Biology Course Research Articles

The Effects of Writing to Learn Activities on the 10th Grade on Teaching of Ecosystem Ecology

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of Writing to Learning (WTL) activities on learning in teaching the subject of Ecosystem Ecology, which is taught in the biology courses in the 10th grade of high school and to examine the course process carried out with WTL activities in terms of student views. Design/Methodology/Approach: In the research, explanatory mixed research design, one of the mixed method research designs, was used. The study group of the research consists of 87 students studying in the 10th grade of a high school in the center of Bayburt in the spring term of the 2021-2022 academic year. As a data collection tool in the research; Preliminary Knowledge Test (PKT), Ecosystem Ecology Achievement Test (EEAT) and Interview Form (IF) were used. Shapiro-Wilk Test, one of the normality tests, was used in the analysis of quantitative data. Since the data obtained from both tests used in the study did not meet the normal distribution conditions, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H tests were applied as non-parametric tests. On the other hand, content analysis method was used to analyze qualitative data. Findings: As a result of the analysis of the data obtained from the EEAT, it was determined that the letter and the diary from the activities of WTL increased the success of the 10th grade students in Ecosystem Ecology. Considering the letter and diary from these activities, it was determined that the letter writing activity contributed more to academic success than the diary writing activity. According to the analysis of the data obtained from the IF, it was determined that the students' views on the WTL activities were positive. Highlights: As a result of the results obtained from the findings, it is thought that it is important to support the use of WTL activities in secondary level biology courses to increase student outcomes.

The impact of a metacognition-based course on school students’ metacognitive skills and biology comprehension

The fast-paced and intricate nature of the current society, coupled with the ongoing changes in educational requirements, calls for the cultivation of higher-order thinking skills. To that end, adopting metacognitive strategies could be instrumental. This paper aimed to evaluate the effects of a 10-week-long metacognition-based biology course on school students’ metacognition and biology comprehension. Employing a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design, the study involved 120 eighth-graders from two public schools. One group was exposed to metacognitive questioning, while the other one continued with regular classroom activities. The results showed that participants who received metacognition-guided instruction achieved higher scores on the biology test and reported improved metacognition as compared to those who followed the standard curriculum. These outcomes were consistent across genders and regardless of whether a student reported a deep or surface learning approach. Qualitative analysis extracted themes of collaboration and understanding among the students. They appreciated the specificity of tasks, which deepened their comprehension, and valued collaborative learning facilitated by metacognitive prompts. These prompts not only enhanced their understanding but also contributed to fostering a positive classroom environment. This research underscores the effectiveness of metacognitive support in enhancing biology education. It advocates for the integration of metacognitive strategies into classroom practices, emphasizing the positive impact they can have on students’ learning experiences and outcomes.

Identifying factors associated with instructor implementation of three-dimensional assessment in undergraduate biology courses.

Recent national calls to transform undergraduate science education have centered on engaging students in scientific practices as a means to help them develop deeper insights into science. The three-dimensional framework for science education encapsulates the goals of these national calls by recommending that instructors integrate scientific practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas throughout their courses. Prior research has found that introductory undergraduate biology exams contain few three-dimensional items suggesting that instructors likely face barriers in meeting the goals of national calls. To better understand these putative challenges, we explored factors potentially associated with three-dimensional alignment. Our generalized linear mixed model indicated that instructors who used three-dimensional items on their exams were more likely to use Bloom's Taxonomy when designing their exams and were more likely to write these items using a constructed-response format. We also found that professional development opportunities did not necessarily change the likelihood an instructor would employ three-dimensional items. We previously identified that few items in our sample fully aligned to scientific practices, making scientific practices the limiting dimension for three-dimensional alignment. Our subsequent analysis here revealed that most biology instructors had exam items that were at least partially aligned to scientific practices. Based on our results, we highlight the significant time and resources that instructors likely need to write and grade constructed-response assessments, suggest that instructors build on items that are mostly aligned to scientific practices to increase their three-dimensional alignment, and propose ways that professional development programs and communities might further support instructors in meeting national calls.

Integrating mathematical modeling into synthetic biology education: a comprehensive approach through webinars and syllabus development

Mathematical modeling is a fundamental aspect of synthetic biology, enabling precise design and analysis of biological systems. To enhance students' understanding of this critical topic, we developed a series of webinars aimed at teaching mathematical modeling to iGEM teams. These webinars were initially created to maintain student engagement during a period of restricted lab access but quickly demonstrated their value as an effective educational tool. The success of these webinars highlighted the suitability of mathematical modeling as a topic well-suited to both onsite and online learning environments. Recognizing this, we expanded the content into a comprehensive syllabus for undergraduate courses in synthetic biology at the Universitat Politècnica de Valencia in Spain and Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas—ESPE in Ecuador. The course now serves as a core component of synthetic biology education, offering students a robust framework for understanding and applying mathematical models. It includes a series of lectures, practical exercises, and case studies, all designed to deepen students' knowledge and skills in this essential area. To support educators and students, we have also developed a deck of slides and example scripts that provide practical examples and reinforce the concepts taught in the course. This manuscript presents the development, implementation, and impact of these educational initiatives, demonstrating how mathematical modeling can be effectively integrated into synthetic biology curricula to prepare students for real-world challenges in the field.

Bones at Home

Remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a range of pedagogical challenges for anthropology laboratory courses. In biological anthropology courses such as Human Osteology, hands-on experience is essential to achieving learning outcomes, including basic bone and feature (i.e., landmark) identification, identification from fragmentary remains, and age and sex estimation. To address the need for training that includes object-based, tactile (haptic) learning in fields such as biological anthropology and archaeology, all Human Osteology students at Mount Royal University and the University of Manitoba took home plastic model skeletons. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how well remotely educated undergraduates (REUs) met human osteology learning objectives when supported by plastic model skeletons at home. We present the results of a survey designed to test core osteological skills obtained by REUs in comparison with undergraduates educated with in-person laboratory components (IPUs) and experts in the field (zero to four and five or more years of experience). REU scores did not differ significantly from those of IPU or Junior Experts with less than five years of experience. Students performed well in bone identification but were limited in their ability to apply common sex and age estimation methods and to identify incomplete elements. Our findings reinforce the importance of haptic learning and years of experience in human osteological learning. They support the use of take-home models as valuable resources in both remote and in-person undergraduate teaching. This work is a step toward more inclusive universal instructional design that can be applied across various anthropology laboratory courses.

Utilizing drawings to understand how our backgrounds and experiences change our plant mental models

Societal Impact StatementOur culture, life experiences, and the places we live teach us about the world around us and the plants within it. This information gives each individual distinct mental models. By delving into plant mental models of young adults, this study offers insights into the complex landscape of plant knowledge, with a special emphasis on Indigenous communities. Beyond broadening our understanding, these findings provide valuable resources for educators and researchers striving to bridge the gap in plant literacy. Moreover, the methods used offer a blueprint for similar investigations globally, which will foster a deeper understanding of plant awareness across diverse populations.Summary Plant mental models, or what people think about when they think of a given plant, give insight into a person's knowledge and understanding of plants. However, little to no research has been conducted on plant mental models of young adults or comparing mental models across demographics. This study assessed college students' plant mental models in the demographic categories of race, gender, rurality, and college type (tribal vs. non‐tribal), as well as experience in art, photography, and plant identification, to determine the impact of these factors on plant mental models. A total of 697 students from three tribal and three non‐tribal colleges enrolled in a specific introductory biology course participated. Participants completed four drawings, which represented their mental model of a plant, flower, grass, and tree. They also completed a short survey about demographics and experience with art, photography, and plant identification. Tree drawings had the most detail, and grass drawings had the least. Gender was the only demographic factor that impacted the detail drawn, with females including more detail for flowers and trees and males for grass. Surprisingly, experience with art, photography, and plant identification did not impact the detail included in the drawings. Overall, participants plant mental models across demographics were simplistic and lacked detail, potentially indicating a lack of plant awareness.

6625 Adrenocortical Oncocytoma: Illuminating The Clinical And Biological Behavior Of An Extremely Rare Tumor Of The Adrenal Gland

Abstract Disclosure: H. Usmani: None. M. Arguello, MD: None. Background: Only 120 cases of adrenocortical oncocytoma have been reported in English literature (1). Standardized diagnostic criteria, or a typical clinical or biological course, have yet to be established. 58 yo woman with PMH HTN, COPD, CREST syndrome on chronic prednisone, previous 38-pk yr smoker, pulmonary nodule, current vaper, was incidentally found to have a left adrenal mass when she went for CT abd pelvis with IV and oral contrast to evaluate for suspected diverticulosis and anemia. CT showed a mass in the left adrenal gland measuring 5.6 x 4.4 cm in size, heterogeneous in density, with possible areas of necrosis. It is unclear how long the adrenal mass was there since the patient never had a CT scan before. Patient was asymptomatic except 50 lb wt loss in the last couple of years with a feeble appetite, self-reported abnormal hair growth (no hirsutism on exam), voice deepening attributed to smoking, and HTN- well controlled with nifedipine. Patient has no FHx of endocrinopathy. Adrenal function tests wnl except for plasma free normetanephrines slightly high at 1.64 nmol/L, which was unlikely from tumor considering tumor size. Normal adrenal function tests included 11-deoxycortisol, DHEA-S, plasma-free metanephrine, aldosterone, renin, aldosterone: renin ratio, androstenedione, ACTH, 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test.She underwent left-sided lap adrenalectomy 4 mos after discovery of adrenal mass, with no complications. 6 days after surgery, a left in JP drain caught on a door at patient’s home, causing splenic subcapsular tear requiring emergent splenectomy. The path report shows an encapsulated neoplasm consisting of sheet-like proliferation of eosinophilia polygonal cells with nuclear atypia, low mitotic activity, and no capsular or vascular invasion. Immunohistochemical markers show neoplastic cells positive for SF1, Mart1, inhibin (focal), and synaptophysin (focal); negative for CK-OSCAR, CK7, CK20, chromogranin, HMB45, and TTF-1, Ki67 and pHH3 show low proliferative index. The pathology slides were sent to U of M, where the diagnosis of adrenal cortical oncocytoma was made. Removal of oncocytoma has not affected patient’s weight, blood pressure, deep voice, or hair growth on 4 month follow up. Lin-Wiess-bisceglia system (2) suggests a benign lesion. But, as mutation rate for this rare tumor is unclear, plan for CT abd pelvis in 1 yr. Conclusion: This case elucidates the clinical and biological course and pathologic diagnosis of an exceedingly rare adrenal tumor.

Four decades of Eukaryotic DNA replication: From yeast genetics to high-resolution cryo-EM structures of the replisome

I had my eyes set on DNA replication research when I took my first molecular biology course in graduate school. My election to the National Academy of Sciences came just when I was retiring from active research. It gives me an opportunity to reflect on my personal journey in eukaryotic DNA replication research, which started as a thought experiment and culminated in witnessing the determination of the cryoelectron microscopic structure of the yeast replisome in the act of transferring histone-encoded epigenetic information at the replication fork. I would like to dedicate this inaugural article to my talented trainees and valuable collaborators in gratitude for the joy they gave me in this journey. I also want to thank my mentors who instilled in me the purpose of science. I hope junior scientists will not be disheartened by the marathon nature of research, but mindful enough to integrate and pause for other equally fun and meaningful activities of life into the marathon.

Concept mapping and students’ attitudes towards biology: Analysis of school location differences and attitude toward concept maps

Many secondary school students, especially those in rural settings do not view favorably biology subject. The predominant use of the teacher-centered approach is mostly cited as the determinant. This study, therefore, investigated the effect of Concept Mapping (CM) mapping on students’ attitudes based on school location and how students experienced the CM. The study used a quasi-experimental research with a pre-test and post-test control group design. The research sample consisted of 305 students from lower secondary schools. Data were collected using Biology Attitude and Attitude toward Concept Mapping Questionnaires and were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance, Multivariate Analysis of Variance, and Independent t-student test. The findings showed that the CM is more effective in fostering students' attitudes toward biology than the conventional methods of instruction. Students' attitudes towards biology when taught using the CM did not significantly differ between those in rural and urban areas. Students showed a positive attitude towards using CM as a learning tool regardless of school location. To enhance student attitudes toward biology, schools should integrate Concept Mapping (CM) into the curriculum and provide professional development for teachers to effectively implement this method. Resources and support should be allocated, especially to rural areas, to ensure equitable access to CM tools. Gathering and responding to student feedback will help refine the approach, while continuous assessment will track its effectiveness. Encouraging collaborative learning with CM can further engage students and improve their overall learning experience in biology and other science-related courses.

Changes in Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Efficacy

Grades in introductory STEM courses can impact intrinsic motivation (IM) and self-efficacy (SE). We used an exploratory approach to examine trends in grades and how IM and SE impact students’ grades. It is known that most first-generation (FG) college students are from underrepresented backgrounds (URM), and that these students are least likely to persist in STEM fields. Therefore, gaining a better understanding of motivation in our most underserved students could be critical to improving their success in introductory biology courses and ultimately future persistence in STEM. We found that, on average, URM FG students received the lowest final grades and experienced the greatest declines in IM and SE. This research informs the way we may think about changes in motivation and self-efficacy in our introductory biology courses as these lay the foundation for future learning and success.

Assessing the Impact of an Undergraduate Biology Course for Non-Majors on Students’ Scientific Literacy, Perceptions of Science, and Confidence in Their Ability to Engage in Scientific Inquiry

Assessing the Impact of an Undergraduate Biology Course for Non-Majors on Students’ Scientific Literacy, Perceptions of Science, and Confidence in Their Ability to Engage in Scientific Inquiry

Mendelism in the course of biology of the new ukrainian school

The article draws attention to the discrepancy between the teaching of Mendelism in the secondary school biology course and the level of modern genetics. It is pointed out the shift of emphasis in teaching the laws of inheritance and the simplified understanding of Mendelism by reducing it to three laws. The reason for this can be seen in the unjustified giving to the results obtained by Mendel in the genetic experiment, the status of laws, which, without taking into account modern scientific achievements, uncritically pass from textbook to textbook. It is pointed out the need in the new Ukrainian school, when teaching the basics of classical genetics, to take into account the latest achievements of genetics and suppress Mendelian results not as laws, but as data of a genetic experiment, which became the basis for a paradigm shift in the understanding of the phenomena of heredity – a transition from the idea of fused heredity to the theory of hereditary discreteness material. It is proposed to present Mendel’s achievements to students as one fundamental law of discreteness of heredity, which takes a worthy place in the series of ideas about the discreteness of matter and energy.

Design and practice of integrating artificial intelligence into the teaching of "Synthetic Biology" under the background of discipline crossing

In recent years, artificial intelligence has been employed to empower synthetic biology, demonstrating great potential in the simulation and prediction of protein structures as well as the design and optimization of regulatory elements and metabolic networks. Integrating artificial intelligence into the teaching of Synthetic Biology is in line with the development trends of synthetic biology and can promote the cultivation of interdisciplinary high-level talents and collaborative innovation. This paper expounds the idea of integrating artificial intelligence into the teaching of Synthetic Biology from establishing interdisciplinary course contents and teaching methods, simultaneously considering the fundamentals and application of artificial intelligence in synthetic biology, cultivating independent learning and innovative practice abilities, and enhancing the ethics education related to artificial intelligence. Furthermore, a system integrating artificial intelligence with the teaching contents of Synthetic Biology is designed, which focuses on supplementing fundamentals of artificial intelligence and incorporating artificial intelligence into the classroom and experimental teaching contents of Synthetic Biology. Moreover, with the course of Synthetic Biology in Jiangnan University as an example, this paper presents the pathway of integrating artificial intelligence into the teaching of this course under the background of discipline crossing. Finally, the teaching effects are expected.

Developing a curriculum cluster in "Synthetic Biology" to cultivate inter-disciplinary and innovative talents for biomanufacturing

Synthetic Biology, as an emerging discipline, has gained widespread attention and is developing rapidly, profoundly impacting the fields of life sciences and biotechnology. Concurrently, as emerging engineering education programs take shape, accelerated cultivation of multifaceted innovative talents represents a new mission and imperative for higher education in China. In the context of the flourishing development of Synthetic Biology, East China University of Science and Technology has established a curriculum cluster in Synthetic Biology, focusing on microbiological drug discovery and biomanufacturing. The teaching team initially reviewed the curriculum system related to Synthetic Biology and its upstream and downstream courses. Subsequently, they expanded the core courses in Synthetic Biology, creating a curriculum cluster that encompasses not only the theoretical foundations and cutting-edge technologies but also integrates with related disciplines. Moreover, the curriculum cluster leverages lectures from renowned domestic and international professors in the State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, and harnesses the rich resources of the Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (the "111 plan"), aiming to enhance students' innovation capabilities. With the support of this curriculum cluster and teaching team, undergraduate students actively participate in international Synthetic Biology competitions like international genetic engineering machine competition (iGEM), consistently achieving gold awards. Furthermore, many students have applied for patents and made contributions to research paper publications. This work stands as a valuable exemplar for cultivating multifaceted talents with exceptional innovative capabilities.

Neonatal Hyperthyroidism: Case Report and Literature Review

The onset of Graves' disease during pregnancy exposes the newborn to the risk of neonatal hyperthyroidism due to the transplacental passage of anti-thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor antibodies. We report the case of a child whose mother was diagnosed with Graves' disease during pregnancy. Clinical hyperthyroidism appeared only a few days after birth and was confirmed by hormonal tests. Thanks to treatment with synthetic antithyroid drugs, the child's clinical and biological course was favorable. It is essential to systematically screen for neonatal hyperthyroidism in newborns of mothers with Graves' disease, as the absence of immediate clinical signs after birth does not rule out the diagnosis. The pediatrician must be aware of this thyroid condition even in the absence of an identified maternal history, in order to enable rapid therapeutic management.

A case study of actual versus desired inclusion of community-derived core concepts into neuroscience courses in different disciplines at a large university

Neuroscience is an inherently interdisciplinary and rapidly evolving field. While many universities have neuroscience or related majors, they are highly heterogeneous, and it is unclear how their content aligns with a recent proposal of what ideas make up the field of neuroscience. It is therefore important to document and assess the alignment of neuroscience curricula with core concepts in the field. Recently, a large effort by some members of the neuroscience education community described eight core concepts for undergraduate neuroscience curricula. In this paper, we focus primarily on courses in biology, cognitive science, and psychology at a large university, surveying the recent and current course instructors of these courses to ask them (1) to what extent these community-derived core concepts are incorporated into their classes and (2) to what extent these concepts should be incorporated into their classes. In addition, we map core concepts onto course syllabi. We found that core concepts are well-represented across disciplines, and identified differences between departments' inclusion of core concepts. We found that instructors cover fewer core concepts than they desire, and that two core concepts, “Evolution” and “Gene-environment interactions”, were less frequently addressed across disciplines. We consider barriers to instructors' ability to align course content with core concepts, both within and across disciplines. In this effort, we provide an example of how departments can evaluate their alignment of major requirements with the neuroscience core concepts.

Ten Years of the Synthetic Biology Summer Course at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Summer Course on Synthetic Biology, established in 2013, has emerged as a premier platform for immersive education and research in this dynamic field. Rooted in CSHL's rich legacy of biological discovery, the course offers a comprehensive exploration of synthetic biology's fundamentals and applications. Led by a consortium of faculty from diverse institutions, the course structure seamlessly integrates practical laboratory sessions, exploratory research rotations, and enriching seminars by leaders in the field. Over the years, the curriculum has evolved to cover essential topics such as cell-free transcription-translation, DNA construction, computational modeling of gene circuits, engineered gene regulation, and CRISPR technologies. In this review, we describe the history, development, and structure of the course, and discuss how elements of the course might inform the development of other short courses in synthetic biology. We also demonstrate the course's impact beyond the lab with a summary of alumni contributions to research, education, and entrepreneurship. Through these efforts, the CSHL Summer Course on Synthetic Biology remains at the forefront of shaping the next generation of synthetic biologists.

A summer course in cancer for high school students-an update on lessons taught and lessons learned

BackgroundPrevious graduate students and postdoctoral associates from the University of Florida Health Cancer Center, in partnership with the University of Florida Student Science Training Program, implemented a cooperative learning curriculum, providing high school students with a broad overview of cancer topics over six weeks over the summer. To address discussions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic on student autonomy, we report lessons learned and outcomes of a cancer biology and therapeutic curriculum modified for a collaborative learning environment.MethodsThis pre-post longitudinal observational study conducted in 2023 on a cancer biology and therapeutics course evaluated students’ knowledge retention and general awareness and opinions in cancer research. A structured survey was employed for data collection, using learning assessment surveys and the Likert scale ranging from 1 to 10, with 10 being highly likely.ResultsStudent performance tracked over a 7-year period indicated consistency in performance between years. Post-assessment analysis revealed significant improvements in student benchmark understanding, notably in their ability to define cancer in one sentence (p = 0.0407), identify cancer therapies (p = 0.0040), and recognize cancer hallmarks (p < 0.0001). An increased trend in median response to the likelihood of pursuing cancer research (p = 0.8793) and the possibility of pursuing cancer research (p = 0.4874) were also observed, although not statistically significant. Moreover, feedback from participating students indicated that “the educational activities at the end of class (e.g., escape room, case studies)” and “learning about cancer and getting to work in groups…” the curriculum fostered a positive educational learning environment.ConclusionStudents generally retained the course material presented and upheld a positive perception of the course. Incorporating opportunities for peer-to-peer learning, especially when introducing or discussing complex issues like cancer, may benefit student autotomy.

PSVII-28 A comparative analysis on student learning using DNA barcoding in undergraduate biology courses

Abstract DNA barcoding is a growing field and is increasingly used to identify animal and plant specimens down to the species level. This type of molecular work is beneficial for animal science students for its use in identifying insect pests or bacterial infections. However, it is equally important for students outside of STEM concentrations to be exposed to molecular work to develop a better understanding of science and combat the growing distrust in science. The overall goal of this project was to train non-molecular biologists in DNA barcoding using active learning techniques. The objectives of the present study were to 1) expose two groups of students (BSCI145 and BSCI467) to molecular lab work, particularly DNA barcoding, 2) effectively communicate how molecular methods can be applied to ecological purposes, and 3) demonstrate that this molecular method can be used for university-level education at two scales. We hypothesized that students at both the 100 and 400 level would exit this experience with a proportionally deeper understanding of how DNA barcoding works and an appreciation for its applications as a result of the hands-on module. We did not expect there to be a significant barrier between the ability to learn this molecular method of 100 and 400 level students. To assess these hypotheses, students in both courses were given a survey at the beginning and end of the semester with the same or very similar questions to observe how their knowledge of DNA barcoding did or did not change. One semester of BSCI145 and 2 semesters of BSCI467 were sampled (n = 24 100 level students, n = 84 400 level students). Surveys were collected anonymously and evaluated using rubrics to assess “correctness”. An ANOVA revealed statistically significant effects from both the course level (P = 0.004) and the survey scores (P = 0.001), indicating that both course level and basal knowledge contribute to explaining the variance in learning. Additionally, Tukey HSD test results displayed students in BSCI 145 exhibited a significantly greater mean learning change when compared with both BSCI 467 2022 and BSCI 467 2023 (P = 0.008 and P = 0.006 respectively). Finally, a linear regression analysis displayed a significant negative relationship between pre-survey scores and mean learning change (β = -0.850, P = 0.001). This means that students with a greater initial learning reference point will not increase in learning as much when compared with students with a decreased initial learning reference point. In conclusion, we accept our hypotheses that students at different academic levels with different backgrounds can successfully learn molecular techniques when provided hands-on modules. This is relevant to education and extension when working with individuals who may not know hard science.

It’s Personal and Pedagogical: Peer Learning Assistants Use Multiple Strategies to Support Student Learning in College Biology Courses

It’s Personal and Pedagogical: Peer Learning Assistants Use Multiple Strategies to Support Student Learning in College Biology Courses