Biology Teachers Research Articles

DIDACTIC POSSIBILITIES OF QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AND METHODICAL COMPETENCES OF FUTURE BIOLOGY TEACHERS

The development of professional and methodical competences is crucial for future biology teachers. This article explores the didactic possibilities of using qualitative assessment in enhancing these competencies. By integrating qualitative assessment methods, teacher training programs can more effectively evaluate and improve essential teaching skills. This research provides an overview of the theoretical background, the potential advantages of qualitative assessment, and its application in the pedagogical context of biology education.

Confronting the Legacy of Eugenics and Ableism: Towards Anti-Ableist Bioscience Education.

Society and education are inherently ableist. Disabled people are routinely excluded from education, or have poorer outcomes within educational systems. Improving educational experiences and outcomes for people of color has required educators to design antiracist curricula that explicitly address racial inequality. Here, we explore parallel antiableist approaches to bioscience education in an essay coauthored by a disabled bioscience student and able-bodied faculty member in bioscience. Our work is underpinned by Critical Disability Theory and draws on disability and pedagogical scholarship as well as our own experiences. The biosciences has a unique need to confront its history in the discredited pseudoscience of eugenics, which has led to discrimination and human rights abuses against disabled people. We provide a brief history of the relationship between biological sciences research and eugenics and explore how this legacy impacts bioscience education today. We then present a recommended structure for antiableist biology education. Our approach goes beyond providing disability access, to a model that educates all students about disability issues and empowers them to challenge ableist narratives and practices.

Development of e-LKPD Using Flip PDF Professional on Coordination System Material for F Phase Students

Coordination system is a complex material due to its many sub-discussions. Teachers’ limited time to discuss questions with students causes students to have difficulties in understanding the material. To overcome this problem, e-LKPD which can streamline learning time and act as a solution to students' difficulties related to the lack of time to do practice questions is required. This research aims to develop an e-LKPD using Flip PDF Professional on coordination system material and analyze the feasibility of the developed product. This research uses the ADDIE development model which consists of Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluation. The results of the research show that the e-LKPD developed obtained a percentage of 93.30% in the "very feasible" category. In the media validation stage, a percentage value of 81.67% was obtained in the "very feasible" category. Biology teachers' perceptions regarding the quality of the developed product obtained a percentage of 96.70% in the "very good" category. Small group trials with students obtained a percentage of 86.70% in the "very good" category and large group trials obtained a percentage of 89.60% in the "very good" category. Therefore, it can be concluded that the developed product is feasible and practical for students to use.

Protein Metabolism Lectures with Sustainability-Based to Improve Analytical Thinking Skill in Students of Biology Education

This study aims to analyze the effect of sustainability- based protein metabolism lectures on the analytical thinking skills of students in the Biology Education department. This experimental research involved 30 Biology Education students from Universitas PGRI Semarang who took the Biochemistry course during the 2023-2024 odd semester. The treatment is sustainability-based protein metabolism lectures carried out for 4 meetings. The data obtained were analyzed using quantitative methods. The average grades for the distinguishing, organizing, and attributing indicators were 82.00, 81.55, and 81.00, respectively. In general, the average grades of students' analytical thinking skills in the post-test of 81.52 is higher than the pre-test grades of 71.58. This is confirmed by the T-dependent test that there is a significant difference in the pre-test and post-test grades (p <0.05). Additionally, the N-gain test indicated a 4.2% increase, placing it in the moderate category. Students' analytical thinking abilities in protein metabolism material are described as follows: in the distinguishing indicator, students recognize and differentiate well. However, errors began to occur in the organizing indicators, and even in the attribution indicators, students experienced difficulties

Development of an Ethnoscience-Based Teaching Module on Incung Kerinci Batik as a Learning Resource for Biology of Plant Material (Plantae)

Ethnoscience can be used and integrated into various learning models, one of which is the 21st century learning model in the form of a Project based learning (PjBL) learning model with an ethnoscience approach. This research was conducted in Kerinci Regency and Sungai Banyak City, precisely at SMA Negeri 1 Sungai Banyak and the Kerinci Incung batik studio, this study aims to produce ethnoscience-based teaching modules that can improve students' understanding of plants through a local cultural approach. The research method used is the ADDIE development model, the results of the material expert validation were 98.60% and the results of the media expert validation were 96.30% with a very valid category and feasible to be applied. Continued with product trials using random sampling data collection techniques and involving classes XA and % with practical and very practical categories. Practicality tests were also conducted on six biology teachers in class X obtained with percentages, namely: 75%; 100%; 91.25%; 93.75%; 89.16%; and 95.41% with an average category of very practical

Preservice Biology Teachers’ Beliefs About Evidence-Based Medicine and Alternative Medicine

AbstractHealth-related discussions in society and the media—specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic—showed that individuals are confronted with Alternative Medicine and Evidence-Based Medicine. When making reflective decisions about these treatments, both knowledge and beliefs are important. Previous research with preservice biology teachers has shown that they commonly use Alternative Medicine, although they have little knowledge about it. To date, systematic studies on preservice biology teachers’ beliefs about Alternative Medicine and Evidence-Based Medicine are lacking. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, the present study elicited German (N = 40) preservice biology teachers’ beliefs about these treatments via an open-ended questionnaire. Behavioral, normative, and control beliefs were categorized using qualitative content analysis. The results showed that the participants mentioned the efficacy, scientificity, and safety of treatments as important beliefs. For Alternative Medicine, beliefs were related to scientific evidence for its efficacy, naturalness and mild effects. These beliefs indicate that some preservice biology teachers do not have a clear understanding of Evidence-Based Medicine and Alternative Medicine, which can influence their decision-making. The results highlight the need to incorporate Alternative Medicine and Evidence-Based Medicine into health-related decision-making within biology education and biology teacher education and provide a basis for further research.

Open Resources for Biology Education (ORBE): a resource collection.

In undergraduate life sciences education, open educational resources (OERs) increase accessibility and retention for students, reduce costs, and save instructors time and effort. Despite increasing awareness and utilization of these resources, OERs are not centrally located, and many undergraduate instructors describe challenges in locating relevant materials for use in their classes. To address this challenge, we have designed a resource collection (referred to as Open Resources for Biology Education, ORBE) with 89 unique resources that are primarily relevant to undergraduate life sciences education. To identify the resources in ORBE, we asked undergraduate life sciences instructors to list what OERs they use in their teaching and curated their responses. Here, we summarize the contents of the ORBE and describe how educators can use this resource as a tool to identify suitable materials to use in their classroom context. By highlighting the breadth of unique resources openly available for undergraduate biology education, we intend for the ORBE to increase instructors' awareness and use of OERs.

Biology Teacher Candidates Drawings about Circulatory System

Biology Teacher Candidates Drawings about Circulatory System

Advanced biology students' individual conceptions of scientific researchers after participating in biomedically relevant CRE.

While undergraduate research has been shown to be a high-impact educational practice, it is logistically impossible for all undergraduate biology majors to have long-term faculty-mentored research experience. Therefore, biology educators and researchers must devise opportunities to engage more students in undergraduate research outside of working directly in their labs. Course-Based Research Experiences (CREs), structured as authentic research experiences, are one such opportunity. In this work, we describe the effects of a CRE with biomedical relevance on students' research skills, attitudes toward science, and perceptions of scientific research and scientific researchers. Results demonstrate that students gained experience in independent research skills including designing their own research project, being accountable for part of a project, and writing a research proposal. Students' perceptions of scientific research and researchers, assessed by the Draw-A-Researcher Task, did not show changes among the whole group, but individual analysis yielded meaningful results related to students' personal changes in how they perceived research and researchers, including their perception of themselves as researchers. This work demonstrates the substantial impact of CREs on upper-level biology undergraduate and graduate students.

Designing a Context-Driven Problem-Solving Method with Metacognitive Scaffolding Experience Intervention for Biology Instruction

Learner-centered instructional practices, such as the metacognitive strategies scaffolding the problem-solving method for Biology instruction, have been shown to promote students’ autonomy and self-direction, significantly enhancing their understanding of scientific concepts. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the importance and procedures of context analysis in the development of a context-driven problem-solving method with a metacognitive scaffolding instructional approach, which enhances students’ learning effectiveness in Biology. Therefore, the study was conducted in the Biology departments of secondary schools in Shambu Town, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. The study employed mixed-methods research to collect and analyze data, involving 12 teachers and 80 students. The data collection tools used were interviews, observations, and a questionnaire. The study revealed that conducting a context analysis that involves teachers, students, and learning contexts is essential in designing a context-driven problem-solving method with metacognitive scaffolding for Biology instruction, which provides authentic examples, instructional content, and engaging scenarios for teachers and students. As a result, the findings of this study provide a practical instructional strategy that can be applied to studies aimed at designing a context-driven problem-solving method with metacognitive scaffolding with the potential to influence instructional practices.

Innovation in Biology Education: Classroom Action Research as a Catalyst for the Renewal of Teaching Methods in Indonesia

Abstract. This study emphasizes the critical importance of enhancing Classroom Action Research (CAR) as a catalyst for more sustainable Biology education. The primary factors identified include a lack of comprehensive information regarding the implementation of CAR across various regions in Indonesia and the current weaknesses inherent in CAR. The objective of this research is to examine the effectiveness of CAR in improving the understanding of biological concepts and to propose a model for sustainable CAR. A systematic review method following the PRISMA approach was employed to analyze relevant studies. The findings reveal that CAR is effective across almost all Biology teaching methods, enhancing quality through student participation, creativity, and learning outcomes. However, the principal challenge lies in the unsustainable nature of CAR, which hampers long-term improvement efforts. This study develops a sustainable CAR design, referred to as Sustainable Action Research (SAR), which encompasses comprehensive planning, monitored implementation, evaluation of outcomes and processes, and reflective practices to develop new strategies. SAR acts as a catalyst for the renewal of Biology teaching methods, enabling educators to adapt to evolving educational challenges. Recommendations for future research include focusing on the implementation of SAR and evaluating its effectiveness. Active teacher involvement in every stage of SAR is essential to ensure that innovations are aligned with on-the-ground needs. Collaboration between academics and teachers is also crucial to improving the quality of education in Indonesia, particularly in the field of Biology education Keywords: classroom action research, sustainable action research, biology education, sustainable education

Integration of Local Potential of Way Kambas National Park in Developing HOTS-Based Assessment Content in Biological Conservation Courses

The assessment of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) based on local potential has not been widely used in biological conservation education. Assessments like this aim to encourage students to think critically, analytically, and creatively, as well as familiarize students with solving problems in real contexts, especially in the conservation area of Way Kambas National Park (WKNP) in Lampung. This study aims to identify the local potential of WKNP conservation areas that have the potential to be integrated with the development of HOTS-based assessments in the Biological Conservation Course. The method used in this study is descriptive with a qualitative approach. Interviews were conducted with 6 informants. Triangulation techniques and data interpretation then analyzed the data obtained. The results of this study show that there is a lot of local potential in WKNP conservation area that has the potential to be integrated into the assessment content on 7 biological conservation materials that can be made HOTS-based assessments to hone students' high-level thinking skills.

Defining evolution: exploring students’ conceptions of evolution in introductory biology courses

BackgroundUnderstanding evolution is an important part of undergraduate biology education. Despite its importance, however, students often struggle to understand evolution, often holding preconceived notions of what evolution is. Here, we investigate how students in both majors and non-majors introductory biology define and conceive of evolution at the start of the semester for a two-year college and a four-year university near each other. We analyze open-ended responses to an in-class activity on the first day of the semester that asked students to define evolution, generating insight into how students are thinking of evolution prior to any formal instruction on evolution in college.ResultsOur analysis of over 300 student responses reveals that students hold diverse conceptions about evolution, with some students perceiving evolution in the context of evolutionary processes while other students define evolution by referring to perceived evolutionary consequences. In addition, we identify multiple non-normative conceptions about evolution, including students viewing evolution and natural selection as synonymous and not recognizing other evolutionary forces, and find that very few students likely have developed mental models linking evolution and genetics. In addition, we find few differences between how students at the two- and four-year institutions perceive evolution, and similarly few differences between students in a majors and non-majors introductory biology, suggesting that these conceptions of evolution are widespread at the beginning of introductory biology, regardless of major or institution.ConclusionsWe situate our results in the existing literature examining student conceptions of evolution, with our results extending past work that has primarily relied on more closed-ended questions or focused on specific evolutionary concepts (e.g., natural selection). Our results largely align with past work on student thinking of evolution but provide a broader, more holistic perspective at the ideas and framework that students are drawing upon when introductory biology instructors first introduce the term ‘evolution’. We conclude our paper by discussing implications for the biology education research community as well as instructors.

Analisis Pengelolaan Limbah Praktikum Biologi di Madrasah Aliyah X, Tangerang Selatan

A biology laboratory is a room for experiments and research to understand biological concepts and each experiment. Science laboratory standardization is regulated by Minister of National Education Regulation no. 24 of 2007. This research aims to increase awareness about the importance of effective and efficient waste management. The research was conducted at Madrasah Aliyah X, South Tangerang, for the 2024/2025 academic year. The research methods used in collecting data were interviews, observation, and documentation, which were then presented descriptively. The results of interviews with laboratory assistants and biology teachers were described qualitatively, observational data were described quantitatively in percentages, and documentation was used as research-supporting data. Waste management at Madrasah Aliyah X, South Tangerang, is included in the excellent category. Waste management needs to be developed by collaborating with external parties so that waste management is optimal and there is no accumulation of waste.

Uncertainty in subject matter education—Constitutive element and fruitful instructional strategy?

AbstractUncertainty, which is an essential element of life in globalised, mobile and digitalised post-modern societies, challenges educational institutions. Students must be empowered to deal with such uncertainty to support developing a sense of critical consciousness and agency. Drawing on the discourse of uncertainty in educational science, this qualitative secondary analysis (QSA) refers to two studies that focused on instructional ‘uncertainty-friendly’ settings in four different school subjects (biology, drama and physical education in one study and English as a foreign language in the other) to address the research question: What are students’ responses to didactically staged confrontations with disciplinary uncertainty in different subjects? In the analysed studies, the researchers established uncertainty-friendly settings as an instructional tool to foster deep learning and cognitive flexibility in K–12 students. This QSA compares students’ reactions to these settings. The findings suggest a cross-curricular pattern of student responses: In all subjects, students initially showed unspecific responses, all of which acknowledged uncertainty. In addition, students showed specific responses (i.e. the modes of juxtaposition, exploration and rejection) as active interactions with the uncertainty of the settings. The results can further the development of uncertainty-friendly classrooms and reflection on their limitations.

How students taking introductory biology experience the chemistry content.

Student experiences learning chemistry have been well studied in chemistry courses but less so in biology courses. Chemistry concepts are foundational to introductory biology courses, and student experiences learning chemistry concepts may impact their overall course experiences and subsequent student outcomes. In this study, we asked undergraduate students enrolled in introductory biology courses at a public R1 institution an open-response question asking how their experiences learning chemistry topics affected their identities as biologists. We used thematic analysis to identify common ideas in their responses. We found that while almost half of student respondents cited learning chemistry as having positive impacts on their experiences learning biology, students who struggled with chemistry topics were significantly more likely to have negative experiences learning biology. We also found significant relationships between prior chemistry preparation, student background, and the likelihood of students struggling with chemistry and negative experiences learning biology. These findings emphasize the impact of learning specific content on student psychosocial metrics and suggest areas for biology educators to focus on to support learning and alleviate student stress in introductory biology.

Research Skills of Prospective Biology Teacher: An Analysis for Development Needs

This study was conducted to determine the extent to which research skills have been mastered by prospective biology teacher in learning at universities and to determine the need for developing research skills. Research skills are defined as skills using information literacy and basic biology laboratory skills related to research. An analysis of curriculum documents and examples of RPS from the biology education study program at one of the universities in the Kepulauan Riau Province was carried out to explore lecture designs that prepare students' research skills. A total of 25 alumni (graduates) of the study program were involved in a perception survey of how important research skills are for them in the workplaces. 27 final year students were also involved in providing self-assessments about their ability to master information literacy and basic biology laboratory skills. Data was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Data analysis resulted that the researcher profile is one of the targets for graduates of biology education study programs but has not been supported by course designs. Research skills are needed by alumni in the workplaces and are very relevant to support their careers. Information literacy and basic biology lab skills have not been fully mastered by final year students. There is an urgency to equip students with more adequate skills so that students are better able to carry out research, including completing their studies.

Profil Resiliensi Akademik Mahasiswa Pendidikan Biologi FKIP Universitas Riau selama pandemi COVID-19

This study aims to describe the profile of academic resilience of Biology Education University of Riau students during the COVID-19 pandemic. To answer these objectives, this study used a descriptive research design with a quantitative approach and (online) survey method. The sample for this research is all active students who took online lectures during the COVID-19 pandemic as many as 76 students. Data was obtained by distributing a modified Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-30) questionnaire randomly (online) to all active batches taking online lectures during the COVID-19 pandemic in the form of an electronic questionnaire (google form). Data analysis by calculating the average (mean) academic resilience of Biology Education University of Riau students in terms of three dimensions of academic resilience, namely the dimensions of persistence, reflection and seeking adaptive assistance, as well as negative impacts and emotional responses. Based on the findings of the researchers, it can be concluded that the academic resilience of Biology Education University of Riau students during the COVID-19 pandemic is relatively high in terms of the dimensions of persistence, reflection and seeking adaptive help, as well as adverse impacts and emotional responses. Further research should look at the academic resilience profile after the COVID-19 pandemic and compare it with the academic resilience profile of biology education students at other universities.

Student informed development of virtual reality simulations for teaching and learning in the molecular sciences

ABSTRACT The development of accurate spatial conceptualisations of molecular biology structures, processes and interactions represents a critical learning outcome for a wide array of life sciences students. In this study, we investigated student learning through a bespoke virtual reality (VR) simulation focused on interactive assembly of an expression vector and visualisation of the recombinant protein expression process, encompassing constructivist pedagogical principles. A mixed methods approach was pursued involving surveys, assessments, and online simulation data capture to facilitate student partnered inputs into virtual simulation design and implementation in the teaching of molecular and cellular biology. The scope of student learning modalities, effective teaching practices and perspectives on challenging curriculum were also captured to position VR implementation within a wider learning framework. Students expressed a consensus view towards the application of this innovative teaching modality and appear well equipped to adapt to this new teaching and learning approach. The visual and kinaesthetic elements of the simulations were found to offer a unique entry point to challenging and abstract molecular concepts that has the potential to transform life science education for students, where a partnership approach can best deliver a roadmap for effective integration into the curriculum.

Effective learning and testing of bird identification skills

ABSTRACT Biology education worldwide at different levels involves learning to identify plants and animals in nature. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a teaching and learning method for bird identification that combines active outdoor fieldwork with active online learning, testing the validity of our instrument. Altogether, 798 of 853 students with different cultural and socio-political backgrounds from nine countries participated in 2010–2018. The research method was an online bird identification test at the beginning of the study, an online test and a field test at the end of the field teaching period, and an online exam at the end of the study. The results showed great progression from the beginning to the exam at the end of the study, and a positive correlation between initial skills and exam skills. Finally, the field test showed a strong positive correlation with the online test taken simultaneously, thus indicating that functional competence can be measured in the online exam. We recommend our instrument for teaching and testing of students’ skills in species identification worldwide and for all taxa, but further testing of validity and teaching effects is recommended.