Undergraduate Classes Research Articles

Post-COVID-19 approach to teaching an undergraduate laboratory class focused on experimental design and data interpretation.

To best prepare students for the real-world research environment, key skills, including experimental design, data analysis, communication of results, and critical thinking, should be key components of undergraduate science courses. Furthermore, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on in-person teaching has resulted in a need to develop courses that enable flexible learning. This paper details the laboratory component of a senior-level toxicology class that was developed to emphasize all these skills and allow for flexible learning. The aim of the laboratory class was for students to determine how curcumin protected against acetaminophen-induced hepatoxicity. To stimulate critical thinking, students were required to choose a maximum of four experiments from the six on offer. Before conducting an experiment, students stated a hypothesis and selected the appropriate treatment groups. Once an experiment was completed, students were given access to a complete dataset, on which they performed statistical analysis and drew conclusions. Students who were unable to attend the laboratory session in person were able to complete the required pre-lab work and access the dataset. Following each experiment, students could write a lab summary, and receive thorough feedback. The final assessment was a written manuscript of their findings as well as a chance to respond to reviewer comments. This teaching approach prioritized the critical thinking, analysis, and experimental design aspects of scientific research. Overall, this structure was well received by students and it could easily be adapted for use on other life science courses.

Using the Case Study Method in Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Education

Various methods are used in entrepreneurship education. However, the effectiveness of these methods in inculcating the much-needed improvement in entrepreneurial knowledge, skills, intentions, and ultimately entrepreneurial activity is underexplored in literature. Following the action research approach in an undergraduate entrepreneurship class of 165 students, the study investigated the students’ perceptions of the case method’s effectiveness in improving their entrepreneurial knowledge, skills, intentions, and ultimately entrepreneurial activity. A combination of observation methods and semi-structured interviews were used to collect qualitative data. Observation data revealed a lack of physical space for facilitator mobility and low levels of engagement by students as some of the major challenges encountered when implementing the case study method in large classes. An analysis of semi-structured interview data revealed contextual relevance, building resilience, critical thinking, innovation and creativity, entrepreneurial motivation, entrepreneurial career development, and inspiration as some of the effective contributions of using the case study method in entrepreneurship education. The study recommends that, to further enhance the effectiveness of the case study method, the environment in which case studies are applied needs to be improved to ensure that there is enough physical space for lecturer mobility and interaction with students during case-study discussions.

The graduating international undergraduate class of 2020—Counterintuitive graduation rate and time to degree during onset of the coronavirus pandemic

What were the graduation rate and time to degree for international undergraduates who would have been expected to graduate during the coronavirus pandemic’s onset in spring 2020? The present study addressed this question by testing for intergroup differences in graduation outcomes between an American public university’s international undergraduate class of 2020 and its pre-pandemic comparison counterpart of 2019. Controlling for early (pre-pandemic) graduations, the study yielded counterintuitive results; although the literature on the pandemic’s educational disruptions, mental health symptoms, xenophobia, and stressors would predict that the class of 2020’s graduation rate should have been lower and average time to degree longer than the class of 2019’s, the two classes’ values were almost identical. These results, together with previous ones on term grade point averages, are indicative of this class of 2020’s academic success, resilience, and/or benefit from institutional support. They are discussed in the context of racism and caste.

Unshackling Our Youth through Love and Mutual Recognition: Notes from an Undergraduate Class on School Discipline Inspired by Ta-Nehisi Coates and bell hooks

This research essay challenges educators to embrace mutual recognition when interacting with students. Our data are the words of the young people who participated with us in one particular undergraduate class on school discipline at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey, in the United States in the fall of 2022. Tahjuan, who had been our student in the 7th grade in 2011, co-taught the class with us. In writing this essay and in teaching the class, we were inspired by a short passage from Ta-Nehisi Coates about the shackling young people of color endure and another, by bell hooks, that proposes mutual recognition as a teaching practice that can loosen those shackles. Most saliently, this essay is inspired by the youth we work with who, without reading either Coates or hooks, embody Coates’ experience and hooks’ wisdom. Though we invited and compensated these particular youth to join us in the class as co-teachers and participants, we believe they are broadly representative of the adolescent students we have worked with over the last 15 years in Newark. All the young people quoted in this article have reviewed what we have written and approved its publication. Tahjuan has agreed to include his name as a co-author.

Christian Student Experiences During Peer Interactions in Undergraduate Biology Courses.

The tension between religion and science as a long-standing barrier to science education has led researchers to explore ways of improving the experiences of Christian students in biology who can experience their Christianity as stigmatized in academic biology environments. As undergraduate science classes become student-centered, interactions among students increase, and Christians may feel a need to conceal their religious identities during peer discussions. In this interview study, we used the social psychology framework of concealable stigmatized identities to explore 30 Christian students' experiences during peer interactions in undergraduate biology courses to find potential ways to improve those experiences. We found that students felt their religious identity was salient during peer interactions in biology, and students thought revealing their religious identity to peers in their biology courses could be beneficial, yet few actually did so. Additionally, though most students anticipated stigma, comparatively few had experienced stigma from other students in their biology courses, despite the prior documented cultural stigma against Christians in biology. These results indicate a need for future studies exploring the impact of learning environments in which students are given the opportunity to share their religious identities with one another, which could reduce their anticipated and perceived stigma.

Designing our Thinking: Examining the Effects of Experiential Learning and Design Thinking on Creativity, Innovation, and Collaboration Skills Development in the Undergraduate Classroom

This paper shares initial findings from a study of the way that design thinking and experiential learning informed approaches to teaching can help programs and institutions in the higher education community meet the teaching and learning objectives identified by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as critical for our global future. The project surveyed undergraduate students in a large first year introductory course to learn more about how design thinking based learning practices might serve to extend an experiential learning pedagogical approach toward the successful development of innovation, creativity, interpersonal, self-paced, problem-based and lifelong learning skills. Results from the survey of 600 students reveal that using a design thinking model of learning as part of an experiential learning curriculum may be an effective way to enhance the development of the identified skills and approaches within an experiential learning framework. Students who experienced the addition of design thinking based learning practices to an experiential learning framework reported higher levels of confidence in their innovation and creativity skills and were more likely to seek opportunities for collaboration and self-paced learning than those who participated in an experiential learning focused section of the same class. This article provides an illustration of the impact of using design thinking as an extension of experiential learning in an undergraduate higher education class and offers recommendations for institutions and professional programs seeking to meet World Economic Forum Education 4.0 Initiative goals.

Effective Teaching by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) in Undergraduate Mathematics Class

Teaching effectively in college is not only key for student’ satisfaction in classroom but also for performance. This research, as a pilot study, has analyzed the survey and course evaluation results from an undergraduate Mathematics class, where The Association of College and University Educators’ (ACUE) effective teaching practices are applied. Results have shown the positive effects from ACUE practices. At the same time, differences in student performance in the same courses from different semesters have been discussed. With the same course content and learning outcomes, teaching with ACUE practices has resulted in better performance throughout the semester. The research compared course evaluations from the same courses in different semesters when including and not including ACUE practices. Results show that students are more satisfied with the courses using ACUE practices. Researcher has made suggestion that ACUE practices should be recommended for use by faculty members in universities and colleges to improve student performance and course satisfaction.

Diwan & Co.: navigating through the evolving battery industry of Pakistan

Learning outcomes After completion of the case study, the students will be able to analyze the role of industry in strategic decision-making, examine the information and make judgments with the use of different models such as political, economic, social, technological, environmental & legal (PESTEL) and Porter’s five forces and formulate a marketing strategy for the future move of Diwan & Co. using the Company, Competitors, and Customers (3Cs) model. Case overview/synopsis This case study is about young entrepreneur Mr Mansha Ram, who was working in the battery industry and was contemplating launching a new product. A gap was found after extensive research. The research showed that there is a gap between sustainable, reliable and cost-efficient batteries in the market that must be filled. To discuss this opportunity, a meeting was called where all managers talked about their concerns, considering the cost constraint as well as shifts in Pakistani battery industry trends. Ram was a key person who had to decide whether to launch the product or not. Should he go for a new initiative and launch lithium-ion batteries or capitalized on existing technology, which was lead acid batteries? Which path should he take considering all the macroenvironmental factors, electric vehicles or renewable energy? Complexity academic level This case study can be taught in the final year of undergraduate classes and the first year of MBA classes. This case study is particularly designed for students to understand how a company makes decisions while keeping in view the macro- and microbusiness environment. Even if some businesses do not have cost constraints, these businesses still face the impact of other factors on their businesses, for that purpose, the case study will provide insights into why a comprehensive industry analysis is important. Furthermore, this case study keeps in view the competitiveness of the market and its impact on the decision-making of companies. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 8: Marketing.

Measurement of the charge-to-mass ratio of particles trapped by the Paul trap for education

Paul traps are devices that confine particles using an alternating electric field and have been used in undergraduate experimental classes at universities. Owing to the requirement of a high voltage ( > 103 V), Paul traps are not used in middle and high schools. Therefore, we developed an all-in-one-type Paul trap, including a high-voltage transformer. The Paul trap can be equipped with two different types of electrode attachments, ring-type and linear-type, and the trap image can be observed using a built-in web camera. For example, the charge-to-mass ratio of particles was measured with different types of attachments, and reasonable values were obtained. These types of trap devices are currently used at several educational facilities in Japan.

A simple, robust, broadly applicable insertion mutagenesis method to create random fluorescent protein: target protein fusions.

A simple, broadly applicable method was developed using an in vitro transposition reaction followed by transformation into Escherichia coli and screening plates for fluorescent colonies. The transposition reaction catalyzes the random insertion of a fluorescent protein open reading frame into a target gene on a plasmid. The transposition reaction is employed directly in an E. coli transformation with no further procedures. Plating at high colony density yields fluorescent colonies. Plasmids purified from fluorescent colonies contain random, in-frame fusion proteins into the target gene. The plate screen also results in expressed, stable proteins. A large library of chimeric proteins was produced, which was useful for downstream research. The effect of using different fluorescent proteins was investigated as well as the dependence of the linker sequence between the target and fluorescent protein open reading frames. The utility and simplicity of the method were demonstrated by the fact that it has been employed in an undergraduate biology laboratory class without failure over dozens of class sections. This suggests that the method will be useful in high-impact research at small liberal arts colleges with limited resources. However, in-frame fusion proteins were obtained from 8 different targets suggesting that the method is broadly applicable in any research setting.

Transforming Education: Enhancing Student Performance and Satisfaction through the Flipped Classroom Method

The flipped classroom, a form of blended learning, has gained popularity in higher education due to its potential to improve student engagement and performance. This approach addresses limitations in traditional teaching methods, such as didactic lectures and passive learning methods, by moving content delivery outside class and utilizing in-person sessions for active learning activities. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the flipped classroom as a teaching-learning strategy and to gather students’ opinions of the idea. A second-year undergraduate nursing class (n = 96) was split into two groups, one of which used the flipped classroom technique and the other the conventional approach in a quasi-experimental design. Questionnaires on a Likert scale were utilized to assess students’ opinions of the flipped classroom, and pre-and post-test results were evaluated. A variety of statistical analyses were used to compare mean scores and evaluate the efficacy of the flipped classroom, including paired and independent t-tests. A quasi-experimental study involving a second-year undergraduate nursing class showed a statistically significant improvement in student performance and a positive perception of the flipped classroom approach with P<0.001. The flipped classroom in nursing education allows students to learn at their own pace through pre-class work, with an instructor as a facilitator. This personalized approach uses technology like online platforms and collaborative tools to deliver lectures and facilitate in-class activities, potentially improving student engagement, critical thinking, and clinical reasoning abilities.

How Psychological Capital and Dark Triad Mediate the Effect of Entrepreneurial Attitude Orientation on Entrepreneurial Intention

This study aims to analyze and explain the role of psychological capital, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism in mediating the effect of entrepreneurial attitude orientation on entrepreneurial intentions. The population in this study is included in the limited population because the number of population used has been determined, namely active undergraduate students Class of 2021 at the Badung Regency State University, the sample of this study was 388 people. Data collection methods used were interviews and distributing questionnaires. The data analysis technique used is SEM-PLS. The results of this study show that entrepreneurial attitude orientation has a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial intentions, Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy and psychological capital. Machiavellianism has a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial intentions. Narcissism has a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial intentions. Psychopathy does not have a significant effect on entrepreneurial intentions. Psychological capital has a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurial attitude orientation has a positive and significant effect on entrepreneurial intentions with Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychological capital as mediating variables. Psychopathy cannot mediate the effect of entrepreneurial attitude orientation on entrepreneurial intentions.

Undergraduate students’ models of single- and multi-electron atoms

ABSTRACT Quantum physics forms the basis for exciting new technologies, including quantum computers, quantum encryption, and quantum entanglement. The advancement of science and technology highlights the importance of mastering quantum physics and its applications, not only at the college level but also as early as high school. In this multiple case study, we investigated first- and second-year undergraduate college students’ models of single and multi-electron atoms after completing a modern mechanics course, which addressed basic QM topics. The students’ models were categorised into four primary categories: the discrete entity (particle) model, hybrid model, quantum-like model, and quantum model, and subcategories for atom structure and electron attribution and motion. Despite being introduced to quantum concepts in high school and first-year undergraduate calculus-based physics classes, many students constructed incomplete, inaccurate, or incoherent models. Seven of eight students’ atomic structure models and six of eight students’ electron attribution and motion models were classified as discrete entity and hybrid models. The findings of this study reveal students’ conceptual challenges in explaining the structure of single and multiple-electron atoms and shed light on the factors contributing to the persistent difficulties in their understanding of atomic structure in the realm of quantum mechanics.

Unveiling interdisciplinary horizons: students’ experiences in a first-year calculus course

In the realm of higher education, the pursuit of interdisciplinarity aims to foster the exchange and integration of fragmented knowledge, yielding transformative outcomes. Employing a phenomenological method, this study delves into the interdisciplinary experience of twelve students from a first-year undergraduate calculus class. Through the analysis of written questionnaires, focus group sessions, and supplementary qualitative data, a comprehensive understanding of students’ interdisciplinary encounters is unveiled and organized into three main categories: what students think about interdisciplinarity, how they act when being involved in integrations and what external factors are involved in shaping their experience. This paper presents emergent experiential themes, shedding light on both individual and collective experiences, as students navigate and enrich their calculus learning through interdisciplinary connections.

Visualization of Tethered Particle Motion with a Multidimensional Simulation

ABSTRACT The analysis of particles bound to surfaces by tethers can facilitate understanding of biophysical phenomena (e.g., DNA–protein or protein–ligand interactions and DNA extensibility). Modeling such systems theoretically aids in understanding experimentally observed motions, and the limitations of such models can provide insight into modeling complex systems. The simulation of tethered particle motion (TPM) allows for analysis of complex behaviors exhibited by such systems; however, this type of experiment is rarely taught in undergraduate science classes. We have developed a MATLAB simulation package intended to be used in academic contexts to concisely model and graphically represent the behavior of different tether–particle systems. We show how analysis of the simulation results can be used in biophysical research using single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS). Students in physics, engineering, and chemistry will be able to make connections with principles embedded in the field of study and understand how those principles can be used to create meaningful conclusions in a multidisciplinary context. The simulation package can model any given tether–particle system and allows the user to generate a parameter space with static and dynamic model components. Our simulation was successfully able to recreate generally observed experimental trends by using acoustic force spectroscopy (AFS). Further, the simulation was validated through consideration of the conservation of energy of the tether–bead system, trend analyses, and comparison of particle positional data from actual TPM in silico experiments conducted to simulate data with a parameter space similar to the AFS experimental setup. Overall, our TPM simulator and graphical user interface is primarily for demonstrating behaviors characteristic to TPM in a classroom setting but can serve as a template for researchers to set up TPM simulations to mimic a specific SMFS experimental setup.

Peer-reviewed presentation exchange in an undergraduate classroom.

Reading, presenting, and discussing peer-reviewed scientific reports, case studies, and reviews are essential to modern biology education. These exercises model crucial aspects of students' future professional activities and introduce the students to the current scientific concepts and methodology, data analysis, and presentation. A common format for working with primary literature is a journal club: presenting and discussing research literature in front of peers, which has many merits. However, in large modern classrooms, this format is very time-consuming and stressful, especially since presenting is not a commonly taught skill. We argue that student groups for whom the current educational and professional paradigms present a challenge due to a historical lack of representation or wellness issues are deprived of a key educational opportunity. To solve this problem, we formulated an approach called Peer-Reviewed Presentation Exchange (PRPE), which focuses on collaborative analysis, presentation, and review of research literature that includes (i) voice-narrated research presentations by students, (ii) checklists generated by the instructor to establish expectations for an informative presentation or review, and (iii) presentation assignment and peer review process. We tested this approach in an undergraduate cell biology class over 3 years. Pre- and post-assessments show significant gains in self-efficacy and knowledge not only by students who presented but also by the students who reviewed the presentations; therefore, peer-reviewed presentations are an effective tool for learning. Exit surveys show that the approach is seen as beneficial by most students. Our approach allows every student to speak and ask questions in a low-stress creative environment. It is an excellent customizable, trackable, and scalable low-stakes assessment tool.

Knots with Composite Colors

Summary The technique of distinguishing one knot from another by coloring arcs and applying some basic modular arithmetic is part of most standard undergraduate knot theory classes. When we study n-colorability, we are usually only interested when n is a prime number. But what if n is composite? What can we say then?

Machine Learning for Infrared Spectral Classification of Polyvinyl butyrals with Identical Chemical Groups: An Example for Undergraduate Chemistry Classes

Machine Learning for Infrared Spectral Classification of Polyvinyl butyrals with Identical Chemical Groups: An Example for Undergraduate Chemistry Classes

Toward Becoming Good Relatives: Not-Dancing to Centre Indigenous Presence in the Dance Classroom

This co-written article considers the possibilities and limitations that community-engaged, decolonial pedagogies hold for challenging normative, settler-capitalist goals in dance education. Current mainstream discussions in US higher education demonstrate concern with utility and career readiness, especially in arts and humanities disciplines. In the performance-based classroom, these ideas can lend themselves to expectations of physical training to “prepare” students for a dance career. We argue that the alternative learning goals of not-dancing, listening to class attendees and collaborators, and working-for California tribal community partners can instead enable students and faculty to recognize and challenge implicit settler-capitalist frameworks and legacies of non-Native appropriation in undergraduate dance classes. We analyze a community-engaged, undergraduate seminar, titled Dance and Decolonization, which was taught by Tria Blu Wakpa, an Assistant Professor, with the assistance of her graduate student researchers, Sammy Roth and Miya Shaffer. This course asked students to support the cultural revitalization initiatives of individuals and representatives from three California Native tribes, which included archival research and dance revitalization efforts. We write this article as a conversation, following the pedagogical models offered by community partners who engaged students in dialogue, rather than teaching dances. We show how the course re-animated the space of the classroom to foreground Indigenous presence — an action which enabled students and faculty to identify and challenge historical and contemporary settler-capitalist power relations and, subsequently, recognize the constraints of learning about Indigenous issues in a land grant institution. In discussing the course, we offer strategies to work towards becoming "good relatives" from different community outsider positionalities: by not-dancing, listening, and working-for, we can be present to Indigenous presence and aim to be in relation with Indigenous peoples and land.

Language demands in undergraduate mathematics courses

This study examines language demands in undergraduate university mathematics classes with a view to better preparing and supporting international and other culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in the United States universities. We observed and analyzed the language demands of 13 entry-level mathematics classes across two large universities. Findings showed that mathematics instruction required extensive and varied listening skills requiring students to listen to long and uninterrupted stretches of sometimes fast paced speech. Technical vocabulary contributed to the language demands, but instructors used both academic and colloquial varieties of language in instruction, interweaving mathematical nouns with phrasal verbs to explain mathematical processes. We suggest a greater focus on development of academic listening skills in English language classes as well as potential collaboration with mathematics campus resources and faculty for additional student support for preparing CLD students for potential future discourse practices.