Life Sciences Education Research Articles

HITS: Harnessing a Collaborative Training Network to Create Case Studies that Integrate High-Throughput, Complex Datasets into Curricula

As educators and researchers, we often enjoy enlivening classroom discussions by including examples of cutting-edge high-throughput (HT) technologies that propelled scientific discovery and created repositories of new information. We also call for the use of evidence-based teaching practices to engage students in ways that promote equity and learning. The complex datasets produced by HT approaches can open the doors to discovery of novel genes, drugs, and regulatory networks, so students need experience with the effective design, implementation, and analysis of HT research. Nevertheless, we miss opportunities to contextualize, define, and explain the potential and limitations of HT methods. One evidence-based approach is to engage students in realistic HT case studies. HT cases immerse students with messy data, asking them to critically consider data analysis, experimental design, ethical implications, and HT technologies.The NSF HITS (High-throughput Discovery Science and Inquiry-based Case Studies for Today’s Students) Research Coordination Network in Undergraduate Biology Education seeks to improve student quantitative skills and participation in HT discovery. Researchers and instructors in the network learn about case pedagogy, HT technologies, publicly available datasets, and computational tools. Leveraging this training and interdisciplinary teamwork, HITS participants then create and implement HT cases. Our initial case collection has been used in >15 different courses at a variety of institutions engaging >600 students in HT discovery. We share here our rationale for engaging students in HT science, our HT cases, and network model to encourage other life science educators to join us and further develop and integrate HT complex datasets into curricula.

Transformation of Assessment of the Pre-Service Life Sciences Teachers: Issues of Curriculum Development in Education and Training in South Africa

The Department of Higher Education intends to transform the traditional education theories and practices in the education and training of teachers for the twenty-first century. The attributes of a competent and qualified teacher underpin the envisaged changes in the curriculum to aptly prepare teachers. However, the realizations of the intentions of the department appear to be in vain. Accordingly, the current case studies conducted through qualitative procedures aimed to investigate how teacher educators adhere to the proposals of the Minimum Requirement of Teacher Education Qualifications (MRTEQ). The data gathered through the analysis, of course, guides intended to search for the link between the Life Science curriculum content knowledge and the plan to assess the competences promulgated by the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA). The findings pointed out that the course guide indicated learning outcomes, critical outcomes, and course and module outcomes; however, the assessment criteria were not aligned to the learning outcomes, module outcomes, and assessment techniques or tools. Therefore, the study recommends that academics in teacher education should explore and reflect on the models that could explicitly measure the performance of competencies (foundational, practical, and reflexive) authentically and reliably.

Reckoning with Our Trustworthiness, Leveraging Community Engagement.

Population Health ManagementVol. 25, No. 1 Points of ViewReckoning with Our Trustworthiness, Leveraging Community EngagementDarrell M. Gray II, Timiya S. Nolan, O.N. Ray Bignall II, John Gregory, and Joshua J. JosephDarrell M. Gray IIAddress correspondence to: Darrell M. Gray II, MD, MPH, FACG, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1590 N High St., Suite 525, Columbus, OH 43201, USA E-mail Address: dgrayiimd@gmail.comhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2506-3465Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.Search for more papers by this author, Timiya S. NolanCollege of Nursing, Martha S. Pitzer Center for Women, Children & Youth, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.Search for more papers by this author, O.N. Ray Bignall IIDivision of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA.Search for more papers by this author, John GregoryThe National African American Male Wellness Agency, Columbus, Ohio, USA.Search for more papers by this author, and Joshua J. Josephhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9169-8261Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:2 Feb 2022https://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2021.0158AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View article"Reckoning with Our Trustworthiness, Leveraging Community Engagement." Population Health Management, 25(1), pp. 6–7FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byHow to Get Involved With Community Engagement, Community Service, and Patient Advocacy During GI FellowshipClinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Vol. 21, No. 3Predictors of Scientific Civic Engagement (PSCE) Survey: A Multidimensional Instrument to Measure Undergraduates’ Attitudes, Knowledge, and Intention to Engage with the Community Using Their Science SkillsCBE—Life Sciences Education, Vol. 22, No. 1Using a multicultural and multilingual awareness-raising strategy to enhance enrollment of racially underrepresented minoritized communities – the PassITON trial7 December 2022 | Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, Vol. 7, No. 1Virtual Community Engagement for Retention of Black Men in Clinical Research10 January 2023 | American Journal of Men's Health, Vol. 17, No. 1Diversity of Participation in Clinical Trials and Influencing Factors: Findings from the Health Information National Trends Survey 202022 September 2022 | Journal of General Internal Medicine, Vol. 557Community-Based Participatory Research to Improve Cardiovascular Health Among US Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups11 July 2022 | Current Epidemiology Reports, Vol. 9, No. 3Association of Socioeconomic Status With Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Black MenJournal of the American Heart Association, Vol. 10, No. 23The importance of offering vaccine choice in the fight against COVID-1920 October 2021 | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 118, No. 43 Volume 25Issue 1Feb 2022 InformationCopyright 2022, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishersTo cite this article:Darrell M. Gray II, Timiya S. Nolan, O.N. Ray Bignall II, John Gregory, and Joshua J. Joseph.Reckoning with Our Trustworthiness, Leveraging Community Engagement.Population Health Management.Feb 2022.6-7.http://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2021.0158Published in Volume: 25 Issue 1: February 2, 2022Online Ahead of Print:July 16, 2021Keywordscommunity engagementhealth equityCOVID-19 vaccinationmedical mistrustsocial determinants of healthPDF download

Assessment of Agricultural Literacy Level and Approach to Education for Elementary School Pre-service Teachers

이 연구는 초등학교 예비교사의 농업문해 수준을 알아보고, 초등 교원 양성대학인 교육대학교의 농업문해교육 방안을 모색하기 위한 것이었다. 이를 위하여 전국 교육대학교에 재학하는 예비교사를 모집단으로 하고, 임의로 한 교육대학교를 선정하여 재학하는 예비교사 354명을 연구 대상으로 조사연구를 수행하였다. 조사 도구는 금지헌 외(2012)의 연구에서 개발한 도구를 보완하여 적용한 정남용(2020)의 조사 도구를 초등학교 예비교사에게 적합하도록 수정·보완하여 사용하였다. 수집된 조사 도구는 기술통계, 일원변량분석 등을 적용하여 분석하였다. 초등학교 예비교사의 농업문해 수준은 전체적으로 중간 이상이었으며, ‘농업과 자연환경’ 영역이 가장 높고 ‘농산품의 가치와 안전성’ 영역이 가장 낮게 나타났다. 초등학교 예비교사의 성별, 학년별, 학년 군별, 식물 재배 경험에 따라서는 농업문해 수준에 차이가 없었으며, 학문 계열과 (반려) 동물 경험에 따라서는 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 전국의 교육대학교에서는 모든 학생이 공통으로 이수하는 교과교육, 실과(생활과학)교육과 예비교사들을 위한 심화 과정에 농업문해교육 관련 과목을 개설하여 운영하고 있었으나 학과 교수의 전공 및 학과 환경 특성에 따라 과목 개설의 편중 등이 문제로 나타났다. 따라서, 초등학교 예비교사의 농업문해 수준을 높이기 위해서는 교육대학교 교육과정에 농업문해교육을 위한 관련 과목의 개설과 학습 내용의 다양화, 대학 교육과정의 ‘교양 필수’ 과목으로 농업문해교육 관련 과목 편성, 교육대학교 실과(생활과학)교육과 심화 과정에 농업문해 관련 ‘자유 선택’ 과목 개설 확대, 실과(생활과학)교육과 심화 과정 개설 과목 및 내용 구성에 대한 함의 등이 이루어져야 할 것이다.The purposes of this study were to find out the agricultural literacy level of elementary school pre-service teachers, and to find ways of agricultural literacy education at the University of Education, which is an elementary school teacher training college. For this, a survey was conducted on 354 pre-service teachers enrolled in the study. As for the survey tool, the survey tool developed by Jiheon Keum et al.(2012) was applied by supplementing the tool developed by Namyong Jeong(2020), which was modified and supplemented to be suitable for elementary school pre-service teachers. The collected survey tools were analyzed by applying frequency, percentage, t-test, and F-test. The agricultural literacy level among elementary school pre-service teachers was generally above the medium level, with the “Agriculture and Natural Environment” area being the highest, and the “Agricultural Product Value and Safety” area being the lowest. There was no difference in the agricultural literacy level according to gender, grade, grade group, and plant cultivation experience of elementary school pre-service teachers, and there was a difference according to the academic field and (companion) animal experience. Education universities nationwide have opened and operate subjects related to agricultural literacy education in the subject education that all students take in common, and in-depth courses for pre-service teachers in the Department of Practical Arts (Life Science) Education. Therefore, in order to raise the agricultural literacy level for elementary school pre-service teachers, the establishment of related courses for agricultural literacy education in the university curriculum and the diversification of learning contents, the organization of agricultural literacy education-related subjects as required liberal arts subjects in the university curriculum, the expansion of the opening of free choice courses related to agricultural literacy in the intensive course of the Department of Practical Arts (Life Sciences) Education in the University of Education, and the implications for the composition of subjects in the intensive course of the Practical Arts (Life Sciences) education need to be considered.

Meaningful teaching of sexuality education framed by culture: Xhosa secondary school teachers’ views

African women in the Xhosa culture used to hold powerful positions in the sexuality arena. That has since changed and in contemporary Xhosa culture, they take up submissive roles. This is especially so in the teaching of certain aspects of sexuality, as Xhosa women are not supposed to give guidance in the sexuality of their male learners. In this study, curriculum posters were created to explore Xhosa Life Orientation (LO), Life Sciences (LFSC) and Natural Sciences (NS) teachers’ views of the meaningful teaching of sexuality education to Xhosa learners. The research study is located within a critical paradigm, using a participatory visual methodology. Cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) was used as a theoretical lens and the findings were contextualised in existing literature. Two themes were identified: 1) Shifting teacher positionality by revisiting pedagogical assumptions and taking ownership in the teaching of sexuality education and 2) Contextualising sexuality education in Xhosa culture through reconnecting to Xhosa values and appreciating cultural roots and practices. The findings indicated that Xhosa women teachers could reclaim their powerful position regarding sexuality when teaching sexuality education and that reflexivity is a critical attribute of a sexuality education teacher. The study has implications for teachers and curriculum developers to contextualise the curriculum in terms of learners’ biographies and to engage local and relevant knowledges critically in dealing with issues of sexuality, gender inequality as well as HIV and AIDS.

Animal development in the secondary classroom: linking basic science to livestock production.

The field of life sciences encompasses a myriad of disciplines that collectively provide insight toward the intrinsic framework of life. Developmental physiology is one of these disciplines that can describe the origins of life at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organismal level. However, organismal development is a continual process that transcends conception and progresses throughout the lifetime of an organism. In this Illumination, we discuss opportunities that secondary-level life science educators have when teaching developmental physiology through an agricultural lens. Specifically, we propose teaching about the origins of meat and milk, as a nontraditional approach for introducing developmental physiology to students. To justify this notion, we explore how novel research in livestock production focuses on meeting food demands imposed by our growing global population. In addition, we link these concepts to commonly employed standards in secondary-level science classrooms across the United States. In conclusion, the science of livestock production provides a window of opportunity for secondary-level physiology instructors to teach developmental physiology in a form that can readily adhere to institutionally employed standards.

Increasing Faculty Involvement in the Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Learning Experience.

More and more, we see that advances in life sciences are made because of Interdisciplinary collaborations. These collaborations are the future-they are necessary to solve the world's most pressing problems and grand challenges. But are we preparing the next generation of scientists and the community for this future? At the University level, a number of initiatives and studies have suggested the need to reintegrate biology education and have made arguments that for students to build core competencies in biology, their education needs to be interdisciplinary. At the K-12 level, progress is being made to make learning interdisciplinary through the implementation of the Next-Generation Science Standards (NGSS). As NGSS is implemented, it will fundamentally change life sciences education at the K-12 level. However, when seeing the effect these initiatives and studies have had on the courses offered to students for their undergraduate biology degree, they still appear to be often siloed, with limited integration across disciplines. To make interdisciplinary biology education more successful, we need biologists, who for one reason or another have not been part of these conversations in the past and are more involved. We also need to increase communication and collaboration between biologists and educational researchers.

Retrieval Practice for Improving Long-Term Retention in Anatomical Education: A Quasi-Experimental Study

It is generally assumed by students that learning takes place during repeated episodes of rereading and rote memorization of course materials. Over the past few decades, however, research has increasingly indicated that the said notion can and should be enhanced with learning paradigms such as retrieval practice (RP). RP occurs when students practice retrieving their consolidated semantic memories by informally testing themselves. This strategy results in the re-encoding and re-consolidation of existing semantic memories, thus strengthening their schemas. The purpose of this quasi-experimental design was to assess the effects of the implementation of RP on student performance on the final exam in a large, undergraduate Gross Anatomy course. It was hypothesized that student participation in RP during class would improve their performance on the final exam in the course. The participants (N = 248) were mainly in Life Sciences, Kinesiology, and Physical Education programs. They answered RP questions using TopHat©, an online educational software platform. The results of this study indicated that student performance on the final exam was enhanced when students engaged in RP. It was concluded that the use of RP effectively enhances learning and long-term retention of semantic memory. In addition to the traditional testing ‘of’ learning, teachers are encouraged to implement testing, in the form of RP, in their classrooms ‘for’ learning.

Applications of the core concepts of physiology

The decades-long movement to shift life science education, including physiology, toward students’ conceptual understanding and away from rote memorization has had limited success. In an attempt to promote conceptual learning in physiology, over a decade ago we asked faculty what they thought the core concepts of physiology were. In this way, we identified 15 core concepts of physiology. Five of these (flow down gradients, homeostasis, cell-cell communication, cell membrane, and mass balance) have been “unpacked” to create a conceptual framework for each. These concepts, and their conceptual frameworks, can be used in teaching, assessment, and aiding students to make sense of physiology. Students need opportunities to practice the application of these concepts (and the sub-ideas present in the frameworks) if they are to use them successfully. Data from physiology faculty surveys have shown that in some departments, some core concepts (e.g., homeostasis) are addressed across the curriculum while others (e.g., mass balance) are not as consistently addressed. The core concepts, however, are applicable across essentially all topics and organ systems. Our purpose here is to illustrate that these core concepts apply “all over the place.” We have mapped the five “unpacked” core concepts onto typical physiology topics (organ systems) which may be the subject of textbook chapters, units in a course, or an entire course. For each topic, we have identified one or more examples of a phenomenon or mechanism for which one of the core concepts is applicable. We show that within each organ system there are a number of opportunities to introduce and/or reinforce core concepts by giving students structured practice with them aligned to appropriate formative assessment. We also demonstrate that each of these five core concepts is applicable to many topics within in a physiology course or curriculum. We recognize that each physiology teacher will have to select those core concepts that she wants her students to master, and that not every core concept can or will be incorporated in every course.

Development of Teachers’ PCK for a Scientific Inquiry-based Teaching Approach in Namibia’s Rural Schools

Research findings show that inquiry-based science education has positive effects in improving learning of both science content knowledge and scientific inquiry (SI) skills. As a result, various science curricula, including that of Namibia, recommend the use of an inquiry-based approach in science teaching. However, the implementation of an inquiry-based teaching approach remains a concern in Namibian science classrooms, particularly in poorly resourced schools. This paper reports the outcome of a small-scale interventionist research project which involved three experienced Life Science teachers. The teachers were exposed to an intervention that explicitly focused on supporting them with the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) needed to facilitate inquiry-based learning in their classrooms. An indigenous technology, the production of a traditional non-alcoholic beverage (oshikundu) was used in the intervention. The Topic-Specific PCK model by Mavhunga and Rollnick provided the analytical framework for this study. Additionally, the principles of classroom inquiry together with the model of inquiry-based science instruction predict–explain–explore–observe–explain were used to scaffold teachers towards the PCK for inquiry-based teaching. Findings from the study revealed that prior to the intervention workshop some science teachers had inadequate PCK for inquiry-based approach. Except for concern over time constraints, the study established that all five components of teachers’ PCK of an inquiry-based approach improved after the intervention. Furthermore, teachers recognised and recommended the use of the PEEOE model for inquiry-based science teaching. The process of making oshikundu was established as a suitable resource to conduct practical investigation in poorly resourced schools. This study thus recommends more interventions based on locally available indigenous technology to improve science teachers’ PCK for inquiry-based science teaching.

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.

Be Prepared! How Pre-lab Modules Affect Students\u2019 Understanding of Gene Mapping

Lab activities are characteristic of life science education. In the current study, we investigate whether pre-lab modules can improve students’ understanding of the theories and experimental procedures associated with lab activities. Such effects were studied in context of an expository lab on gene mapping in biology undergraduate education. An experimental group of 126 students had access to an online pre-lab module to prepare for the lab activity; a control group of 90 students did not have access to this pre-lab module. The data revealed that students who studied the pre-lab module had a better understanding of the gene mapping theory, at the onset of the class, when compared with the control group. Additionally, these students appeared to ask fewer questions on what needed to be done in the lab, suggesting more awareness of the experimental procedure. Further, students who studied the online pre-lab module showed greater understanding of the theory in their lab reports. These findings suggest that students’ understanding of background theory and its relation to practice can readily be improved by enriching existing expository labs with pre-lab modules that contain information and questions on the complex conceptual information relevant to the lab experiment.

The Need for Research-Grade Systems Modeling Technologies for Life Science Education

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic not only challenged deeply-rooted daily patterns but also put a spotlight on the role of computational modeling in science and society. Amid the impromptu upheaval of in-person education across the world, this article aims to articulate the need to train students in computational and systems biology using research-grade technologies.

Assessing High Performers in the Life Sciences: Characteristics of Exams Used at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) and Their Implications for Life Science Education.

For decades, studies have revealed students’ decreasing interest in science. Extracurricular learning opportunities—the Science Olympiads being a publicly well-known example—are an important means identified to tackle this challenge and help students further differentiate their interests. Better understanding the underlying constructs and characteristics of Science Olympiad exams can provide several implications not just for Science Olympiads, but also science education more broadly, for example, with regard to how the competitions’ international juries defines expectations for high performance in the life sciences. This study analyzes exams set by the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) as an example for a top-tier international competition in the life sciences. The findings extend previous works on test item characteristics toward student competitions and high-performer education. We conducted a systematic analysis of N = 703 closed-ended and laboratory test items from six IBO assessment years across the competition’s history. A categorical framework was developed to analyze items according to four areas: formal characteristics, content and practices, cognitive aspects, and the use of representations. Our findings highlight assessment characteristics used to challenge high-performing students. We derive implications for general life sciences education, as well as for further developing the assessments of Science Olympiads.

Data analysis and prospects of the national college students' life science competition

The Chinese national college students' life science competition has been held for three times, with good organization, large scale and high participation degree. The competition plays an important role in promoting life science education and research. This paper reports the form and status of the competition, statistically analyses the registration data and competition results by region and year, based on the previous three competitions. By combining new changes and understanding in the field of life science, we also indicate prospects on how to better promote the competition.

The Effectiveness of the Flipped Classroom in a Teacher Training Context

The flipped classroom is a model of teaching in which activities traditionally conducted in the classroom become homework activities, and activities that normally constitute homework become classroom activities. This pedagogical model has been proposed in several studies as an alternative educational approach to conventional methods, but its effectiveness in improving outcomes is disputed. To test the effectiveness of this model, we followed a semi-experimental approach, using a pre- and post-test. A group of future life and earth science teachers from an experimental classroom (n = 62) was trained using the flipped classroom approach. However, the trainees in the control class (n = 62) followed traditional teaching. Pre- and post-test results were analyzed using the t-test to assess the effectiveness of this teaching model. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the pre-test, indicating that the two groups were equivalent prior to our intervention. However, a statistically significant difference was recorded in the post-test in favor of the experimental group members, particularly for questions related to knowledge manipulation. For the questions assessing the degree of knowledge acquisition, we found no significant difference between the two groups. We could therefore conclude that the integration of the flipped classroom in a training situation for future teachers has a positive effect on the improvement of learning performance. This approach can also serve as a means of varying our teaching practices and benefiting from the advantages of distance learning.

Enhancement of environmental impact content knowledge on life sciences teachers: a realist social approach

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of Life Sciences teacher training workshops co-ordinated by the Fundisa for Change Programme whose aim was to strengthen environmental learning in science teacher education. As specified by the programme, Fundisa for Change’s core objective is to strengthen the teaching of environmental concepts in schools. Due to continually emerging environmental crises and uncertainties, many of the environmental topics in the curriculum are new to Life Sciences teachers. Consequently, this affects how the topics are taught to learners in schools. The study employed Margaret Archers Realist Social theory as a lens. There were 12 Life Sciences teachers who took part in this study. Data was collected using qualitatively approach where case study research design was employed. Furthermore, the study used purposive sampling technique of Life Sciences teachers from 10 schools. Face to face, data collection method was used and thematically data analysis technique was employed. The results showed that Life Sciences teachers need relevant professional development workshops that improves their content knowledge, pedagogical teaching methods and assessment techniques. This implies that programmes such as Fundisa for Change provided additional skills to Life Sciences teachers in teaching content based on education for sustainable development (ESD).

A COMPARATIVE APPROACH TO THE VERTEBRATE MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

In the last decade, Science Education has played a crucial role in the training of young students, supporting them in understanding the world around us, making them active citizens, responsible and capable of innovation in a knowledge-based society (Recommendation of the European Parliament and of the Council, 18 December 2006). The purpose of the presented experimental research, carried out in a fifth class of a Primary School in Treviso (Italy), was to test the validity of a teaching approach based on the scientific method, in particular on the observation-comparative method (characteristic of Evolutionary Biology), in the teaching of Life Sciences. The research focused on the planning and realization of a learning unit for the study of the human musculoskeletal system, made by a theoretical initial phase followed by a practical approach, which involved the comparison of anatomical structures of three vertebrates: trout, chicken and pig. The experimental work was preceded by a survey on didactics, aimed to identify methods and teaching practices adopted by teachers of Natural and Experimental Sciences of the Primary School, especially for the Biology and in particular for the musculoskeletal system. For example, from this preliminary investigation it was found that the teachers of the Primary School do not use tools such as the stereoscope for viewing biological material, despite they claim to take an active approach for the teaching of Science and they have the appropriate scientific instruments. The results have shown that despite the traditional teaching proposes the dissection of foot from chicken, an animal belonging to the class of birds, pig is the most suitable for the specific practical experimental teaching, because is a mammal and thus is more similar to human from the morphological point of view, as well as the phylogenetic relationships. Active teaching and direct observation of animal structures reinforced the concepts theoretically exposed. It was also confirmed the high teaching potential of the integration of macroscopic and microscopic observations. The observational-comparative method is a key component for the study of the Biology; for this reason all the topics linked to the study of the human body can be addressed through the use of this active methodology. This kind of approach can motivate students, making them active participants in their own learning. The most innovative aspect of the proposed experimental program is the comparison of the musculoskeletal system in three selected vertebrates. Although the Italian Guidelines for the Curriculum in the Primary School emphasize the importance of scientific comparison between animals and human, with the objective of learning at the end of the fifth class to continue the study of the functions of organisms and compare the reproduction of human, animals and plant, it is also true that the comparison should be also made between animals that do not include human, in particular for the systems important from the physiological point of view.

PLANTS AND THEIR SEASONAL CHANGES: TEACHING BIOLOGY IN PRIMARY SCHOOL USING THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

With a view to the active learning, that makes the students protagonist, responsible and aware of the learning process, the present study presents an experimental work designed to demonstrate the usefulness and the validity of the scientific method as the basic element of the teaching of Life Sciences. Scientific training adopts an inductive approach to knowledge that allows us to observe, imagine, discover, verify, generalize, providing the tools needed to understand the reality. This research focused on the study of seasonality in the first class of a Primary School in Treviso (Italy), using a teaching approach based on direct field exploration and planning activities in which the sensory perceptual aspect is only the starting point. Those activities were based on both the observational comparative method (characteristic of Evolutionary Biology), and the experimental method (a feature of Functional Biology). Prior to the experimental out a preliminary investigation work was carried, involving the teachers of Natural Sciences and Experimental of some Italian Primary Schools. This survey allowed to paint a partial picture of how it the teaching of the Biology is performed, with particular reference to the seasonality, which was the starting point to develop and test a didactic approach of adequate originality. The addressed topics were divided in four stages corresponding to the seasons, and covered aspects of plant morphology (leafs, vascular tissues, flowers, fruits), plant physiology (the color changes of the leafs, leaf abscission, plant nutrition, fruit development) and the concept of biodiversity. The obtained results showed that, using the scientific method and laboratory tools such as the stereoscope and the optical microscope, conceptualizations planned for second cycle of the Primary School can be met with success in the first class, helping to reach the programmed goals optimally and often excellently, facilitating the achievement of competences such as the use of a correct scientific nomenclature. With this approach, the young students were motivated, stimulated, intrigued, and this potentially provides a meaningful, authentic and transferable Lifelong Learning and the development of a scientific culture together with an early interest in the Sciences.

Transfer: A Review for Biology and the Life Sciences.

Transfer of knowledge from one context to another is one of the paramount goals of education. Educators want their students to transfer what they are learning from one topic to the next, between courses, and into the “real world.” However, it is also notoriously difficult to get students to successfully transfer concepts. This issue is of particular concern in biology and the life sciences, for which transfer of concepts between disciplines is especially critical to understanding. Students not only struggle to transfer concepts like energy from chemistry to biology but also struggle to transfer concepts like chromosome structures in cell division within biology courses. This paper reviews the current research and understanding of transfer from cognitive psychology. We discuss how learner abilities, taught material, and lesson characteristics affect transfer and provide best practices for biology and life sciences education.