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Wallace A, Barosh T, Brisch E, Laybourn P, Balgopal MM. Boosting student performance with inclusive writing-to-learn assignments through graphic organizers in large enrollment undergraduate biology courses. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOLOGY EDUCATION 2023; 24:e00087-23. [PMID: 38108004 PMCID: PMC10720555 DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.00087-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Logistical challenges in large enrollment classes are often mentioned as obstacles to active learning. Writing is an integral part of being a scientist and is often one of the first tools considered by STEM instructors to increase student engagement, but iterative writing assignments in large classes require creativity on the part of the instructor. We found an association between writing-to-learn assignments designed to be consistent with inclusive learning pedagogies and student performance measures in a large enrollment undergraduate biology course. They provide ample opportunity for deliberate practice and inclusive engagement, components of the "heads and hearts" hypothesis posed to explain the variation in active learning impacts on the performance of minoritized students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Wallace
- Department of Biosciences, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, Minnesota, USA
| | - Theresa Barosh
- Energy Institute, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Ellen Brisch
- Department of Biosciences, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, Minnesota, USA
| | - Paul Laybourn
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Meena M. Balgopal
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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Creech C, Just J, Hammarlund S, Rolle CE, Gonsar NY, Olson A, Campbell N, Mennes K, Adoradio C, Soneral P, Ewell S, Mazur C, Lane AK, Hewlett J, Cotner S. Evaluating the Representation of Community Colleges in Biology Education Research Publications following a Call to Action. CBE LIFE SCIENCES EDUCATION 2022; 21:ar67. [PMID: 36112616 PMCID: PMC9727599 DOI: 10.1187/cbe.21-09-0249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Interest in biology education research (BER) has been growing over the last two decades, yet few BER publications focus on community colleges, which serve a large percentage of the undergraduate student population and a majority of those students who identify with historically underserved groups. In this paper, we define community college biology education research (CC BER) as publications with a community college faculty member as an author, publications with a community college study context or a focus on community college biology teaching and learning, and publications that use community college students as a source of data. We conducted a literature review to quantify how CC BER has progressed since initial calls for broadening participation by recording the number of CC BER publications in seven prominent journals between 2016 and 2020. Our formal analysis of peer-reviewed BER literature indicates that there has been a statistically significant increase in CC BER publications from 3.2% to 5.9% of total BER publications since the last analysis in 2017. We conclude with a discussion of strategies for further broadening of participation in CC BER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Creech
- Department of Biology, Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham, OR 97030
| | - Jan Just
- Department of Biology, Portland Community College, Portland, OR 97217
| | - Sarah Hammarlund
- Department of Biology Teaching and Learning, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Cleo E. Rolle
- Department of Science and Mathematics, Capital Community College, Hartford, CT 06103
| | - Ngawang Y. Gonsar
- Department of Biology Teaching and Learning, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- Department of Biology, Normandale Community College, Bloomington, MN 55431
| | - Alyssa Olson
- Department of Biology Teaching and Learning, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - Nikaila Campbell
- Department of Science and Mathematics, Capital Community College, Hartford, CT 06103
| | - Karissa Mennes
- Department of Science and Mathematics, Capital Community College, Hartford, CT 06103
| | - Cecilia Adoradio
- Department of Biology, Normandale Community College, Bloomington, MN 55431
| | - Paula Soneral
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bethel University, St. Paul, MN 55112
| | - Sharday Ewell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849
| | - Clay Mazur
- Department of Natural Sciences, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN 55106
| | - A. Kelly Lane
- Department of Biology Teaching and Learning, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
| | - James Hewlett
- Finger Lakes Community College, Canandaigua, NY 14424
| | - Sehoya Cotner
- Department of Biology Teaching and Learning, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- Department of Biological Sciences/bioCEED Centre for Excellence in Biology Education, University of Bergen, 5020 Bergen, Norway
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Wilton M, Vargas P, Prevost L, Lo SM, Cooke JE, Gin LE, Imad M, Tatapudy S, Sato B. Moving towards More Diverse and Welcoming Conference Spaces: Data-Driven Perspectives from Biology Education Research Scholars. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOLOGY EDUCATION 2022; 23:e00048-22. [PMID: 36061332 PMCID: PMC9429908 DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.00048-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Academic conferences are integral to the dissemination of novel research findings and discussion of pioneering ideas across all postsecondary disciplines. For some participants, these environments are spaces to develop new collaborations, research projects, and social bonds; however, for others, conferences can be a place of marginalization and outright hostility. To assess how diverse individuals experience conference spaces, we interpreted results from a conference climate survey filled out by 198 of 482 registrants of the Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research (SABER) West 2021 conference. Analysis of the survey data was conducted by six biology education researchers, who in addition to raising conference participant voices, provide insights, and next steps whose implementation can promote greater participant equity, representation, and engagement in future science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education conferences specifically and potentially all academic conference spaces more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mike Wilton
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Paloma Vargas
- School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, San Diego Mesa College, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Luanna Prevost
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Stanley M. Lo
- Section of Cell and Developmental Biology, Division of Biological Sciences and Program in Mathematics and Science Education, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - James E. Cooke
- Section of Neurobiology, Division of Biological Sciences, UC San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Logan E. Gin
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Mays Imad
- Department of Life and Physical Science, Pima Community College, Tuscon, Arizona, USA
| | - Sumitra Tatapudy
- Department of Anatomy, UC San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, UC San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Brian Sato
- School of Biological Sciences, UC Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
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