CBE Life Research Articles

Envisioning the future of learning and teaching engineering in the artificial intelligence era: Opportunities and challenges

Envisioning the future of learning and teaching engineering in the artificial intelligence era: Opportunities and challenges

Genie: an interactive real-time simulation for teaching genetic drift

Neutral evolution is a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology but teaching this and other non-adaptive concepts is especially challenging. Here we present Genie, a browser-based educational tool that demonstrates population-genetic concepts such as genetic drift, population isolation, gene flow, and genetic mutation. Because it does not need to be downloaded and installed, Genie can scale to large groups of students and is useful for both in-person and online instruction. Genie was used to teach genetic drift to Evolution students at Arizona State University during Spring 2016 and Spring 2017. The effectiveness of Genie to teach key genetic drift concepts and misconceptions was assessed with the Genetic Drift Inventory developed by Price et al. (CBE Life Sci Educ 13(1):65–75, 2014). Overall, Genie performed comparably to that of traditional static methods across all evaluated classes. We have empirically demonstrated that Genie can be successfully integrated with traditional instruction to reduce misconceptions about genetic drift.

A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) Pathway Model in Mathematics

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) were originally developed by biologists to answer the call for undergraduate curriculum reform and expose more students to authentic research experiences [Wei and Woodin. 2011. Undergraduate research experiences in biology: Alternatives to the apprenticeship model. CBE Life Sciences Education. 10(2): 111–230]. Since their creation CUREs have been well developed in certain sciences, but Math CUREs are all but absent from the literature. Like biology, math programs suffer from a lack of research experiences and many students are not able to participate in events like REUs. In this paper, we propose a Math CURE model. We will discuss our experiences and data obtained from CUREs implemented in our courses and our plans for future projects and iterations of the Math CUREs.

Bringing cultural awareness to mentoring

Education Mentoring is a critical component for retaining diverse talent in the STEM field. However, despite their best intentions, mentors may be unaware of how racial or ethnic differences may influence their mentees' research experience. To further investigate this potential disparity, Byars-Winston and Butz developed a scale to assess cultural diversity awareness related to race and ethnicity in research-mentoring relationships informed by multicultural counseling theory and social cognitive theory. Instrument validity yielded a three-factor mentor scale assessing attitudes, behavior, and confidence and a two-factor mentee scale assessing attitudes and behavior. This scale can be used as a self-assessment to prompt mentors' reflection on their mentoring practices and to encourage new ways of acknowledging and appreciating cultural diversity in their research-mentoring relationships. CBE Life Sci. Educ. 10.1187/cbe.19-06-0127 (2021).

Voices on Diversity: Combating Racial Inequality to Increase Diversity

As part of our commitment to amplifying the voices of underrepresented scientists, we are publishing the insights and experiences of a panel of underrepresented scientists in a series of questions and answers. Here, they discuss ways that the scientific community can combat racial inequality and increase diversity. These are the personal opinions of the authors and may not reflect the views of their institutions.

Competencies get their chance to shine

Education Transferrable skills, or competencies, are a critical part of an undergraduate degree in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) but are often an underdeveloped facet of curricula. A possible remedy for this would be the transformation of a competency framework into a set of measurable learning outcomes. Using an iterative process, Clemmons et al. did just this by transforming and validating the core competencies from the Vision and Change framework into the BioSkills Guide. Compared with other science competency frameworks, the BioSkills Guide revealed some gaps and ambiguities, likely reflecting areas where still-evolving competencies in undergraduate biology merit future research. The BioSkills Guide has potential for a wide variety of applications, including the backward design of lessons and courses, competency assessment development, and curriculum mapping and planning. CBE Life Sci. Educ. 10.1187/cbe.19-11-0259 (2020).

Depression as a lab mate

Education The impact of mental health, including depression, has become a prominent concern in STEM graduate education. As more and more science- and medical-based graduate programs require undergraduate applicants to have research experience, Cooper et al. sought to understand how undergraduates' symptoms of depression affect their research experiences and vice versa. The team interviewed 35 undergraduate life sciences majors that identified with having depression and show that students' depression affected their motivation and productivity, creativity and risk-taking, engagement and concentration, and self-perception and socializing during research experiences. Additionally, the demands of research affected students' depression. An initial set of evidence-based recommendations for mentors to consider in promoting an inclusive research experience for students with depression is provided. CBE Life Sci. Educ. 19 , ar19 (2020).

Abstract IA16: Lessons learned from seventeen years of cancer research experiences program for under-represented high school and college students

Abstract Background/Purpose: Increasing participation of under-represented minorities (URMs) in cancer-related fields is critical for eliminating disparities in prevention, incidence, prevalence, detection, treatment, survival, and mortality. Early engagement in scientific research is linked to retention of students in STEM programs and careers. Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) is one of the largest consortium comprehensive cancer centers in the world. As part of the mission to find new and innovative ways to combat cancer and eliminate cancer disparities in communities throughout the Northeast, we are shaping the development of a new, diverse, and educated workforce through the Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) program. CURE introduces high-school and college students from URM populations to the world of cancer research. The program aims to increase URMs successfully pursuing careers in biomedicine, cancer research, and/or health disparities, pursuing graduate degrees and/or professional training in these areas, and engaging in scholarly activity. Initially funded through a cancer center supplement, during the past two years DFHCC has expanded their programming by successfully obtaining two NCI R25 grants, Young Empowered Scientists for ContinUed Research Engagement (YES for CURE) Program (NCI CA221738) and Summer Program to Advance Research Careers (SPARC) Program (NCI CA214256). Description: DF/HCC has engaged over 400 students in research experiences at its seven-member institutions. Building on a 17-year history of research training experience and a long-term partnership with the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB), DF/HCC created programming that combines hands-on research experiences with professional development seminars, journal clubs, book clubs, social events, and individual project planning. Evaluation: Students and mentors are surveyed each summer to identify opportunities for improvement. We also track academic and professional progress of our alumni annually. Usefulness: Based on our 2017 survey with a 71% average response rate, 95% of our alumni have completed or are currently enrolled in post-secondary programs, with 72% completing college degrees so far. Of these, 83% graduated with STEM or health science degrees and 23% have additionally completed graduate degrees. Over two thirds of our alumni are currently working full- or part-time in STEM-related fields and almost 25% in cancer-related work. 15% are working in a health disparities-related field. Our alumni have coauthored more than 243 scientific publications. Our research education and training successfully engage the scientific curiosity and promote the academic success and future research careers of promising young URM scientists. Learning Objectives: The participant shall be able to learn best practices for engaging high school and college students from under-represented backgrounds in hands-on cancer research. References E. De Chubin and AL DePass, editors. Understanding interventions that broaden participation in science careers. In Understanding Interventions, San Diego, CA, 2015. K. Maton, T. Beason, S. Godsay, M. Sto. Domingo, T. Bailey, S. Sun and F. Hrabowski. Outcomes and processes in the Meyerhoff Scholars Research Program: STEM PhD Completion, Sense of Community, Perceived Program Benefit, Science Identity, and Research Self-Efficacy. CBE–Life Sciences Education 15: 3 (Ar48), 2016. M. Ghee, M. Keels, D. Collins, C. Neal-Spence and E. Baker. Fine-tuning summer research programs to promote underrepresented students' persistence in the STEM pathway. CBE-Life Sciences Education 15: 3 (Ar28), 2016. Citation Format: Karen Burns White, Emily McMains, Diedra Wrighting, Joan Becker, Kathynie Hinds. Lessons learned from seventeen years of cancer research experiences program for under-represented high school and college students [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2018 Nov 2-5; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl):Abstract nr IA16.

Not all mentors are equal

Education Effective mentoring is a critical component of scientific training, especially at the undergraduate level. Even though prior research suggests that negative mentoring experiences are common, little is known about mentoring experiences in general. Limeri et al. report on a qualitative study designed to define and characterize negative mentoring experiences of undergraduate life science researchers. Thirty-three life science undergraduate researchers were interviewed about their experience with mentors, including mentor behaviors and characteristics and mentoring situations and events. The results identified seven major categories of negative mentoring: absenteeism, abuse of power, interpersonal mismatch, lack of career and technical support, lack of psychosocial support, misaligned expectations, and unequal treatment. These data could be useful to future and current mentors reflecting on their mentoring practice. CBE Life Sci. Educ. 18 , ar61 (2019).

Leaving the lab in graduate school?

Career Development The academic system cannot support the current volume of Ph.D. students, and the lack of training in transferrable skills during graduate school compounds this problem. To investigate the efficacy of internships as career exploration tools, Chatterjee et al. used a cohort model where graduate students completed one internship as part of the Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training program. Participants described having learned marketable skills, or CV builders, that they predicted would help differentiate them in the job market. Additionally, participants described a variety of ways that they were able to transfer their industry learning back to their academic and research lab context. Perhaps most valuable were the industry mentoring and networking opportunities, which help show students that there is more than one way to be a scientist. CBE Life Sci. Educ. 18 , ar20 (2019).

Getting to the core of biology success

Education The “Vision and Change” report details a nationally agreed upon framework of core concepts designed to prepare students for the biology-related challenges of the 21st century. Couch et al. describe the development of General Biology–Measuring Achievement and Progression in Science (GenBio-MAPS), an instrument designed to measure student understanding of the core concepts at key time points during an undergraduate biology program, allowing for assessment at both 2- and 4-year institutions. Data were collected from more than 5000 students at 20 institutions, resulting in the first programmatic assessment for general biology programs that align with the core concepts. Implementing GenBio-MAPS will allow departments to identify areas of proficiency and deficiency throughout their programs and guide curricular changes to address problem areas and support the teaching of core concepts. CBE Life Sci. Educ. 18 , ar1 (2019).

Prevailing Questions and Methodologies in Biology Education Research: A Longitudinal Analysis of Research in CBE-Life Sciences Education and at the Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research.

Biology education research (BER) is a growing field, as evidenced by the increasing number of publications in CBE—Life Sciences Education (LSE) and expanding participation at the Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research (SABER) annual meetings. To facilitate an introspective and reflective discussion on how research within LSE and at SABER has matured, we conducted a content analysis of LSE research articles (n = 339, from 2002 to 2015) and SABER abstracts (n = 652, from 2011 to 2015) to examine three related intraresearch parameters: research questions, study contexts, and methodologies. Qualitative data analysis took a combination of deductive and inductive approaches, followed by statistical analyses to determine the correlations among different parameters. We identified existing research questions, study contexts, and methodologies in LSE articles and SABER abstracts and then compared and contrasted these parameters between the two data sources. LSE articles were most commonly guided by descriptive research questions, whereas SABER abstracts were most commonly guided by causal research questions. Research published in LSE and presented at SABER both prioritize undergraduate classrooms as the study context and quantitative methodologies. In this paper, we examine these research trends longitudinally and discuss implications for the future of BER as a scholarly field.

CBE-Life Sciences Education: the story of a "great journal scientists might be caught reading".

How did a moderately sized scientific society create what many consider to be the leading journal in biology education? As Editor-in-Chief of the education journal of the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), CBE—Life Sciences Education (LSE) and recipient of the 2018 Bruce Alberts Award for Excellence in Science Education, I tell the story of the establishment, growth, and impact of ASCB’s “other journal.”

Connecting the bio to the tech

Workforce Population With so many investments being made in training current STEM students to enter a 21st-century job market, why are some biotech companies struggling to fill entry-level positions? Thompson et al. surveyed academic and industry stakeholders and found disconnects on several levels. On the university side, faculty and career counselors are unfamiliar with the career opportunities, partly because biotech companies have done a relatively poor job of marketing entry-level careers. Several obstacles limiting the placement of STEM graduates arise from this, including students not being job ready at graduation and students pursuing education beyond what is needed, leaving them overqualified. The authors make recommendations for encouraging and implementing partnerships among academia, industry, government agencies, and undergraduate institutions as a way forward. CBE Life Sci. Educ. 17 , es12 (2018).

Peer Instruction.

Peer instruction, a form of active learning, is generally defined as an opportunity for peers to discuss ideas or to share answers to questions in an in-class environment, where they also have opportunities for further interactions with their instructor. When implementing peer instruction, instructors have many choices to make about group design, assignment format, and grading, among others. Ideally, these choices can be informed by research about the impact of these components of peer instruction on student learning. This essay describes an online, evidence-based teaching guide published by CBE—Life Sciences Education at http://lse.ascb.org/evidence-based-teaching-guides/peer-instruction. The guide provides condensed summaries of key research findings organized by teaching choices, summaries of and links to research articles and other resources, and actionable advice in the form of a checklist for instructors. In addition to describing key features of the guide, this essay also identifies areas in which further empirical studies are warranted.

Challenging Cognitive Construals: A Dynamic Alternative to Stable Misconceptions.

In biology education research, it has been common to model cognition in terms of relatively stable knowledge structures (e.g., mental models, alternative frameworks, deeply held misconceptions). For example, John D. Coley and Kimberley D. Tanner recently proposed that many student difficulties in biology stem from underlying cognitive frameworks called cognitive construals (CBE—Life Sciences Education, 11[3], 209–215 [2012]; CBE—Life Sciences Education, 14[1], ar8 [2015]). They argued that three such frameworks—teleology, anthropocentrism, and essentialism—cause undergraduate students to hold a range of misconceptions about the biological world. Our purpose in this article is to present an alternative perspective that considers student thinking to be dynamic and context sensitive. Using the example of cognitive construals, we argue that a dynamic perspective creates a burden of proof for claims of cognitive stability—to demonstrate that patterns of thinking are indeed stable across contexts. To illustrate our argument, we report on the results of a study designed to explore the stability of students’ apparent teleological, anthropocentric, and essentialist thinking. Our results are inconsistent with framework models. We propose instead that response patterns stem from students’ context-specific interpretations of the statements, consistent with dynamic models of cognition. Building on these preliminary findings, we discuss the implications of a dynamic view of cognition for biology education research and biology instruction.

Scientific reasoning on paper

Education Helping students develop skills in both critical thinking and scientific reasoning is fundamental to science education. However, the relationship between these two constructs remains largely unknown. Dowd et al. examined this issue by investigating how students' critical thinking skills related to scientific reasoning in the context of undergraduate thesis writing. The authors used the BioTAP rubric to assess scientific reasoning and the California Critical Thinking Skills Test to assess critical thinking. Results support the role of inference in scientific reasoning in writing, while also revealing other aspects of scientific reasoning (epistemological considerations and writing conventions) not related to critical thinking. In considering future implications for instruction, the authors suggest that further research into the impact of interventions focused on specific critical thinking skills (i.e., inference) for improved science reasoning in writing is needed. CBE Life Sci. Educ. 10.1187/cbe.17-03-0052 (2018).

Group Work.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics faculty are increasingly incorporating both formal and informal group work in their courses. Implementing group work can be improved by an understanding of the extensive body of educational research studies on this topic. This essay describes an online, evidence-based teaching guide published by CBE-Life Sciences Education (LSE). The guide provides a tour of research studies and resources related to group work (including many articles from LSE). Instructors who are new to group work, as well as instructors who have experienced difficulties in implementing group work, may value the condensed summaries of key research findings. These summaries are organized by teaching challenges, and actionable advice is provided in a checklist for instructors. Education researchers may value the inclusion of empirical studies, key reviews, and meta-analyses of group-work studies. In addition to describing key features of the guide, this essay also identifies areas in which further empirical studies are warranted.

Investigating Undergraduates' Perceptions of Science in Courses Taught Using the CREATE Strategy.

Many science educators agree that 21st century students need to develop mature scientific thinking skills. Unsurprisingly, students’ and experts’ perceptions about the nature of scientific knowledge differ. Moreover, students’ naïve and entrenched epistemologies can preclude their development toward “thinking like scientists.” Novel teaching approaches that guide students toward more mature perceptions may be needed to support their development of scientific thinking skills. To address such issues, physics educators developed the Colorado Learning Attitudes About Science Survey (CLASS), subsequently adapted for chemistry and biology. These surveys are “designed to compare novice and expert perceptions about the content and structure of a specific discipline; the source of knowledge about that discipline, including connection of the discipline to the real world; and problem-solving approaches” (Semsar et al., CBE Life Sci. Educ. 10:268–278; p 269). We used CLASS-Bio to track students’ perceptions of science in separate first-year and upper-level CREATE (Consider, Read, Elucidate hypotheses, Analyze and interpret the data, Think of the next Experiment) electives, hypothesizing that perceptions would become significantly more expert-like across a semester. Both first-year and upper-level cohorts made significant expert-like shifts. Students also made significant critical thinking gains in CREATE courses. Our findings of more mature, expert-like perceptions of science post-course contrast with those of previous studies, where students’ thinking became significantly less expert-like across a term of introductory instruction and changed little in upper-level biology electives. Augmenting traditional biology curricula with CREATE courses could be an economical way to help undergraduates develop more mature views of science.

Discovery and Broad Relevance May Be Insignificant Components of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) for Non-Biology Majors.

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are a type of laboratory learning environment associated with a science course, in which undergraduates participate in novel research. According to Auchincloss et al. (CBE Life Sci Educ 2104; 13:29–40), CUREs are distinct from other laboratory learning environments because they possess five core design components, and while national calls to improve STEM education have led to an increase in CURE programs nationally, less work has specifically focused on which core components are critical to achieving desired student outcomes. Here we use a backward elimination experimental design to test the importance of two CURE components for a population of non-biology majors: the experience of discovery and the production of data broadly relevant to the scientific or local community. We found nonsignificant impacts of either laboratory component on students’ academic performance, science self-efficacy, sense of project ownership, and perceived value of the laboratory experience. Our results challenge the assumption that all core components of CUREs are essential to achieve positive student outcomes when applied at scale.