two new learner-centered, inquiry-based courses. The new courses differed significantly from those of the original curriculum through emphases on critical thinking, collaborative work, and/or inquiry-based activities. Assessments were administered to compare student understanding of the process of biological science and content knowledge in the two curricula. More seniors who completed the revised curriculum had high-level profiles on the Views About Science Survey for Biology compared with seniors who completed the original curriculum. Also as seniors, students who completed the revised curriculum scored higher on the standardized Biology Field Test. Our results showed that an intense inquiry-based learner-centered learning experience early in the biology curriculum was associated with long-term improvements in learning. We propose that students learned to learn science in the new courses which, in turn, influenced their learning in subsequent courses. Studies that determine causal effects of learner-centered inquiry-based approaches, rather than correlative relationships, are needed to test our proposed explanation.

scholarly journals Mediating Students’ Fixation with Grades in an Inquiry-Based Undergraduate Biology Course

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dayna Jean DeFeo ◽  
Trang C. Tran ◽  
Sarah Gerken
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Scientific Process ◽  
Undergraduate Biology ◽  
Didactic Instruction ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Self Regulated Learning ◽  
Passive Learning ◽  
Group Data ◽  
Focus Group Data

Abstract The paper analyzes focus group data to explore student perceptions of an inquiry-based undergraduate biology course. Though the course was designed to mimic the scientific process by incorporating uncertainty, peer review, and self-reflection, students came to class focused on getting As and with a developed schema for didactic instruction and passive learning. They perceived the autonomy and self-directedness of the learning experience as a threat to their grades, and responded with strategies that protected their grades and ego, but were deleterious to learning. Students could identify merits of the inquiry-based approach; however, they made clear: they prioritized grades, and were unwilling to trust an unfamiliar pedagogy if they perceived it jeopardized their grades. In the framework of self-regulated learning, the discussion considers how to scaffold students to foreground learning over achievement.

scholarly journals First-Year Undergraduate Student Expectations of two UK Chemistry Degree Programmes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dylan P Williams ◽  
Shane Lo Fan Hin ◽  
Erlina Erlina
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Contact Time ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
First Year ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Student Expectations ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Academic Year

Recent work on student perceptions of skills development and engagement with different teaching and learning approaches have provided useful evidence bases for practitioners aiming to enhance the student learning experience. Although there has been some useful research on student expectations in non-STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines, there remains an opportunity to measure and analyse the expectations of students in STEM disciplines, particularly chemistry. The aim of this study was to measure the expectations that first year undergraduate chemists have of the types of learning experiences that will be included in their degree programmes, the amount of time per week that they will devote to different aspects of study and the types of learning behaviours they will adopt. Data was collected using questionnaires deployed at the Universities of Leicester and Sussex in the 2017/18 academic year. The study has shown that many students overestimate the amount of lecture based (59%) and small group based (57%) contact time they expect to have. Students appear to place a high value on the importance of feedback in the learning process but the proportion of students who agree they will read and act on feedback decreases over the course of the academic year. A number of factors feed into student reflections on the difference between expectation and reality including the quality of student life (e.g. quality of accommodation and social activities), value-for-money concerns (e.g. the amount of contact time and the quality of teaching) and matters related to workload and learning support.

Student Anticipations and Reactions to Hybrid Format Education

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah M. Ginsberg
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Traditional Classroom ◽  
Traditional Learning ◽  
Online Platform ◽  
Hybrid Format

Abstract This qualitative study examined student perceptions regarding a hybrid classroom format in which part of their learning took place in a traditional classroom and part of their learning occurred in an online platform. Pre-course and post-course anonymous essays suggest that students may be open to learning in this context; however, they have specific concerns as well. Students raised issues regarding faculty communication patterns, learning styles, and the value of clear connections between online and traditional learning experiences. Student concerns and feedback need to be addressed through the course design and by the instructor in order for them to have a positive learning experience in a hybrid format course.

scholarly journals Improving conceptual understanding of gas behavior through the use of screencasts and simulations

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brianna L. Martinez ◽  
Ryan D. Sweeder ◽  
Jessica R. VandenPlas ◽  
Deborah G. Herrington
Keyword(s):  
Learning Gains ◽  
Particle Behavior ◽  
Formal Instruction ◽  
Diverse Backgrounds ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Particle Level ◽  
Support Students ◽  
Post Assessment

Abstract Background Engagement with particle-level simulations can help students visualize the motion and interactions of gas particles, thus helping them develop a more scientifically accurate mental model. Such engagement outside of class prior to formal instruction can help meet the needs of students from diverse backgrounds and provide instructors with a common experience upon which to build with further instruction. Yet, even with well-designed scaffolds, students may not attend to the most salient aspects of the simulation. In this case, a screencast where an instructor provides narrated use of the simulation and points students towards the important observations may provide additional benefits. This study, which is part of the larger ChemSims project, investigates the use of simulations and screencasts to support students’ developing understanding of gas properties by examining student learning gains. Results This study indicates that both students manipulating the simulation on their own and those observing a screencast exhibited significant learning gains from pre- to post-assessment. However, students who observed the screencast were more than twice as likely to transition from a macroscopic explanation to a particle-level explanation of gas behavior in answering matched pre- and post-test questions. Eye-tracking studies indicated very similar viewing and usage patterns for both groups of students overall, including when using the simulation to answer follow-up questions. Conclusion Significant learning gains by both groups across all learning objectives indicate that either scaffolded screencast or simulation assignments can be used to support student understanding of gas particle behavior and serve as a first experience upon which to build subsequent instruction. There is some indication that the initial use of the screencast may better help students build correct mental models of gas particle behavior. Further, for this simulation, watching the instructor manipulate the simulation in the screencast allowed students to subsequently use the simulation on their own at a level comparable to those students who had manipulated the simulation on their own throughout the assignment, suggesting that the screencast students were not disadvantaged by not initially manipulating the simulation on their own.

scholarly journals Connecting Activity Implementation Characteristics to Student Buy-In Toward and Utilization of Formative Assessments Within Undergraduate Biology Courses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen R. Brazeal ◽  
Tanya L. Brown ◽  
Brian A. Couch
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Learning Preferences ◽  
Formative Assessments ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Undergraduate Biology ◽  
Biology Courses ◽  
The Impact

AbstractWhile formative assessments (FAs) can facilitate learning within undergraduate STEM courses, their impact likely depends on many factors, including how instructors implement them, whether students buy-in to them, and how students utilize them. FAs have many different implementation characteristics, including what kinds of questions are asked, whether questions are asked before or after covering the material in class, how feedback is provided, how students are graded, and other logistical considerations. We conducted 38 semi-structured interviews with students from eight undergraduate biology courses to explore how various implementation characteristics of in-class and out-of-class FAs can influence student perceptions and behaviors. We also interviewed course instructors to provide context for understanding student experiences. Using thematic analysis, we outlined various FA implementation characteristics, characterized the range of FA utilization behaviors reported by students, and identified emergent themes regarding the impact of certain implementation characteristics on student buy-in and utilization. Furthermore, we found that implementation characteristics have combined effects on student engagement and that students will tolerate a degree of “acceptable discomfort” with implementation features that contradict their learning preferences. These results can aid instructor reflection and guide future research on the complex connections between activity implementation and student engagement within STEM disciplines.

scholarly journals Assessment of Experiential Learning and Teaching Approaches in Undergraduate Programmes at the School of Agricultural Sciences, Makerere University, Uganda

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Opolot Henry Nakelet ◽  
Isubikalu Prossy ◽  
Obaa Bonton Bernard ◽  
Ebanyat Peter ◽  
Okello Dorothy
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Learning Abilities ◽  
Traditional Lecture ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Makerere University ◽  
Curriculum Review ◽  
Lecture Method ◽  
Agricultural Sciences

Competent graduates are a critical input in enhancing the university’s role in agricultural transformation. How graduates play their role in contributing to development mirrors on how they trained. Low quality graduates are believed to be a product of a more subject-centered and instructive style of teaching. The Makerere University Kampala School of Agricultural Sciences (SAS) made effort to improve and enhance the competence of its lecturers to use a learner centered teaching approach in its programmes through training. This paper presents an assessment of how the training influenced the lecturers to use different teaching practices toward producing quality responsive graduates. Data was collected from 120 students and 20 lectures from the SAS using a semi-structured questionnaire. The findings show that Training lecturers in experiential learning influenced their awareness and use of experiential learning approaches in delivery of the courses they taught. Effective application of experiential learning approaches was constrained by challenges of varied understanding and appreciation of the concept among lecturers, short class periods, large class sizes and financial limitations. In effect, the traditional lecture method remained dominant. Above all, application of experiential learning approaches is not institutionalized at SAS thus limiting the attainment of critical and reflective thinking for the attainment of lifelong learning abilities among students. To strengthen application of experiential learning approaches, training of all lecturers and curriculum review to integrate experiential learning practices as part of the general teaching quality assurance measures is critical.

scholarly journals Graphic Design Students’ Per spectives and Attitudes t owards Feedback w ithin Peer Assessment in Design Studio Pedagogy

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 22-33
Author(s):  
ERIC FRANCIS ESHUN
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Peer Feedback ◽  
Studio Pedagogy ◽  
Design Students ◽  
Quality Learning

This paper reports the validity of the hypothesis that giving and receiving peer feedback during studio critique supports the assumption that the nature of feedback affects student learning and student perceptions of the quality of the learning experience. The research question is whether peer feedback operated under studio pedagogy has the potential of enhancing quality learning. The purpose of this study is to examine student perceptions of peer feedback in a studio-based learning environment. This is a case study where data was collected qualitatively. This study clearly demonstrates the positive perceptions of peer feedback held by design students and the influence these perceptions have on students’ learning outcomes.

scholarly journals Kilimanjaro: A Case of Meaningful Adventure And Service Learning Abroad

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 420-433
Author(s):  
Cathy Cavanaugh ◽  
Ewa Gajer ◽  
John Mayberry ◽  
Brendan O’Connor ◽  
Jace Hargis
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Meaningful Learning ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Female Undergraduate ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Mount Kilimanjaro ◽  
The World

This qualitative evaluation explored how female undergraduate students developed an understanding of themselves and the broader world as a result of an adventure and service learning experience in Tanzania, Africa. The project built upon theoretical frameworks regarding meaningful learning—active, constructive, intentional, and authentic—and applied activity theory as a framework for interpreting outcomes. The study included multi-faceted examination of student perceptions of the effects of the year-long experience that culminated in a ten day trip to Tanzania, including a climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Students’ reflections on the impacts of the trip focused on wanting, doing, reflecting, and relating. Thus, the experience catalyzed change in students’ understanding of the world that strongly indicates a meaningful learning experience.

scholarly journals Fostering Self and Peer Learning Inside and Outside the Classroom through the Flipped Classroom Approach for Postgraduate Students

10.28945/4212 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Face To Face Learning

[This Proceedings paper was revised and published in the 2019 issue of the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology, Volume 16] Aim/Purpose: The flipped classroom approach is one of the most popular active learning approaches. This paper explores the effectiveness of a new pedagogy, known as FOCUSED, for postgraduate students. Background: The flipped classroom approach is a trendy blended learning pedagogy which capitalizes on the flexibility of online learning and the stimulating nature of face-to-face discussion. This article describes a pilot study involving post-graduate students who experienced the flipped classroom approach in one of their courses. Methodology: In additional to online activities, students adopted a newly learned approach to solve a related problem that was given by another group of students during classes. Quantitative data were collected from pre- and post-tests for both self-learned online materials and group discussion during classes so that the effectiveness of the flipped classroom pedagogy could be examined from the perspective of a holistic learning experience. Findings: It was found that the average scores for the post-test for the self-learned online video were much higher than for pre-test, even though the post-tests for both online and face-to-face learning were higher than the respective pre-tests. The qualitative data collected at the end of the flipped classroom activities further confirmed the value of the flipped classroom approach. Even though students could self-learn, more students valued peer interactions in the classroom more than the flexibility of online learning.

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