Biological Sciences Course Research Articles

Actividades Experimentais de Física de Baixo Custo: Um exemplo particular na 10ª Classe do curso de Ciências Físicas e Biológicas

The research focused on experimental activities, in the form of low-cost laboratory practice, with the aim of analyzing the reality of teachers in the teaching-learning process of physics in the 10th grade of the Physical and Biological Sciences course. An experimental study was carried out at the Secondary School Liceu 26 de Abril no. 1677 in the Municipality of Lubango, Huíla Province, Republic of Angola. Questionnaires were used as research tool, allowing a quantitative approach to be reported, using the statistical method in laboratory practice. There was a 100% sample of 6 teachers who teach physics and a 25% sample of 367 students. Once the diagnosis had been made, it was found that the institution in question does not have a laboratory equipped to carry out experimental activities, either with low-cost materials or with recycled materials and, of the few laboratory practices observed, there was no example of a calculation that included analysis of the theory of error for direct or indirect measurement.

Graduates' Views of the Ontario Midwifery Education Program

A survey of all graduates of Ontario's Midwifery Education Program was done in 2003 in order to obtain their views about the adequacy of their preparation for professional practice, the satisfaction with program features and future educational aspirations. The respondents (123 of 181[68%] graduates) were nearly all working as midwives, most were working full time and more than half had been preceptors for students since the time of their own graduation. The most highly rated Program features were biological science courses, final year clinical courses, small group tutorials and skilled preceptors. The aspects of the Program that were most stressful were balancing the high demands of the Program with family responsibilities, relocating for clinical placements and having difficulties with preceptors. Overall, graduates felt well prepared for professional practice. All graduates reported undertaking continuing education and many were interested in master's level courses or programs. The crucial role of preceptors in students' educational experiences was reinforced by the survey results. preceptor development continue to be a high priority.

Semiótica de história em quadrinhos: o processo criativo como tradução de uma ecologia de saberes na divulgação científica

The use of comics goes beyond the universe of leisure and entertainment, they are used successfully by teachers within the classroom. Currently, there is a growing increase in comics being used as scientific dissemination material (CD).This work aims to investigate, through semiotic analysis, the creative process of Biological Sciences students in the production of comics, configuring an Ecology of Knowledge in CD.In this sense, some examples of comics produced during classes in a subject of a degree course in biological sciences were chosen to be analyzed. Therefore, the analytical framework chosen was Peircean Semiotics. The results demonstrated a mobilization of previous knowledge and others acquired in the process; In addition to sharing this knowledge in favor of maintaining the group, denoting knowledge that is specific to the group in the production of comics, (codes and symbols belonging to the area of Biology combined with the language of comics), the ability to handle digital technologies; cultural knowledge, suggesting an Ecology of Knowledge specific to the group.

Perceptions of students of the degree course in Biological Sciences on the teaching of plant physiology with the aid of alternative teaching resources

A negligência no ensino de Botânica, especialmente na Educação Básica, leva ao desinteresse sobre o tema. Esse desinteresse pode começar pelo próprio professor, por não entender a temática ou pela falta de afinidade. O objetivo foi analisar as percepções de licenciandos sobre o uso de recursos didáticos na disciplina de Fisiologia Vegetal do curso de Ciências Biológicas de uma universidade pública. Os dados foram coletados por meio de um Grupo Focal com os licenciandos e analisados segundo a metodologia da Análise Textual Discursiva. Observou-se que, dentre os recursos pedagógicos avaliados, o “Painel Interativo da Cadeia Transportadora de Elétrons da Respiração Vegetal”, apresentou-se como o mais interessante, pois este se destaca por ser mais dinâmico e interativo, e por favorecer a aprendizagem significativa.

INFLUÊNCIAS DE CONCEPÇÕES PARADIGMÁTICAS DA CIÊNCIA EM TEXTOS DE LICENCIANDOS DE CIÊNCIAS BIOLÓGICAS SOBRE ECOLOGIA

ABSTRACT: This article analyzed texts by undergraduates in Biological Sciences on the ecological theme, having as reference the paradigmatic conceptions of contemporary science: complexity, systemic and Cartesian. The research context was the Ecology Practice that is a curricular component of an undergraduate course in Biological Sciences at a public university in the Brazilian Northeast. The investigation employed a qualitative and quantitative approach with the objective of identifying the influence of paradigmatic conceptions of science in the construction of meanings of ecological themes by the undergraduate students participating in the research. The methodology combined the development of conceptual schemes and Statistical Implicit Analysis (SIA), which allowed viewing the implications of complexity and depth of the relationships established between conceptual variables present in the texts. The results indicated that different ecological themes suffer different paradigmatic influences. Systemic and complex conceptions were present in themes with conservationism and environmental impact, while consumerism was linked to the Cartesian paradigm. The research also corroborated the adequacy of mixed research approaches for the science teaching area.

Eficácia dos selantes dentários na prevenção da cárie infantil nos diferentes níveis sócioeconômicos

Sealants for pits, fissures, and occlusal surfaces are an effective preventive measure against occlusal caries in children, especially those from low-income backgrounds who have the highest DMFT index (Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth). The objective of this study is to demonstrate, through a literature review, the importance of sealant application for a better prognosis and lower incidence of occlusal caries in children. The methodology employed involves searching for articles from the past 10 years (2013-2023) on the LILACS platform, using keywords such as "sealant and caries prevention," "childhood caries and low income," and "childhood caries and social inequality." Additionally, national studies such as SB Brazil 2003 and SB Brazil 2010 were included. As a result, it is evident that the implementation of preventive sealants in childhood has proven to be an effective and non-invasive method for preventing childhood caries by forming a physical barrier between the vulnerable occlusal surface and the oral environment

Sensorial Gardens: How Students of Distance Learning Biological Sciences Graduation Course at UERJ “See” These Spaces

The sensory garden, as a pedagogical instrument, facilitates learning and the development of environmental perceptions through the senses and their interaction with the environment for people with or without disabilities. There are no works, though, that relates the understanding of sensory gardens and distance learning students and this knowledge’s possible reverberations in teacher education. In this perspective, the present work aimed to identify the perceptions of undergraduate students finishing the Biological Sciences course at UERJ/CEDERJ polo Magé. For this purpose, an online questionnaire was applied to 35 students of the target audience to know the perceptions about the sensory garden and the senses most acute there. Afterward, a content analysis of the answers was performed. Most students understand that the sensory garden activates the senses of the body for perceptions of the environment through interaction with the plants that compose it, and that it is an inclusion tool to assist in the teaching-learning process of people with disabilities. Among the different sources of information about the sensory garden, websites/social networks predominate, followed by the university. The sensory garden of the Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro stands out as the most visited by the interviewees. Although the public interviewed has some perceptions about the sensory garden, these perceptions do not cover its use in education as a tool to assist the teaching practice, being necessary to deepen the debate in academic education.

A training action for chemistry and science teachers: contribution of problem-solving activities to inclusive education

This work analyzes the contributions of a teacher training action to the acquisition or improvement of knowledge concerning the principles of inclusive education, assisted by use of the problem-solving (PS) methodology. The training action was conducted with 32 subjects, including undergraduates from the Chemistry and Biological Sciences courses at a Brazilian federal public university, together with teachers of Chemistry and Biology at state schools in Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). Data were collected using questionnaires and field diaries. The present article discusses two main categories that emerged from triangulation of the data: (i) conceptions about inclusive education, and (ii) experiences and potential of PS. The findings showed that the training course activities contributed to the professional development of the participants, using a strategy where the principles of inclusive education were associated with study of an investigative approach to teaching and learning.

The Benefits of Using Case Study Focussed, Problem Based Learning Approaches to Unit Design for Biomedical Science Students.

As part of the Biomedical Sciences undergraduate degree course students are required to apply biological principles to the interpretation of clinical case studies and the diagnosis of patients. Case study-based learning, i.e., application of knowledge to patient diagnosis, is new to most students as case studies do not form part of non-applied A level courses in biological sciences. This approach is an example of Problem Based Learning (PBL) which has been shown to support higher levels of student learning, encouraging critical thinking and analysis. PBL approaches have also been shown to increase academic satisfaction and student engagement. In recent years we have observed a downwards trend in student engagement and historically student performance in applied case study-based assessments to be lower than that observed for assessments based on detailing fundamental biological principles. We hypothesised that PBL teaching delivery would support students in preparing for case study-based assessments, helping them to demonstrate their critical evaluation and problem-solving skills, and hence, improve student performance. We also hypothesised that the student learning experience would be enhanced by a PBL teaching delivery approach which would improve overall engagement. We therefore redesigned a second year Biomedical Sciences degree haematology and clinical biochemistry unit: "Blood Science," with a stronger focus on PBL, including case study focussed activities throughout the unit. We subsequently analysed whether this PBL-focussed unit design improved student experience and feedback, student engagement and student confidence for biomedical science undergraduate students. We present here, our teaching strategy and the impact our changes had on student feedback for the 21/22 and 22/23 academic years. Our findings demonstrate that case study-based activities and tutorial PBL exercises, when incorporated into the curriculum design, can improve student experience in the Biomedical Sciences and other biological science undergraduate degree courses.

An animal physiology Pressbook (OER) creation process, a synergistic collaboration with undergraduates and faculty

OERs or Open Educational Resources have shown to reduce financial barriers in undergraduates by providing low cost or no cost textbooks. However, the potential OER textbooks available for a three-hundred level Biological Sciences and Natural Sciences majors Animal Physiology course (BIOLA310) at UAA do not align with the foundation of this course’s structure of homeostasis and core concepts in physiology. Thus an OER Pressbook was created by a former BIOLA310 undergraduate student for future students that mapped the course outline, utilizing the essential core concepts of Homeostasis, Systems Integration, and Scientific reasoning. This study explores current attitudes regarding OER usage of undergraduates enrolled in BIOLA310 as compared to undergraduates that were enrolled in Fall 2021 BIOLA310, when there was not an official OER textbook. Anonymous demographic data, including first generation student and pell grant status will be collected for all participants to explore any potential differences in OER impression based on student resources. Data will also be collected regarding the informational component of the OER pressbook that students engage with the most. Hypothesis: Students connected more directly with the material of the undergraduate created Pressbook OER’s, as compared to a previous version of instructor curated OER materials in Fall 2021, due to low cost, the information presented from a near peer, and how the textbook was designed for the course. Data will be collected by an anonymous qualtrics survey to protect the identity of the volunteers. Pressbooks, the web host of the Animal Physiology OER gathers Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and tracks relevant metrics, to compare student perception of use to actual use of the materials. Data will be analyzed to assess usage evaluated by financial barriers and perceived inclination due to the OER being designed by a fellow student. Supporting student learning from diverse perspectives, OER’s created with content expert faculty and undergraduate student interpretation might increase OER availability. By lowering the barrier of OER creation, then potentially more curated resources are created that resonate with near peer learning that will increase the diversity of learning viewpoints to support undergraduate students. Research reported in this publication was supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDeA) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under grant number P20GM103395. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

A research-led flexible cell biology practical for biological sciences undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses.

A challenge in the pandemic era is to implement effective but flexible practical teaching for biological sciences courses. Such teaching needs to deliver conceptual, analytical and practical skills training while having the option to rapidly respond to health and safety issues, local regulations, staff and student concerns. In this paper, we describe a set of cell biology practicals (mini-project) that meets many of these requirements and provides flexibility in providing skills training both through online and in practical laboratory environments. We have used a human adenocarcinoma cell line A431 stably transfected with a fluorescent cell cycle reporter as a biological model to deliver training through discrete work packages encompassing cell culture, fluorescence microscopy, biochemistry and statistics. How such work packages can be modified to, an online format either partially or completely is also described. Furthermore, the activities can be adapted for teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate level courses to ensure effective skills training which is applicable to a wide range of biological degree programs and levels of study.

Vaccines and Covid-19: an experience report about the internal qualification of an extension project

The objective of this study is to report the experience lived by extensionists of the Immunology project in Professional Schools of Fortaleza in an internal training on Vaccines and Covid-19. This is an exploratory and descriptive study, of a qualitative and quantitative nature, carried out through the Google Meet videoconferencing application and the Google Forms survey management application. Students from undergraduate courses in health sciences and biological sciences linked to the extension project participated in the activity, as well as students and professors from postgraduate programs at the Federal University of Ceará (UFC). Among the results, distance communication technologies through the dissemination of didactic content make the teaching and learning process possible, effectively and playfully enabling the transfer of knowledge and interaction between people without the need for direct contact in the same physical environment. Through globalized communication tools, it is possible to ensure effectiveness in learning and disseminating content related to a particular theme. In conclusion, the teaching and learning activity carried out by virtual means was successful. The project public was able to expand knowledge about immunology, focusing on the constituent inputs of the vaccine against Covid-19, promoting the dissemination of knowledge during the online meeting.

Sleep quality and the teaching-learning process: a case study with Bahian students

Sleep is a natural physiological condition of the human organism, and performs functions such as: restoring the neurological system, modulating cognition, consolidating memory and learning and contributing psychologically to people’s mental well-being. Therefore, an investigation was developed during supervised curricular internship II, of the Degree course in Biological Sciences, with the objective of identifying the causes that compromise the quality of sleep of high school/technical students and its main consequences for the teaching-learning process. The research was developed in two 1st year classes of a Technical course in Agriculture of a Federal Institute located in the Northern Region of the State of Bahia. For the data production movement, a Form from Google Docs was used, in which 40 students participated. After analysis, it was noticed that the socioeconomic and psychological conditions of the students, the school infrastructure, the use of technologies and the number of activities requested by the teachers are the main causes that interfere in the quality of the students’ sleep. Thus, the investigated adolescents have a low sleep duration, which refers to the need for interventions.

Using ‘memes’ to promote social distancing and containment measures against covid-19

Since deforestation grows in large steps, it is expected that the environmental imbalance will affect human beings. However, today humanity is plagued by a global epidemic of COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, of the genus Betacoronavirus, mainly affects the respiratory organs, and its transmission is linked to contact, droplets and aerosols produced by speech and breathing. However, a large number of cases of transmission of the disease are more related to misinformation about the containment measures instituted by the government, and the problem could be solved through the dissemination of far-reaching information materials. Several studies have shown that since 2021, cases of Covid-19 have increased among adolescents and young people. Thus, it is necessary to develop forms of communication that reach this audience. One of these means consists of memes, which became popular as messages with an ironic or comic tone that circulated widely on social networks. In this way, the present study aimed to make posters based on the most popular memes in order to inform and prevent the forms of contagion and infection of COVID-19. The educational material was developed in the microbiology subject of the Licentiate in Biological Sciences course, and consisted of research on social networks and the internet for memes that could be adapted for the desired purpose, with the intention of being used in elementary and secondary schools, considering that even with the reduction in cases of Covid-19, preventive measures are still necessary. With these social communication tools, it is possible to observe a greater reach in the dissemination of the intended information, which can be more easily disseminated both on the internet, through social networks and even in person, since the use of this type of media draws the attention mainly of adolescents and young people. Another important factor is that preventive measures against Covid-19 help control other diseases in the school environment, such as flu and rotavirus.

Guia de macroalgas para o ensino de botânica

The planning, execution, and evaluation of practical classes in rocky shores of marine beaches along the Brazilian coast is a challenging teaching activity for educators when it comes to addressing botanical content. The development and approval of taxonomic photographic guides of marine flora can facilitate the pedagogical work of the instructor. The objectives of the article are: a) to present the "Guide to Green (Chlorophyta), Brown (Ochrophyta), and Red Algae (Rhodophyta) from Saco de Dois Rios, Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil"; b) to describe the evaluation of its didactic adequacy made by the students of the mandatory discipline of Plant Biodiversity I of the Biological Sciences course of the State University of Rio de Janeiro. The guide is portable, submersible, and printed on a PVC plate with 29 cm in length, 20.9 cm in width, and 0.2 cm in thickness. It has 48 color illustrations: 10 Ochrophyta, 11 Chlorophyta, and 27 Rhodophyta. Students between 19-21 years old, (72%), and from the Bachelor's program (66%) approved the guide with a significant difference (a<1%) of favorable observations (76%). The tested guide proved to be an adequate complementary didactic support on the content of macroalgae for adoption in the practical classes of the rocky marine and estuarine shores studied.

Pandemia da Covid-19: um evento traumático para estudantes de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde?

Abstract: Introduction: Health Sciences university students were especially affected by the Sars-CoV-2 virus pandemic. The anxieties intrinsically related to Covid-19 were added to the impacts related to the changes that have taken place in academic institutions, particularly the change to online teaching, a methodology that can generate discomfort for students, in addition to several obstacles related to teaching and learning, which can have important traumatic effects on the mental health of this population. Objective: To assess the mental health burden caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as a traumatic event capable of triggering psychiatric disorders, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), in university students. Methods: This is a cross-sectional and quantitative study, of analytical-descriptive nature, carried out by filling out an anonymous digital form, initiated after prior approval by the Research Ethics Committee. The subjects were students of Biological and Health Sciences at a State University located in the southeastern region of Brazil. The sample consisted of 618 students. Results: 618 forms were answered by students attending the courses of Physical Education (28.8%), Medicine (25.4%), Dentistry (18.1%), Biological Sciences (15.2%) and Nursing (12.5%). The presence of post-traumatic stress symptoms assessed by the Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R) obtained a prevalence of 32.7% (n = 202) among university students from Biological and Health Sciences courses. Conclusions: There was a significant impact on the mental health of university students, with the presence of depressive symptoms, anxiety and stress above those found in the scientific literature and, consequently, a high prevalence of PTSD.

The Nature of Biology in Life Sciences Undergraduate Courses

The research deals with the relationship between the initial training of biology teachers and the Nature of Biology, aiming to analyze the Pedagogical Projects of two Undergraduate Courses in Biological Sciences of a university in northeastern Brazil in search of the Nature of Biology. The methodology adopted was qualitative with exploratory purpose based on documentary research, in which the menus of the disciplines of the chosen courses were analyzed, the data collected were processed through discursive textual analysis. The results obtained pointed to the presence of the Nature of Biology in the courses of degree in Biological Sciences in the specific disciplines of Biology and pedagogical.

Overview of the contents covered in Libras (brazilian sign language) courses in science teacher preparation programs: analysis of the syllabi in undergraduate teacher certification programs in the biological sciences and chemistry

The integration of the Deaf person into society has been marked by several historical and philosophical conflicts on the road to full rights of citizenship. In Brazil, there have been several legislative milestones in that regard, including Law n° 10.436/2002 (BRASIL, 2002), which recognizes the Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) as the official language of the Deaf people, and Decree No. 5,626/2005 (BRASIL, 2005), which regulates Libras as a first language (L1) and written Portuguese as a second language (L2). Of particular relevance for the present paper, the latter decree codified the inclusion of Libras (Brazilian sign language) as a core course in key teacher certification programs, including Speech Therapy and Education. This inclusion of Libras is, in fact, a remarkable achievement regarding the education of the Deaf in Brazil since proper teacher training may be conducive to better inclusion of deaf students (ANDRADE, 2013). Using a documentary analysis of syllabi, we thus set out to analyze how the syllabus content for Libras courses is structured concerning the content for undergraduate teaching certification degrees in Chemistry and Biological Sciences. This qualitative study draws on 139 publicly-available syllabi of Libras undergraduate teacher certification courses in Chemistry and Biological Sciences of Higher Education Institutions (HEI), restricted to those receiving the highest scores (4 and 5) in the 2017 government assessment exercise (henceforth called "Enade"). Through content analysis, five Context Units (CUs) were established to identify which syllabus contents are considered and taught in college Libras courses in Brazil. The CUs for analyzing the syllabi coverage related to the following: Conceptions about deaf people; Educational Interpreters (EI); Bilingual Education; The teaching of Chemistry or Biological Sciences for the Deaf; and Approaches to inclusion in general or conceptions about special education. Although the analysis has shown us numerous variations of the teaching of Libras, with some content such as a focus on the treatment of the deaf as a standout topic, more research is needed. In particular, there is a tendency for the subject to receive a limited number of dedicated course hours, which does not allow for a broader grasp of the theoretical and practical issues related to sign language and bilingual education for the Deaf — especially with regard to the teaching of science.

38 Beyond the Classroom: Community Engaged Learning in Animal Sciences

Abstract “Companion Animals” is a sophomore level elective in the Division of Animal Sciences at the University of Missouri (MU). This class focuses primarily on dogs, cats, and horses. Topics covered include the pet industry, breeds, wellness, management, care, training, zoonotic diseases, evolution and domestication, toxicology, nutrition, reproduction, genetics, human animal interactions, and biomedical research. As this course is designated a biological science course, several non-majors also enroll in the class each year. What makes this course different from other courses taught in the Division is that it is a “service-learning course.” This means that students volunteer 20-35 hours with non-profits and neighborhood organizations, including the local animal shelter and equine therapy services for persons with disabilities. The partnerships are coordinated by the Office of Service Learning at MU. The benefits for the students include 1) development of professional skills and exploration of possible careers, 2) civic engagement, 3) public service leadership, and 4) understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion. Together, the students in the course perform more >850 hours of community service and their engagement creates >$18,500 of positive economic impact in the state of Missouri. Overall, 93% of MU students would recommend their service experience to a friend. Early in the semester, Dr. Rivera, the course coordinator, meets for 15 minutes with each student to learn about the reason they chose their service, invariably the majority answer, “because of the animals.” Also, at the end of the semester Dr. Rivera meets for 15 minutes with each student to learn about their volunteering experience. When asked “what was the best part of the service?” the vast majority of the students respond “the people.” In conclusion, the general life skills, social conscience, and personal growth that the students attain from their service is not attainable in the typical classroom setting.

Análise da Educação Remota como uma alternativa emergencial durante a pandemia da Covid-19 (Sars-Cov-2): Analysis of Remote Education as an emergency alternative during the Covid-19 pandemic (Sars-Cov-2)

In view of the coronavirus pandemic, several security measures were necessary, among them, the on-site suspension of educational activities, thus generating the obligation for teachers and students to migrate to the online reality, transferring and transposing methodologies and pedagogical practices atypical of the physical territories of learning, in what has been called remote or synchronous emergency teaching. With the uncertainties that the current scenario presents, the idea to develop this work arose with the objective of carrying out analyzes on the feasibility of implementing emergency remote education at the State University of Alagoas - UNEAL. This is a study, based on an opinion poll, through an online questionnaire Google® Forms, carried out with teachers and students of the Licenciatura Courses in Biological Sciences and Chemistry.103 people participated, being 89.3% students and 10.7% teachers. The majority 73.8% agreed that the implementation of emergency remote education is feasible. Through analysis of the current context and the results obtained, it is recommended that teachers and students discuss the best strategies that enable a good quality remote or synchronous teaching.