scholarly journals Explaining the Scientific Method to First Year Biology Students in an Accessible Manner

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte de Araujo ◽  
Nicole Pereira ◽  
Karen J. Puddephatt ◽  
Lynda H. McCarthy ◽  
Andrew E. Laursen
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Method ◽  
First Year ◽  
Biology Students

scholarly journals PENERAPAN METODE SAINTIFIK MELALUI INOVASI KONDISI PEMBELAJARAN PADA MATA PELAJARAN IPA-BIOLOGI UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KOMPETENSI SISWA DI SMA N 1 SIPAHUTAR

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 135
Author(s):  
Oloan Pandopotan Pangaribuan
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Scientific Method ◽  
Student Learning Outcomes ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Activity Increase ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Scientific Teaching ◽  
Improving Student Learning

Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui (1) peningkatan aktifitas serta keaktifan siswa dalam kegiatan pembelajaran menggunakan Metode Pengajaran Saintifik (2) peningkatan hasil belajar siswa pada pembelejaran dengan menggunakan Metode Pengajaran Saintifik. Subjek dalam penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas XII yang berjumlah 39 siswa yang seluruhnya di dominasi siswa laki-laki di SMA Negeri 1 Sipahutar  . Pengambilan siswa kelas XII sebagai subjek dalam penelitian ini berdasarkan hasil observasi dan kesepakatan dengan beberapa guru lainnya. Penelitian ini menggunakan Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK) yang dilakukan secara kolaboratif dengan guru-guru SMA Negeri 1 Sipahutar  , artinya dilakukan kerja sama dengan guru kelas. Ada peningkatan hasil belajar dan keaktifan siswa dalam penggunaan Metode Pengajaran Saintifik pada mata pelajararan IPA-Biologi siswa kelas XII SMA Negeri 1 Sipahutar . Rata-rata hasil belajar siklus I sebesar 70,83 dengan ketuntasan 64,10% kemudian pada siklus II terjadi peningkatan rata-rata hasil belajar yaitu 80,48 dengan ketuntasan 89,74%. Peningkatan juga dapat dilihat pada keaktifan siswa, rata-rata keaktifan siswa pada siklus I sebesar 50,00% dan siklus II sebesar 78,00%. Jadi peningkatan rata-rata keaktifan siswa sebesar 28,00%.  Kata Kunci: Metode Saintifik, Pembelajaran, IPA-Biologi, IPA Biologi Abstract: This study aims to determine (1) increase activity and activeness of students in learning activities using the method of scientific teaching (2) improving student learning outcomes on the pursuit by using the method of scientific teaching. Subjects in this study were the students of class XII which amounted to 39 students who are all dominated by male students in SMA Negeri 1 Sipahutar  . Class XII as a subject in this study based on observation and agreement with some other teachers. This study uses Classroom Action Research (PTK) which is done collaboratively with teachers of SMA Negeri 1 Sipahutar  , meaning that it is done in cooperation with classroom teachers. There is an increase in learning outcomes and student activeness in the use of Scientific Teaching Methods in the eyes of science-biology students of grade XII SMA Negeri 1 Sipahutar  . Average learning outcomes cycle I of 70.83 with 6410% completeness and then on the second cycle there is an increase in the average learning outcome is 80.48 with a complete 89.74%. Improvement can also be seen on student activeness, student's active activity on cycle I is 50,00% and cycle II is 78,00%. So the average student activity increase is 28.00%. Keywords: Scientific Method, Learning, Science-Biology, Science Biology

scholarly journals Undergraduate Biology Students’ Teleological and Essentialist Misconceptions

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Stern ◽  
Kostas Kampourakis ◽  
Catherine Huneault ◽  
Patricia Silveira ◽  
Andreas Müller
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
First Year ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Natural Phenomena ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Psychological Essentialism ◽  
Biological Phenomena

Research in developmental psychology has shown that deeply-rooted, intuitive ways of thinking, such as design teleology and psychological essentialism, impact children’s scientific explanations about natural phenomena. Similarly, biology education researchers have found that students often hold inaccurate conceptions about natural phenomena, which often relate to these intuitions. In order to further investigate the relation between students’ conceptions and intuitions, we conducted a study with 93 first year undergraduate students in biology. They were asked to express their level of agreement or disagreement with six misconception statements and to explain their choices in a two-tier test. Results showed a tendency for students to agree with teleological and essentialist misconceptions. However, no association was found between students’ teleological and essentialist conceptions as expressed in their agreement or disagreement with the various misconception statements. Moreover, we found evidence of a variable consistency across students’ answers depending on the misconception considered, which indicates that item features and contexts may have an effect on students’ answers. All together, these findings provide evidence for considerable persistence of teleological and essentialist misconceptions among students. We suggest future directions for thinking, studying, and analyzing students’ conceptions about biological phenomena.

scholarly journals Using the Principles of BIO2010 to Develop an Introductory, Interdisciplinary Course for Biology Students

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 290-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly E. Matthews ◽  
Peter Adams ◽  
Merrilyn Goos
Keyword(s):  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Real World ◽  
Science Curriculum ◽  
Modern Science ◽  
Biological Science ◽  
First Year ◽  
Science Students ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Upper Level ◽  
Interdisciplinary Course

Modern biological sciences require practitioners to have increasing levels of knowledge, competence, and skills in mathematics and programming. A recent review of the science curriculum at the University of Queensland, a large, research-intensive institution in Australia, resulted in the development of a more quantitatively rigorous undergraduate program. Inspired by the National Research Council's BIO2010 report, a new interdisciplinary first-year course (SCIE1000) was created, incorporating mathematics and computer programming in the context of modern science. In this study, the perceptions of biological science students enrolled in SCIE1000 in 2008 and 2009 are measured. Analysis indicates that, as a result of taking SCIE1000, biological science students gained a positive appreciation of the importance of mathematics in their discipline. However, the data revealed that SCIE1000 did not contribute positively to gains in appreciation for computing and only slightly influenced students' motivation to enroll in upper-level quantitative-based courses. Further comparisons between 2008 and 2009 demonstrated the positive effect of using genuine, real-world contexts to enhance student perceptions toward the relevance of mathematics. The results support the recommendation from BIO2010 that mathematics should be introduced to biology students in first-year courses using real-world examples, while challenging the benefits of introducing programming in first-year courses.

scholarly journals Interactions among students’ prior learning, aspiration, confidence and university entrance score as determinants of academic success

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerry Rayner ◽  
Theo Papakonstantinou
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Undergraduate Student ◽  
First Year ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Final Grade ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Student Aspirations ◽  
Biology Learning

We studied the effect grade aspiration, confidence in achieving that grade, prior learning and university entrance ranking had on first year biology students’ final grade. We hypothesised that (1) students with higher aspiration will achieve higher grades than those with lower aspiration; (2) students with prior biology learning will have a higher grade aspiration and a higher confidence of achieving that aspiration than those without such learning; (3) university entrance rank will impact students’ final grade; and (4) students with prior biology learning will achieve a higher final grade than those without such study. We found that Hypotheses 3 and 4 were supported, Hypothesis 2 was partially supported, and that Hypothesis 1 was unsupported. If these results reflect broader patterns - that undergraduate student grade aspiration is not a predictor of their subsequent final grade - then targeted information and curricula scaffolding must be provided to better align student aspirations with their actual academic achievement.

scholarly journals Gamified lessons support molecular genetics education of first year biology students during COVID-19 lockdown

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas M. Andronicos ◽  
Terry J. Barnett ◽  
Raphael Roberts ◽  
Siew Chong ◽  
Lea Labeur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Molecular Genetics ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
First Year ◽  
Failure Rates ◽  
Genetics Education ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Student Failure ◽  
Student Grades ◽  
Short Answer Questions

This study compared the associated impact of gamified molecular genetics lessons on undergraduate student grades for pre-COVID-19 blended delivery and COVID-19 online only delivery of a first-year biology course. When the molecular genetics gamified lessons were used by on- and off-campus students to support their learning, most students had successful learning outcomes in either blended or online only learning environments. In contrast, students who chose not to use these lessons had significantly greater failure rates for both the molecular biology and the genetics short answer questions in the final invigilated exams. Importantly, there was noticeable gamified lesson fatigue observed by both on- and off-campus students and therefore when incorporating gamified lessons into courses, curriculum design needs to be carefully considered. In conclusion, the use of gamified lessons was associated with significantly reduced student failure rates for molecular genetics concepts studied in a university foundational biology course.

scholarly journals Technology-Mediated Tasks in English for Specific Purposes (ESP)

2014 ◽  
pp. 951-967
Author(s):  
Cédric Sarré
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
First Year ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Degree Programme ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Online Module ◽  
Learner Perception ◽  
Published Research

Although many researchers have focused their attention on task-based language teaching (TBLT) in recent years, there is little published research on TBLT in technology-mediated contexts, and on how to design and implement tasks in online settings. In addition, very little can be found in the literature about learner perception of technology-mediated tasks in these new virtual learning environments. The objective of this paper is to bridge these gaps by reporting on the design, implementation and learner perception of English For Biologists (EFB), an online module based on tasks and aimed at French biology students enrolled on a first year Master's degree programme. The principles underlying the design of EFB (a combination of three action-based approaches) as well as its implementation (tutor mediation in particular) are presented in this paper. This article also offers insight in the learners' perception of task-based language learning through the analysis of the answers they gave to a post-course online questionnaire. Overall, technology-mediated task reception was positive but learner feedback enabled to uncover specific problems, notably regarding the type of support provided.

Sustainability survey to assess student perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1151-1167
Author(s):  
James Hardy Speer ◽  
Virgil Sheets ◽  
Tina M. Kruger ◽  
Stephen Peter Aldrich ◽  
Nicholas McCreary
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Method ◽  
Environmental Science ◽  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Student Population ◽  
Student Perspectives ◽  
First Year ◽  
Content Type ◽  
University Campuses ◽  
Incoming Freshmen ◽  
Introductory Classes

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess environmental concern at a Midwest university, analyze trends in concern over time and determine the effect of the development of a campus sustainability office. Design/methodology/approach A multi-question survey was administered through peer-to-peer recruitment from an undergraduate environmental science class each fall from 2010–2017. This exercise was originally developed as a pedagogical exercise on the scientific method. Findings Over eight years, incoming freshmen have expressed more concern that humans are harming the environment and students also express greater concern as they progress through college. Research limitations/implications The first year of the survey (2010) and the year that the lead PI was on sabbatical (2014) saw reduced response rates (∼1%–3% of the student population) compared to 6%–9% of the student population in other years. Practical implications Responses to all of the questions in the survey provide guidance for university administrations and sustainability offices about the concerns of the campus community, awareness about campus efforts and support for sustainability activities on campus. Originality/value Few studies have been published on students’ perspectives on environmental concern and sustainability activities on university campuses. These data provide an overview of environmental concern, perceived government action and empowerment to action over an eight-year period. This approach is recommended as a technique to teach the scientific method in introductory classes and as a means to collect data about student perspectives on sustainability.

Helping Students SOAR: Quizfolio Tips to Engage First-Generation, Under-Represented Minority Undergraduates in Scientific Inquiry

2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M. Kao
Keyword(s):  
First Generation ◽  
Affective Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Important Challenge ◽  
Reflection In Action ◽  
Biological Concepts

Engaging and gauging (engauging) first-generation, under-represented minority undergraduate general biology students through processes of inquiry, critical thinking, and affective learning is vital as they develop their scientific identity. An important challenge is how we can establish communities of practice and instill in our first-generation students self-awareness and reflection as they apply, analyze, and evaluate data on biological principles. In my article, I describe an innovative weekly assignment for my first generation Hispanic and Native Indigenous students called Quizfolio: quiz and mini-portfolios on biological principles and themes outlined in Vision and Change. Within a SOAR framework that will be introduced in my article, quizfolios provide an active learning space for students to integrate inclusive student-centered, in-class discussions and longitudinal lab inquiries in a first-year undergraduate biology course through metacognition and reflection-in-action. This transformative, culturally responsive mentoring approach encourages first-generation undergraduates to bring self-awareness to unclear or confusing topics that are clarified at the start of class or lab settings, and provides future framework for long-term retention of biological concepts.

scholarly journals Improving Academic Performance and Retention of First-Year Biology Students through a Scalable Peer Mentorship Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Wilton ◽  
Daniel Katz ◽  
Anthony Clairmont ◽  
Eduardo Gonzalez-Nino ◽  
Kathy R. Foltz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
Peer Mentoring ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Mentorship Program ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Peer Mentorship

This study evaluates the performance of a near-peer mentoring program for first-year biology majors. The program’s intention is to improve student retention generally, and academic and soft skills more specifically. The effect of the program was investigated via ethnographic methods, a program-specific survey, and regression analyses.

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