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Volume 42(2) December 2016 elij CONTENTS EDITORIAL & GOVERNANCE INFORMATION .............................2 Volume 42(2) December 2016 ARTICLES ............................................................................................3 ISSN 1539-2422 ______________________ Transformation of a Traditional, Freshman Biology, Three- Semester Sequence, to a Two-Semester, Integrated Thematically A Peer-Reviewed Journal of the Organized, and Team-Taught Course ..............................................3 Julio G. Soto and Jerry Everhart Association of College and University Biology Educators Null Models for Everyone: A Two-Step Approach to Teaching Editor-in-Chief: Null Model Analysis of Biological Community Structure ............16 Debbie Meuler Declan McCabe and Evelyn Knight Cardinal Stritch University ______________________________ INNOVATIONS ..................................................................................26 An archive of all publications of the The Use of Kryptolebias marmoratus Eggs as an Educational Tool Association of College and University for Embryology Education .............................................................26 Biology Educators (ACUBE) can be found at http://acube.org/bioscene Tyrone Genade ___________________________ Web-based Interactive Video Vignettes Create a Personalized Active Learning Classroom for Introducing Big Ideas in Introductory Biology ......................................................................32 Bioscene is published in May (online) L. Kate Wright, Dina L. Newman, Jean A. Cardinale, and and December (online and in paper Robert Teese format). Please submit manuscripts according to the guidelines for consideration. PERSPECTIVES………………………………………………….....44 Understanding by Design: Mentored Implementation of Backward Design Methodology at the University Level ......……….......... 44 Nancy A. Michael and Julie C. Libarkin SUBMISSION GUIDELINES.............................................................53 Cover image: Kryptolebia marmoratus breeding pair. Cover image courtesy of Mr. Frans Vermeulen of Aruba (www.itrainsfishes.net). Bioscene: Journal of College Biology Teaching Volume 42(2) ·December 2016 A Publication of the Association of College and University Biology Educators Bioscene Editors ACUBE Mission Statement Debbie Meuler, Editor-In-Chief, Members of ACUBE share ideas and address the Department of Natural Sciences unique challenges of balancing teaching, Cardinal Stritch University research, advising, administration, and service. 6801 N. Yates Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53217 Telephone: 414-410-4136 We are a supporting and mentoring community Email: [email protected] that provides professional development opportunities to: Robert Yost, Associate Editor, Indiana University – Purdue University, Indianapolis, Develop and recognize excellence in teaching; IN Incubate new and innovative teaching ideas; Involve student research in the biology curriculum; Editorial Board Advise and mentor students in and out of the Janice Bonner, Notre Dame of Maryland University classroom; Rebecca Burton, Alverno College Elijah Carter, Syracuse University Enhance scholarship through our nationally, peer- Melissa Daggett, Missouri Western State Univ. reviewed journal, Bioscene. Jamie Dyer, Rockhurst University ACUBE Governance Melissa Elsenpeter, Rockhurst Univeristy. Greg Fitch, Avila University Christina Wills, Rockhurst Univ., President Marvin Furches, Lincoln Memorial University Aggy Vanderpool, Lincoln Memorial Anjali Gray, Lourdes University University, Past-President Neil Haave, University of Alberta Rebecca Burton, Alverno College, President Barbara Hass Jacobus, Indiana University – Purdue Elect University Wendy Heck Grillo, North Carolina Central University Tara Maginnis, The University of Portland, Luke Jacobus, Indiana University – Purdue University Website Editor Carol Maillet, Brescia University Greg Smith, Lakeland College, Executive Irina Makarevitch, Hamline University Secretary of Finance. Judy Maloney, Marquette University Paul Pickhardt, Lakeland College, Executive Marlee Marsh, Columbia College Dave Matthes, University of Minnesota Secretary Andy Petzold, University of Minnesota Rebecca Burton, Alverno College, Executive Paul Pickhardt, Lakeland College Secretary of Membership Denise Piechnik, Pittsburg Jason Wiles, Syracuse University, Member Carol Sanders, Park University Marlee Marsh, Columbia College, Member Denise Slayback-Barry, Indiana University-Purdue University Khadijah Makky, Marquette University, Chad Scholes, Rockhurst University Member Scott Shreve, Brescia University Jessica Allen, Rockhurst University, Member Natalia Taft, University of Wisconsin Parkside Laurieann Klockow, Marquette University, Conrad Toepfer, Brescia University Member Aggy Vanderpool, Lincoln Memorial University Kristen Walton, Missouri Western State University Conrad Toepfer, Brescia Univ., Historian Jason Wiles, Syracuse University Debbie Meuler, Cardinal Stritch University, ex officio 2 Volume 42(2) December 2016 Editorial and Governance ARTICLE Transformation of a Traditional, Freshman Biology, Three-Semester Sequence, to a Two-Semester, Integrated Thematically Organized, and Team- Taught Course Julio G. Soto1 & Jerry Everhart2 1Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, San José, CA 95192 2Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM 88130 Corresponding Author: [email protected] Abstract: Biology faculty at San José State University developed, piloted, implemented, and assessed a freshmen course sequence based on the macro-to micro-teaching approach that was team-taught, and organized around unifying themes. Content learning assessment drove the conceptual framework of our course sequence. Content student learning increased significantly in 12 of the categories examined using pre and post assessment instruments. Focus and individual student interviews revealed that students experienced a sense of ownership after completing two, five-week guided inquiry projects. Pass rate for the second semester class increased significantly from 55% to 85%. The percentage of underrepresented students passing the new sequence was higher than 72%, and was 86% at the end of the second year of full course sequence implementation. Keywords: Team teaching, macro to micro teaching approach application of knowledge is essential INTRODUCTION (Momsen et al., 2010). Furthermore, some Traditionally, freshmen biology course biology university faculty stress the sequences at the university level begin with importance of learning facts without basic chemistry concepts, have an extended questioning what students should learn, how animal and plant taxonomy component, and the concepts are taught, and when students end with ecology, regardless of the should learn the material (Gardner & intellectual maturity of the students taking Belland, 2012; Momsen et al., 2010). the course. Concepts are organized as silos Several national reports have stressed the and instructors assume that students can importance of teaching biology not as a make connections between disparate content collection of historical facts, but as an (Gardner & Belland, 2012). Making matters active, participatory endeavor that should worse is that most chosen textbooks are mimic the way science is done (Committee encyclopedic in nature. on undergraduate education to prepare In traditional biology freshman courses, research scientists for the 21st century, NRC, both instructors and students place an 2003; PCAST, 2012). Furthermore, the emphasis on learning definitions, recalling Vision & Change Report provided the memorized information, or recognizing biology community at large with core word patterns in order to answer multiple concepts that a modern biology university choice exam questions (Martin, 2015; education should follow (American Momsen et al., 2010). Information learned at Association for the Advancement of this low level is only retained for the exam. Science, 2011; Musante, 2011). Content superficiality is not amenable for Our previous freshman biology sequence the construction of cognitive conceptual consisted of three semesters (Plant Biology, scaffolds that aid in learning more complex Animal Biology, and Cell Biology), with 3 concepts in upper division courses, where hr lectures and 2 hr lab sections per week. Transformation of a Traditional Freshman Course Bioscene 3 The first two semesters (Plant Biology and lab exercises, two short research projects, Animal Biology) were taxonomy heavy. and the development of assessment Content was organized in silos and there strategies to examine the success or failure was no reinforcement of concepts within of this sequence. We implemented the team each semester. Students had low retention teaching model described by Friend & Cook rates and were unprepared for upper division (2010, p168-169), in which one instructor work. The new two-semester course led the lectures and two others observed and sequence was designed to increase student answered questions when needed. Two sets persistence, reduce the failure rate for of objectives (success and pedagogy) were students enrolled in the new core (without used to guide our curriculum reducing academic standards), increase implementation at the freshman level. The conceptual understanding, and incorporate success objective was to reduce the failure active learning strategies that were absent in rate for students enrolled in the new core, the previous freshmen sequence.