17th Annual ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators : Town & Country Resort and Convention Center San Diego, California May 20–23, 2010

17th Annual ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators


Town & Country Resort and Convention Center San Diego, California May 20–23, 2010

ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators (ASMCUE) Poster Sessions

Saturday, May 22, 2010 ~ 9:15 AM – 5:15 PM

Golden Ballroom

The following abstracts were submitted and accepted for presentation at the 17th Annual ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators. Poster sessions will be held Saturday, May 22, from 9:15 AM to 5:15 PM in the Golden Ballroom. Authors in all sessions must set up their posters between 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM Saturday. Posters are to remain on display throughout the day. All authors must remove their posters between 5:15 PM and 6:00 PM Saturday.

Session A

Author Presentations: 9:15 AM – 10:15 AM

Session B

Author Presentations: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Session C

Author Presentations: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

COURSE DESIGN

1-A

Learning Microbiology in Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy Faculty of Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (Argentina)

M. J. Amoroso, M.E. Farías, A. Pérez Chaia, and A.M. Strasser de Saad.

Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.

2-B

Bibliographic Review and Poster Presentation as Tools for Learning about Bacterial Virulence Determinants in a Medical Student Undergraduate Bacteriology and Virology Course at a Salvadorian University

M.T. Bertoli.

Universidad José Matías Delgado, La Libertad, El Salvador.

3-C

Does Experiential Learning Impact Students’ Career Awareness, Appreciation of the Microbial World, and Motivation in Microbiology Courses?

N. Cheeptham and N. Flood.

Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, Canada.

4-A

Student Learning in an Undergraduate Non-majors Soil Microbiology Course in a New General Education Curriculum

J.B. Crozier, J.I. Watkinson, and K.L. Filer.

Roanoke College, Salem, VA.

5-B

What Freshman Biology Students Know About Science and What They Say They Know About Science: Does It Really Matter?

J.E. Davis.

Doña Ana Community College-New Mexico State University. Las Cruces, NM.

6-C

Exploring Your Genome: Developing an Introductory Level, On-line Genomics Course

J.C. Drew1, M.B. Dettman2, S. Galindo-Gonzalez1, B. Hunnicutt2, B.E. Myers1, and E.W. Triplett.1

1University of Florida, Gainesville, FL and 2 Seminole State College of Florida, Sanford, FL.

7-A

International Pairing of Two Student Populations Studying the Same Global Health Issues: Mumbai, India and Danbury, Connecticut, USA

R.A. Gyure and V. Amonkar.

Western CT State University, Danbury, CT and St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, India.

8-B

Promoting On-line Students’ Engagement in Genetics Through the Review of Scientific Literature

M.V. Mawn.

SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs, NY.

9-C

Integrating Genomics Research into the Classroom: A Viable Option for Student Learning and Enhancing Research Experiences

B. May1 and K. Murphy2.

1College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN and 2Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN.

10-A

Curriculum Designers: Undergraduate Learning Assistants in the Introductory Biology Classroom

J.T. Olimpo and P.A. Shields.

University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

11-B

Living, Learning and Teaching the H1N1 Epidemic at Bates College

K.A. Palin, L.H. Abrahamsen, and P.J. Baker.

Bates College, Lewiston, ME.

13-A

Assessment of a Novel General Biology Course for Improving Microbial Literacy of Non-science Majors in a Liberal Arts College

G.E. Rowe.

La Roche College, Pittsburgh, PA.

14-B

An Effective Course Structure for a General Biology Speaker Series that Energizes and Engages Undergraduate Majors

D.J. Stemke.

University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN.

15-C

Proven Strategies for Re-training University Educators in Biotechnology in Developing Countries: An Integrated Short Course Approach

S.V.A. Uzochukwu1, A. Ochem2, P. Keese3, I. Ingelbretcht4, J. Campbell-Tofte5, and N. Esiobu6.

1University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; 2International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, South Africa; 3Office of Gene Technology Regulator, Canberra, Australia; 4International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria; 5Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark; 6Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL.

HANDS-ON PROJECTS

16-A

Manipulatives-based Laboratory for Majors Biology – A Hands-on Approach to Understanding Respiration and Photosynthesis

S.M. Boomer and K.L. Latham.

Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR.

17-B

Microbes in Mascara: Hypothesis-Driven Research in a Non-major Biology Lab

K.M. Burleson and B.M. Martinez-Vaz.

Hamline University, St. Paul, MN.

18-C

“Model Your Microbe”: A Gaming Approach to Promote Active and Collaborative Learning in Microbiology

A.M. Ciraj.

Manipal University, Karnataka State, India.

19-A

Laboratory Diagnosis of Ringworm Infection

U.N. Ekwenye.

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.

20-B

A Laboratory Module for Host-Pathogen Interactions: America’s Next Top Model

R.S. Fultz and T.P. Primm.

Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX.

21-C

Student Research at a Two-year College Using Biology and Chemistry in a Team-building Approach

K. Zarrabi, H. Porter, P. Leary, and D.V. Harbour.

College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV.

22-A

Improving Student Understanding of Polymerase Chain Reaction by Incorporating a Kinesthetic Learning Activity

S.E. Haydel and V. Stout.

Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.

23-B

Implementing the National Genomics Research Initiative’s Phage Hunter Program for Freshmen at a Large Public Research University

L.E. Hughes, S.E. Simon, and R.C. Benjamin.

University of North Texas, Denton, TX.

24-C

A Project-driven Laboratory Course in Microbiology

L.T. Isaacs.

Goucher College, Baltimore, MD.

25-A

Undergraduate Research Projects on Metagenomic Analysis of Environmental Bacteria

R.H. Kuddus, J. Kirsi and J.D. Holmes.

Utah Valley University, Orem, UT.

26-B

Integrating Plant-Microbe Interactions in the Biology Curriculum: Utilizing the Sinorhizobium-Medicago Model to Introduce Undergraduates to Different Aspects of Symbiosis

B.M. Martinez-Vaz1, M.J. Sadowsky2, N.D. Young2 and P. Tiffin2.

1Hamline University, Saint Paul, MN and 2University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN.

27-C

The Effect of Hands-on Experience with Microbial Identification Technologies on Student Understanding of these Methodologies

J.D. Newman.

Lycoming College, Williamsport PA.

28-A

Assessing Higher-order Scientific Process Skills in a Research-oriented Laboratory Course

E.R. Sanders-Lorenz, J.H. Miller, M. Levis-Fitzgerald, M. Ko, D. Pires, and W. Yan.

University of California – Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.

29-B

The Ciliate Genomics Consortium: Immediate Undergraduate Contributions to a Community-based Genome Annotation Project

E.A. Wiley.

Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA.

30-C

Individualized Active Learning: Group Research Projects Involving the UV Mutagenesis of Bacteria Designed and Performed by Students and Written as a Mock Peer-reviewed Journal Article

A.H. Williams.

University of Tampa, Tampa, FL.

STUDENT LEARNING

31-A

Student Attitudes about Collaborative Exams

K. Archer.

Trinity College, Hartford, CT.

32-B

Knowledge of Microbiology to Modify Course Content: A Preliminary Study

T.V.I. Akpata and S.A. Abdallah.

College of Nursing, Al-Shuwaikh, Kuwait.

33-C

Linkages Between Metacognition and Cooperative Learning in an Upper-level Biology Course – Baseline Data

J. M. Bader and W. Fox.

Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.

34-A

Does Exposure to Bloom’s Levels of Understanding Help Students Develop Higher Order Thinking Skills?

L.K. Etchberger.

Utah State University, Uintah Basin Regional Campus, Vernal, UT.

35-B

Assessment Strategies and Improved Learning in Non-majors Microbiology – A Moving Target Given Soaring Pre-nursing Demands?

S.M. Boomer.

Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR.

36-C

Students of All Learning Styles Report that Knowledge Maps Are Beneficial to Learning

R.J. Gerrits.

Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, WI.

37-A

Motivational Activities Can Improve College Students’ Learning

H.M.N. Guerreiro.

Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

38-B

Assessing the Impact of Student Response System on Pedagogy and Student Learning Outcome in a Cell and Molecular Biology Class

K.F. Hung.

Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL.

39-C

Team-based Learning in a Large Lecture Course: Effective Even in Small Doses

C.Y. Inouye.

California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA.

40-A

The Effects of In-class Concept Questions on Learning and Retention in Genetics

J.K. Knight and M.K. Smith.

University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.

41-B

The Use of Current Events as an Assessment Tool in an Allied Health Microbiology Course

A.B. Miller.

University of Cincinnati, Raymond Walters College, Cincinnati, OH.

42-C

Microbiology Education Through Biography Writing

D. Ningthoujam.

Manipur University, Canchipur, Imphal, India.

43-A

Microbiology Education Through Concept Maps

D. Ningthoujam.

Manipur University, Canchipur, Imphal, India.

44-B

On-line Quizzes: Feedback Facilitates Feedforward

C.J. Power.

University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

45-C

Does Your Teaching Encourage Deep or Superficial Learning?

M.P. Wenderoth.

University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

TEACHING APPROACHES

46-A

Traditional Teaching Method: New Strategy to Increase Students Comprehension of Immunology Concepts

N.H. Ali1,2 and A. Farooqui2.

1Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi-Pakistan and 2University of Karachi, Karachi-Pakistan.

47-B

Using a Case-based, Cooperative Learning Approach for Undergraduate Medical Microbiology Practical Classes

A.M. Ciraj.

Manipal University, Karnataka State, India.

48-C

Preliminary Results of Partial Scientific Teaching Use (Frequent Formative Quizzes and Mini-lectures Alternating With Group Discussions) on Student Learning Outcomes in an Undergraduate General Microbiology Course

J.P. Caruso.

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton FL.

49-A

Aligning an Instructional Approach to Support a Learning Goal: Integrating Lectures and Assignments to Reinforce the Integrative Nature of Cell Signaling

K.A. Curto.

University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

50-B

Students Can Contribute to Format Their Own Lecture

O. Diagne.

Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles, Dakar, Sénégal.

51-C

The ‘Sci-Fi Microbe’ Discovered at ‘General Hospital’: Using Creative Writing as Teaching Tool in Microbiology Courses

A. Dolberry.

Salem State College, Salem, MA.

52-A

Use of Extensive Group Work to Improve Student Learning in Introductory Biology

M.A. Gazdik.

Ferrum College, Ferrum, VA.

53-B

Use of Small Group Studies with the Teacher as “A Guide on the Side” for Deep Learning Approach: A Case Study on Microbial Physiology and Metabolism

U.O. George-Okafor.

Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Agbani, Nigeria.

54-C

Students Perceive Benefits of In-class Writing Assignments in an Introductory Non-majors Microbiology Course

B. Govindan.

San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA.

55-A

The Use of Daily Quizzes in an Introductory General Biology Course for Majors

W.H. Grillo and G.P. Hollowell.

North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC.

56-B

Blog, Blog, Blog. How to Get the Most from a Course Blog

L.K. Johansen, L. Hartley, and T. Duncan.

University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO.

57-C

Create a Bacterium: An Engaging Semester-long Assignment

M.-K. Liao.

Furman University, Greenville, SC.

58-A

Problem-based Learning in a Blended BioDefense Lab Methods Course: Effect on Student Learning Outcomes and Student Satisfaction

K.M. Obom and P.J. Cummings.

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.

59-B

Learn Before Lecture: A Strategy That Can Increase Learning Outcomes in Large Introductory Biology Classes

M. L. Moravec, N.M. Aguilar-Roca, A.E. Williams, D.K. O’Dowd.

University of California – Irvine, Irvine, CA.

60-C

Use of Faculty Research in Host Pathogen Interactions as Basis for Development of Active Learning Activities

B.B. Quimby, M. Chase, G. Marbach-Ad, V. Briken, L. Cathcart, N. El-Sayed, K. Frauwirth, B. Fredericksen G. Houston-Ludlam, L. Injaian, J. Kessler, V. Lee, K. McAdams, K. S..McIver, H. Miller, D. Mosser, E. Senkevitch, P. Shields, W.Song, L. Srinivasan, D.C. Stein and A.C. Smith.

University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

61-A

Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Theses by Teaching the Conventions of Scientific Writing and Professional Peer Review

J.A. Reynolds and R. Thompson.

Duke University, Durham, NC.

62-B

Microbial Biotechnology – Simple Concepts, Salient Applications

K.S. Sattiraju.

Jaypee Institute of Information Technology University, NOIDA, India.

63-C

Determining the Effect of Dissecting Primary Literature on Students’ Critical Thinking Skills and Attitudes towards Science

M. Segura-Totten, N.E. Dalman, F.S. Corotto, and S. Smith.

North Georgia College and State University, Dahlonega, GA.

64-A

Use of Authentic Images vs. Cartoon Representations to Teach Protein Localization in Introductory Biology

N.R. Lasky and M.I. Shuster.

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM.

65-B

Modification of Short Write-to-Learn Activities for On-line Delivery in an Effort to Enhance Performance in Microbiology Hybrid Courses

H.R. Smith.

Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, CO.

66-C

Web-based Tutorial Support for Academic Success in the Anatomy and Physiology

M. Tawde and A. Nguyen.

Queensborough Community College, Bayside, NY.

67-A

Clickers: Help or Hindrance to Motivating and Engaging Students in Small Non-major Introductory Science Classrooms

J.M. Washington.

Nyack College, Nyack, NY.

68-B

Case Studies with a Personal Narrative Improve Knowledge Retention and Increase Student Understanding of Transcultural Health Care Issues

L.M. Young and R.P. Anderson.

Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH.

COURSE DESIGN

1-A Learning Microbiology in Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy Faculty of Universidad Nacional de Tucumán (Argentina)

M. J. Amoroso, M.E. Farías, A. Pérez Chaia, and A.M. Strasser de Saad. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.

Microbiology is part of the biochemistry, chemistry, pharmacy and biotechnology curriculum at the National University of Tucumán, in northwest Argentina. This course is taught for four months in the 4th year of the curriculum, and includes all elements of general microbiology. Each year it is more difficult to teach microbiology because only two labs and one classroom are available for over 250 students. Until 2008, less than 60% were able to complete the course. For this reason, two new strategies were implemented to improve the percentage of the students who can complete the general microbiology exam. The students have the opportunity to take two, free theoretical classes a week. Since 2009, one of the new strategies implemented to encourage students is using multimedia in the lesson for increasing the discussion of the subject with the students. Also to reinforce learning, students can participate in special meetings with the professor where they get the opportunity to know the main subjects they need to study. The hypothesis was that, by implementing these two strategies, more students would be successful in the course. To implement a second strategy, to improve education by having more equipment available, it is essential to reduce the number of students in each group during practical work. The total number of students is divided into 10 groups (no more than 20 students in each) and, because there is only one laboratory, 5 groups per week can take lab class; as a result, each subject is issued for two weeks. In addition, students divided into groups of four must expose a seminar of a research recently published on issues related to practical classes. These strategies have improved by over 10% the number of students who can pass exams in practical classes. For many years, the students take an oral exam related to the entire subject. However, the number of students passing the course since 2009 has increased to 75%, with a remarkable improvement in the grades obtained. Despite only a one-year experience, the results obtained are promising enough to continue with these strategies for improving student learning.

2-B Bibliographic Review and Poster Presentation as Tools for Learning about Bacterial Virulence Determinants in a Medical Student Undergraduate Bacteriology and Virology Course at a Salvadorian University

M.T. Bertoli. Universidad José Matías Delgado, La Libertad, El Salvador.

Virulence is a multifactorial property of pathogens that involves their ability to infect mucosal surfaces, enter host cells, multiply in vivo, interfere with or avoid host defenses, and/or damage host cells. In our experience the concepts of virulence and its determinants have not been well understood by our 19-year-old undergraduate medical students in their second year medical bacteriology and virology (MBV) course. The traditional ways to teach students in our previous courses about virulence were through one lecture and a general discussion session. Our hypothesis was that if we use a new learning tool, we will enhance understanding and student motivation in the study of bacterial virulence. Accordingly, we designed a project involving literature review and poster presentation. The 40 students were divided into groups of no more than five, with a professor responsible for each of these groups. The groups then: 1) selected one pathogenic species; 2) systematically reviewed the literature using PubMed abstracts and complete papers when available; 3) selected an important virulence factor; 4) found experimental evidence of its biological activities and role in disease; and 5) made a poster and a final report based on their literature review. The nine posters were presented in a poster session, and the poster and its oral presentation were evaluated by the class and four invited medical and microbiology professors. The poster global score was 8.18 ± 0.71. The participants gained other important abilities such as bibliography search, scientific paper critical reading, and computational approach for text and image processor. This evidences and the attitudinal change in the students during the course have permitted us to consider this project as a valuable teaching tool in our MBV course, and to think of how to improve it for the next courses.

3-C Does Experiential Learning Impact Students’ Career Awareness, Appreciation of the Microbial World, and Motivation in Microbiology Courses?

N. Cheeptham and N. Flood. Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, Canada.

We would like to compare the results of short pre- and post-tests taken by students in two microbiology courses to see if their experiences in these courses – most importantly, their experiences in organized field trips – have an impact on their motivation, their understanding of certain aspects of microbiology, and their awareness of possible microbiology-related careers. The students involved will be taking either BIOL 220 (Introductory Microbiology II) or BIOL 449 (Industrial Microbiology) in the winter semester of 2010 (January to April). For each field trip, students will complete identical pre- and post-tests, each consisting of five questions: three of these remain the same for all trips, while two are designed specifically to fit topics covered in the different trips. Comparisons between pre- and post-tests will be done for each trip, within each course separately, and between courses. We will also ask students for their opinion on the value of field trips in general, in a brief survey at the end of each course. This project will help us evaluate the impact of field trips on student learning in lower- and upper-level microbiology courses. More specifically, it will help us decide whether field trips are a valuable component of each course and if some trips contribute more to the course than others. It will also allow us to determine if this type of experiential learning is more useful than lectures at (i) dispelling some common misconceptions about microbiology (e.g., all microbes are “bad”), and (ii) broadening students’ awareness of career possibilities in microbiology. Overall, this information will help us design an effective microbiology curriculum, which uses limited resources efficiently.

4-A Student Learning in an Undergraduate Non-majors Soil Microbiology Course in a New General Education Curriculum

J.B. Crozier, J.I. Watkinson, and K.L. Filer. Roanoke College, Salem, VA.

The Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) campaign called for colleges to develop intellectual skills “across the curriculum”. In 2009, Roanoke College redefined its general education curriculum with the goal of developing graduates who think critically in our increasingly complex society. For biology educators this required a new conceptualization of the structure, purpose, and learning goals for the introductory survey course for non-majors. In the new curriculum, science courses promote a deeper understanding of, and hands-on experience with, the science discipline through a topic-focused, inquiry learning approach. In this study, we report the results of data collected from an inaugural section (N=18) of a new non-majors soil microbiology course to answer the following research questions: In a topic-focused non-majors course, are students gaining general biology content? Are students developing a more nuanced understanding of the role of microorganisms in the ecosystem? Two instruments were employed: (1) a pre-post test measure of general biology knowledge, and (2) a 6-point Likert scale measuring student development from surface learning to deep learning of soil microbiological concepts. Using a repeated measures design, student scores on the pre-post test of general biology knowledge showed statistically significant improvement from the beginning to the end with a large effect size (t=3.69,η ↑2=.45). Three of the six concept questions showed significant increase in student scores from the beginning to the end of the course [(t=2.57 to 3.39, η]2=.28 to .40 ). The results reveal students gain a broad understanding of biology concepts while progressing significantly in some areas from simple to complex understanding about soil microbiology. These findings offer empirical data to support a topic-focused inquiry approach to science for non-majors as an effective option for developing intellectual skills “across the curriculum”.

5-B What Freshman Biology Students Know About Science and What They Say They Know About Science: Does It Really Matter?

J.E. Davis. Doña Ana Community College-New Mexico State University. Las Cruces, NM.

The author created and administered a set of end-of-semester questions to the 55 students in two freshman-level courses at Doña Ana Community College-New Mexico State University (General Biology I, n = 18; Biology for Non-majors, two sections, n = 37) to test a hypothesis that a course design that emphasizes the “process of science” increases perceived interest in biology in both science majors and non-majors, which might also lead some students with undeclared majors to major in biology. Many published reports suggest that inquiry- (or process-) based learning, where the emphasis is not on being “right” or “wrong” but on students creating and testing hypotheses, promotes positive student attitudes and self-concept which, in turn, promote student interest in biology, a key factor in getting students to major in biology. As part of the end-of-semester survey, students were asked how course design and instructional methods influenced their attitudes about biology, as well as questions to assess their actual knowledge of the scientific process (e.g., could they distinguish a “hypothesis” from a “theory”). Finally, General Biology I students completed a survey from the Individual Development and Education Assessment (I.D.E.A.) Center to self-assess student attitudes as well as learning in terms of course objectives identified as “essential” by the instructor. In response to the instructor survey, 71 to 100% of students (depending on section and course) indicated that their interest in biology had increased over the course of the semester, which was consistent with the results of the I.D.E.A. survey. While a small percentage of students (up to 5% in the non-majors course) said they were less likely to major in a science at the end of the semester, 27% of the 37 students in the two non-majors sections said they would consider a science major (two signed up for General Biology I the following semester). Of the eight “undeclared” students who finished General Biology I, four either declared Biology as their major or are de facto Biology majors since they enrolled in biology courses the following semester that are usually only taken by Biology majors. The hypothesis that a “process of science”-based course stimulated student interest is accepted, and positive attitudes, which are also important for learning, also increased.

6-C Exploring Your Genome: Developing an Introductory Level, On-line Genomics Course

J.C. Drew1, M.B. Dettman2, S. Galindo-Gonzalez1, B. Hunnicutt2, B.E. Myers1, and E.W. Triplett.1. 1University of Florida, Gainesville, FL and 2 Seminole State College of Florida, Sanford, FL.

The BIO 2010 report recommends that institutions improve undergraduate biology by attracting students with new courses focused on cutting edge fields. To address these and other recommendations, the Microbiology & Cell Science Department at the University of Florida (UF) is weaving genomics throughout all levels of its undergraduate curriculum in a program entitled Sequencing Gators. This presentation focuses on the development of one curriculum component, a 100-level course for non-majors entitled, “Exploring Your Genome”. To broaden the impact of this effort, UF partnered with a two-year institution, Seminole State College of Florida (SSC), in the development and delivery of the course. The course was taught for the first time at UF and SSC in Fall 2009, and >100 students were enrolled.

The long-range course objectives included promoting science literacy and preparing for the age of personal genomics. Specific course objectives were to introduce genomics, DNA sequencing and analysis; to reinforce classic genetics concepts; to build skills with bioinformatic tools; to understand the contribution of one’s genome to disease; and to become familiar with genomics research. The course was innovative in three ways: as a genomics course taught at an introductory level; as an on-line course delivered entirely by distance; and as a collaboration between a university and a two-year college. Student learning was assessed by weekly quizzes and three exams. For a final exam, students wrote short essays on a self-chosen topic. Anonymous pre- and post-course questionnaires provided a comprehensive assessment of the course. The surveys focused on knowledge gains, skill acquisition, attitudes and distance learning. We hypothesized that the course would improve student learning, and this hypothesis was tested by the analysis of pre- and post-course knowledge assessments. Results demonstrate that the pilot course improved student learning by leading to significant learning gains (Pre mean = 66%; Post mean = 88%; p < 0.001 ). An overview of the Sequencing Gators program, course structure and syllabus, sample material, and an analysis of the assessment results will be presented.

7-A International Pairing of Two Student Populations Studying the Same Global Health Issues: Mumbai, India and Danbury, Connecticut, USA

R.A. Gyure and V. Amonkar. Western CT State University, Danbury, CT and St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, India.

The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of pairing two comparable honors student groups, in very different parts of the world, to study the same focused human health issues related to infectious disease. Authors hypothesize that our respective students will gain insights and perspectives that demonstrate the value of international pairing, and that such change will be measurable using the proposed assessment strategy. The topics chosen for investigation are threefold: 1) Emerging problem of drug resistance in treatment of tuberculosis and its correlation to HIV-AIDS; 2) environmental factors contributing to persistence of these diseases; and 3) effect of what is known as “Directly Observed Treatment Strategy” (DOTS) in their prevention. The pairing of these two populations was determined by preexisting partnership between the instructors (Amonkar and Gyure) as participants in ASM-UNESCO Leadership Program, May 2009. The number of students in each group is less than 10. The data collected are mostly qualitative written student responses and on-line discussion posts obtained at different times during course progression. All questions have been jointly agreed upon by instructors and include, for example, a demographic survey to determine student preparation, resource availability and attitudes. Written responses are scored and converted to semi-quantitative validated data for comparative purposes and aligned with quantitative demographic statistics. Observations and impressions of instructors will also be recorded throughout the investigation.

8-B Promoting Online Students’ Engagement in Genetics through the Review of Scientific Literature

M.V. Mawn. SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs, NY.

Analysis of the research literature is an authentic practice of the scientific community. Students who interpret and discuss the implications of these research findings are learning science in an authentic context. To address whether this activity engages students, a study was conducted in two on-line sections of Genetics (Fall 2009, n=28). Students identified one website and four articles to review, and they discussed these via an on-line forum. To measure the impact of each course activity, students completed an end-of-term survey in which they rated each assignment type (discussions, self-quizzes, web/article reviews, written assignments, final project) and participated in a discussion reflecting on their course experiences. Pre- and post-course surveys also measured students' engagement with the research literature and other sources of scientific information. The vast majority of students strongly agreed or agreed with the following statements: “The web/article review assignments supported my learning.” (89%); “Reading scientific journal articles increased my understanding of scientific: a. content” (92%); b. process” (86%). In their reflections, students described how this activity helped to “bridge the gap” between textbook and real-world science, and helped to extend their learning. They also described how the article reviews encouraged them to learn about topics that they might not normally read about, and it kept them “up-to-date” with new advancements in the scientific community. When students were asked if they currently read or viewed stories related to genetics and/or science in general, 59% cited mainstream sources (television, magazines and websites). While this did not change by the end of the course, there was a decrease in students who did not follow science (22% vs. 7%), and an increase in those who read journal articles (19% vs. 37%). Overall these findings demonstrate that the review of research articles can support students’ learning of content and process, and promote a continued interest in science beyond the last day of class.

9-C Integrating Genomics Research into the Classroom: A Viable Option for Student Learning and Enhancing Research Experiences

B. May1 and K. Murphy2. 1College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN and 2Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN.

In summer of 2009, we adopted the genome of Cellulomonas flavigena through the Program in Undergraduate Research in Microbial Genome Annotation sponsored by the Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute. C. flavigena is a gram-positive soil Actinobacterium capable of cellulose and polysaccharide metabolism. Thus, C. flavigena is of great interest for bioenergy research as a potential source of novel cellulases. However, its mechanism for polysaccharide metabolism is not fully understood, and little is known regarding its metabolic and functional capabilities. We have initiated a collaborative undergraduate research program to better understand the metabolism in C. flavigena, particularly for its ability to metabolize polysaccharides. We have integrated C. flavigena research into a variety of courses, including both introductory and upper-level courses for biology and chemistry majors at the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University (CSB/JSU) and Gustavus Adolphus College. For example, students in Microbiology at CSB/JSU were assigned the annotation and analysis of metabolic genes. In addition, first year students at Gustavus have had the opportunity to work on C. flavigena genome annotation. Student knowledge assessment was performed using exams and presentations. Through their annotation experiences, students were exposed to the following interdisciplinary topics: genomics, gene expression and regulation, metabolism, bioinformatics, and basic protein structure and analysis. Overall, these topics were structured around the framework of C. flavigena as a model to meet several of the learning goals for the courses. These courses have had a major impact on our students, as many have taken further interest in the project. Several students at CSB/SJU and Gustavus have become mentors for other undergraduates working with the C. flavigena genome. In addition, students have initiated functional analyses of several genes of interest through independent research. We will present the results and findings of these annotation and functional genetics research projects at both CSB/SJU and Gustavus Adolphus College.

10-A Curriculum Designers: Undergraduate Learning Assistants in the Introductory Biology Classroom

J.T. Olimpo and P.A. Shields. University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

In an effort to address the possible implications of novel curricular interventions in standard undergraduate biology classrooms, we developed a course entitled BSCI 348P: General Biology Teaching Practicum, which was designed to provide undergraduate learning assistants with both a foundation in science education principles, as well as experience in devising pedagogical tools for use as part of the regular curriculum in the BSCI 105: Principles of Biology I course at the University of Maryland, College Park. With respect to the BSCI 105 course, we hypothesized that such tools would improve BSCI 105 student understanding of the concepts being addressed as a result of curricular intervention, leading to an enriched understanding of the biological sciences as a whole. For students enrolled in BSCI 348P (n = 19), many of whom had little exposure to issues in science education, we hypothesized that this experience would, as previously mentioned, provide valuable insights into teaching and learning. This was indeed found to be the case, as evidenced by evaluation and self-reported survey data, which indicated that 100% of the students in BSCI 348P found the experience rewarding and integral for their own professional development. Curricular content developed in BSCI 348P was based on pre-course survey data from BSCI 105, which identified areas of difficulty with respect to course material. Pedagogical tools were introduced throughout the semester in the form of small group activities, comprehensive study guides, and educational videos. Post-course survey data indicated that approximately 85% of students (total survey size, n = 265) utilized these tools and felt that they significantly enhanced their understanding of core phenomena beyond the level achieved from exposure to standard course content alone (i.e. lecture, assigned readings, etc.). Data from this survey, which also included student opinions and commentary on how the aforementioned curricular interventions met their own learning needs, additionally suggested that >90% of students believed such tools catered to diverse learning styles (for instance, educational videos for visual learners) and levels of prior knowledge. We believe, therefore, that this research has provided us with a better understanding of how students learn and what aids them in this process.

11-B Living, Learning and Teaching the H1N1 Epidemic at Bates College

K.A. Palin, L.H. Abrahamsen, and P.J. Baker. Bates College, Lewiston, ME.

During fall semester 2009, Bates College experienced H1N1. There were some cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) during the first month of school. Reports of ILI to the Health Center increased rapidly and, by October 8, the outbreak fit the college's definition of an H1N1 outbreak. We realized that many students in our Biology classes were not getting correct and adequate information, or did not understand what they were hearing and reading about the outbreak. Students’ learning is enhanced when academic content becomes real and applicable to everyday life. We hypothesized that adding H1N1 to the content of our courses (immunology, emerging infections, cell biology) would facilitate student and campus knowledge about H1N1. We discussed common misconceptions, questions and answers and agreed to make space for them in our classes. Students then became information pipelines to the rest of campus, informally providing information about H1N1 to their peers in various ways. We also held a Q and A session open to campus, which generated more questions and discussion that continued on-line, particularly among faculty and staff. When students were surveyed at the end of the semester about sources of information they found helpful during the outbreak, 98.8% (82/84 in cell biology) and 95% (80/84 in emerging infections) reported “this class” as their most frequent response. For students in cell biology, the second most frequent response was “classmates, friends, roommates”, and for students in emerging infections it was the “Student Health Center”. Knowledge about the H1N1 virus was assessed through several unannounced, ungraded questions on the final exams in all three courses. Students’ answers showed that misconceptions had been corrected. Our hypothesis was supported. We conclude that a willingness to be flexible, to teach timely answers to need-to-know questions, and to combine our areas of expertise, turned the epidemic into a unique teaching and learning moment.

12-C Improving Understanding of Science by Teaching Explicit Principles of Good Reasoning in an Evolution and Intelligent Design Course

I.V. Pavlova. University of Chicago, Chicago, IL.

To improve scientific understanding, a successful group of approaches involves increased access to authentic science experiences. This study reports on a fundamentally different approach that emphasizes explicit learning principles of good reasoning in a net cast wider than specific disciplinary examples and that is informed by philosophy of science, probability and logic. The comparison between evolution and Intelligent Design (ID) serves as a springboard for inquiry into issues such as justification and reasoning with uncertainty. The hypothesis tested in Fall 09 (n = 16) and Winter 10 (n = 35) trials is that by the end of the course students will be able to: 1) identify and explain features of good explanations, and 2) correct misconceptions about science and justification. The first assessment is an identical pre/post course Likert scale (+3 to -3, with 0 for “don’t know”) survey with items in two groups: science attitudes and epistemic understanding. Survey design was guided by Kitchener and King’s epistemic cognition model, and feedback from students in four previous courses and science and philosophy colleagues. The second assessment complements the first by testing epistemic understanding using short essay responses to real-life problems, arguments and misconceptions at the start, end, and during the course. In Fall, most students changed their minds about scientific theories as only possible explanations (agree, 72% pre to 12.5% post; disagree, 22% pre to 87.5% post) and by the end were able to explain why the perspective of science as “just” a social construct is skewed (93% of students), and to argue against the idea “science is just a lot of models – there is no truth in science” (88%). All students were able to describe features of good explanations, list common problems with bad ones, and to apply this framework to ID. However, students were still very general when faced with a real-life scenario (on astrology), leading to more emphasis in the Winter quarter on marginal science. The results show a deeper and more complete understanding of science and good reasoning after the course, and help establish this method as a viable alternative in teaching scientific thinking.

13-A Assessment of a Novel General Biology Course for Improving Microbial Literacy of Non-science Majors in a Liberal Arts College

G.E. Rowe. La Roche College, Pittsburgh, PA.

One of ASM’s goals is to raise public understanding of microbiology. Intro Biology: Bugs & Brew is a novel biology course that was developed to further this goal. In this course, microbes are used as tools to teach principles of general biology to non-science majors in a liberal arts college. The primary goal of this course was to teach the unifying themes of general biology, but a secondary goal was to improve students’ knowledge of microbes. Instructional methods included lectures, laboratory activities, readings from a textbook and the popular press, and Intimate Strangers: Unseen Life on Earth four-part videos. Course grades were based largely on students’ demonstrated knowledge of general biology. To test the hypothesis that students' microbial literacy was improved by taking this course, a 32-question true/false test developed by the Microbial Literacy Collaborative (Needham, C. 1999. ASM News 65: 215–219) was given on the first and last day of class to a total of 198 students over six years. A one-tailed T-test was used to assess the statistical significance of differences between average test scores before and after taking the course, as well as differences between the percentage of students who correctly answered each question before and after the course. The overall six-year data showed a 9.3% increase in average test score (significant at p < 0.001 ) after taking this course. For the first three years (108 students), the average test score increased by 8.3% (p < 0.001 ), but analysis of individual test questions indicated some specific areas of misunderstanding. For example, students failed to learn that most microbes are not easily grown in a laboratory and that many human genes are related to microbial genes. A change of textbook and specific efforts to address misconceptions were used for the latter three years of this study. In the second three years (90 students), the average test score increased by 10.3% (p < 0.001 ) and analysis of individual questions showed improved understanding of problematic topics. Overall, results indicate that this course is a useful tool for improving microbial literacy of non-science majors in a liberal arts college.

14-B An Effective Course Structure for a General Biology Speaker Series that Energizes and Engages Undergraduate Majors

D.J. Stemke. University of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN.

Many undergraduate Biology programs provide opportunities for students to interact with professional researchers through a speaker series. The intent of bringing speakers into these programs is to inspire and enlighten undergraduates through the talks. These professionals introduce students to new scientific discoveries and innovative technologies with the goal to infuse the enthusiasm of what it means to do science in a professional environment. The structure of such a course should take full advantage of the presenter’s expertise and maximize intended student outcomes. The challenge is that the speaker’s topic areas are normally complex; therefore, the course structure requires a mechanism to prepare the students for the talks prior to the researcher’s presentations. A student unfamiliar with the subject matter is unlikely to be fully engaged in the talk. Presented here is a senior-level, general biology, one-hour course that alternates between student and outside speaker presentations. To prepare for this course structure, students are instructed in strategies to evaluate and present research papers. Students first review and then present a topical paper recommended by the speaker. Assessment of student participation was evaluated by comparing the total number and insightful nature of questions asked to outside speakers with or without a student talk on a relevant paper the week before the outside speaker. There was a statistically significant increase in both values. (Total number questions asked increased two-fold; insightful questions asked increased six-fold). Preliminary findings supported that this course structure was an effective method to elevate participation and inspire participants into a deeper understanding of the science that was presented by the outside bioscience speakers.

15-C Proven Strategies for Re-training University Educators in Biotechnology in Developing Countries: an Integrated Short Course Approach

S.V.A. Uzochukwu1, A. Ochem2, P. Keese3, I. Ingelbretcht4, J. Campbell-Tofte5, and N. Esiobu6.

1University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, 2International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cape Town Component, South Africa, 3Office of Gene Technology Regulator, Canberra, Australia, 4International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria, 5Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark, 6Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL.

Most developing country scientists, who are otherwise highly talented, lack competence in modern molecular biology principles and techniques. As a result, their graduates are poorly equipped for contemporary scientific research. It was rationalized that intensive short courses with lectures and laboratory work spanning from fundamental to applied topics, presented by faculty of similar background would allow for maximal learning outcomes. The planning, curriculum development, pedagogic approaches and very successful outcome of 10 years of dedicated effort in building human capacity in modern biotechnology in Nigeria are presented here. Between 2000 and 2009, thirteen one- to two-week courses with various molecular biology emphasis were organized. Scientists of the Biotechnology Centre of the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, teamed up with Nigerian Diaspora (scientists) practicing in developed countries, and International Scientists in Nigeria to develop relevant course curricula and manuals, and taught the intensive courses. Active learning and hands-on exercises were employed in the lectures and laboratory practical work covering fundamentals of molecular biology: gene structure, gene cloning, gene expression and analysis, DNA manipulation, as well as extraction and purification of proteins. Assessment of learning outcome was based on responses to questions before and after the course, as well as peer evaluations of team projects and presentations. The courses were funded by various international organizations. Over 500 scientists from 46 tertiary institutions were trained. While the vast majority of graduates were Nigerians, others were from Togo, Argentina, Benin, Ghana, Iran, Cameroon and Rwanda. Condensed intensive courses were relatively inexpensive platforms compared to impact created. Post-course assessment and research proposals presented by participants at the end of course showed 40–80% improvement in grasp of contemporary molecular biology techniques and applications. Additional impact of these effective grass-root capacity building courses include revision of biotechnology curricula in Nigerian Universities and establishment of policy to guide it by the National Universities Commission. Competent manpower can be generated in a short time, in a cost-effective manner, using the approach described herein.

HANDS-ON PROJECTS

16-A Manipulatives-based Laboratory for Majors Biology – A Hands-on Approach to Understanding Respiration and Photosynthesis

S.M. Boomer and K.L. Latham. Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR.

Biology 211, the first course in our year-long introductory series for majors, encompasses four learning units: biological molecules and cells, metabolism, genetics, and evolution. Because this course lacks prerequisites, many of the approximately 150 students who begin this series do so with only high school biology and/or chemistry. In 2009, a new instruction team (the authors) began an in-depth assessment project in conjunction with modifying several labs, including a new activity about respiration and improving existing photosynthesis exercises. Specifically, we hypothesized that modeling metabolic processes in the laboratory would improve performance on exams during this course unit. Respiration and photosynthesis were perceived priorities because students have historically struggled with these processes, which involve many enzyme-catalyzed steps and electron transfer events, and occur across multiple subregions of the cell. In 2009 pre-course surveys, students showed the lowest understanding of metabolism (on average, answering only 25% questions correctly) as well as the lowest interest (5% students rated metabolism as the unit they were most interested in learning about). To increase student learning and understanding, we developed manipulatives-based laboratory exercises that combined paper cutouts, movable blocks, and large diagrams of the cell. In particular, our novel use of connecting LEGO® blocks allowed students to move model electrons and phosphates between molecules and within defined spaces of the cell. On the metabolism unit exam (which included pre-course survey questions), student performance improved to 71%, and – by the end of the course – the majority of students rated metabolism as their most-improved (43%) and favorite (33%) subject as compared with other unit topics. Likewise, the most students (42%) rated these labs as very helpful, as compared to other labs (rated, on average, 18.5%). In this presentation, we will demonstrate that students made gains during the course across all content areas, but most notably in the unit that covered respiration and photosynthesis.

17-B Microbes in Mascara: Hypothesis-Driven Research in a Non-major Biology Lab

K.M. Burleson and B.M. Martinez-Vaz. Hamline University, St. Paul, MN.

Non-majors engage in learning scientific concepts when they can connect the concepts to their daily lives. We hypothesized that a lab exercise teaching students an everyday application of biological knowledge would enable them to retain information on microbiological topics. The students’ goals for the lab were to develop a hypothesis regarding microbial contamination in cosmetics, learn techniques to extract, culture, and identify microorganisms from cosmetics, and propose best-practices in cosmetics use based on their findings. Prior to the lab, students took a pre-test to assess their knowledge of scientific hypotheses, microbiology, and cosmetic safety. During the first week of lab, students were introduced to microbiological concepts and methodologies, and cosmetic terminology and safety. Students then completed a hypothesis-writing exercise before formulating and testing their own hypotheses regarding cosmetic contamination. To make the applications of the lab individually relevant, students provided and tested a cosmetic of their own for bacterial and/or fungal contamination. With their lab group, they next chose one product for further testing, developed a hypothesis and made predictions of their expected results. To test their hypotheses, group samples were serially diluted and plated on a variety of selective media. In the second week, students analyzed their plates to determine the presence and diversity of microbes and if their hypotheses were supported. Students completed a worksheet of their results and conclusions, and were given a post-test to assess their knowledge. Average test scores improved from 4.99 (pre-test) to 8.21 (post-test), with p-values < 0.005. Hypotheses that were not falsifiable or lacked variables were correctly identified by 89.5% of students, and 70.6% of students improved their scores on questions concerning safe cosmetic use. All students (100%) demonstrated increased knowledge of microbial concepts and methods. Based on our results, this lab is an easy yet effective way to enhance knowledge of scientific concepts and methods for non-majors while maintaining relevance to everyday life.

18-C “Model Your Microbe”: A Gaming Approach to Promote Active and Collaborative Learning in Microbiology

A.M. Ciraj. Manipal University, Karnataka State, India.

Games help students actively participate in their own learning process. “Model your Microbe” was a gaming approach designed for the second-year medical students to promote active and collaborative learning. It was hypothesized that this approach would lead to enhanced team efforts, enjoyable learning and better understanding of the microbiology subject matter. Students were asked to work as teams to design and build a microbe of their choice. It was stated that the models should be an expression of form (morphology) and function (virulence, pathogenesis or beneficial effects) co-existing in the best way possible. To evaluate the potential of the game in enhancing active and collaborative learning, direct observation, questionnaire and focus group discussion were used. Participants felt that the gaming approach generated interest in microbiology (82.2%), supported self directed learning (78.2%) and enhanced collaborative learning (80.2%). Corroboration of student feedback was gained by analyzing the responses of faculty members who observed students behavior and actions during the game. Besides, enhancing active and cooperative learning (89.4%), faculty valued this approach in terms of revisiting the microbiology concepts (80.8%) also. In an interview conducted with the students who had appeared for final examinations, 79.6% admitted that the gaming approach had helped them retain relevant information and perform better in examinations. Gaming offers a unique method for acquisition of knowledge and provides avenues for reinforcing facts. In our context, it has promoted active and collaborative learning among medical students leading to better learning and understanding of microbiology concepts.

19-A Laboratory Diagnosis of Ringworm Infection

U.N. Ekwenye. Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.

In Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), South Eastern Nigeria, students are required to take MCB 412 – Pathogenic Mycology, which is a two-unit course in their fourth year (400 level) at the University. The course, which introduces students to the diseases caused by fungi, was for one semester and met twice a week. I began a mandatory exercise for students during the 2008/2009 academic session. The goal was to introduce the students to fungi that cause diseases in plants and animals in a meaningful hands-on project. I hypothesize that by conducting laboratory diagnosis of ringworm infection, students will be able to identify and name the fungi that cause ringworm infections and demonstrate knowledge of ringworm infections. The semester exercise covered methods to isolate fungi causing diseases in plants and animals. The students observed fungi under the microscopes and made drawings in their notebooks. The students were able to make observations, document their results, interpret the results and draw conclusions. This enabled the students to learn the causes of ringworm infections and understand the importance of cutaneous mycoses. Lastly, students also learned the treatment of ringworm infection. This project prepared the students to take up a final-year project in which the outcome will be reflected in the 400 level students’ projects. This exercise not only prepared the students to undertake goal-driven research, it also created awareness of the laboratory diagnosis of ringworm infection. The practical work submitted by the students reflected the impact of this exercise especially as there was no doubt that they undertook the exercise. The students wished that there would be continuity as they were excited with the results obtained. Finally, these students had good grades, which showed they understood the exercise.

20-B A Laboratory Module for Host-Pathogen Interactions: America’s Next Top Model

R.S. Fultz and T.P. Primm. Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX.

While pathogenesis is virtually universally discussed in microbiology and related course lectures, few undergraduate laboratories include experiments, primarily because of logistical issues. Hypothesizing that active learning will give students a better understanding of concepts in pathogenesis, a novel virulence assay has been developed for use in labs which is simple, flexible, inexpensive and safe for students. For a host, this model utilizes the Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), an invasive species broadly distributed across the U.S. These freshwater fish are hardy and maintenance is easy. A positive control for virulence has been established using Edwardsiella ictaluri. Being an Enterobacteriaceae, appropriate culture media and equipment are common in microbiology labs. The core bath infection protocol results in time-to-death proportional to the infectious dose, and can be completed in one week. Data indicate a wide variety of experiments can be performed, effectively demonstrating and visualizing the important concepts in pathogenesis. Application modules include antibiotic treatments, virulence screening of enteric isolates, chronic vs. acute infections, transmission study, comparison of routes of entry, and immunity to reinfection. A Koch’s postulates reenactment by culturing bacteria from liver of infected fish has also been developed. After performing the virulence screen module in a nursing microbiology course, student attitudes were assessed utilizing a Likert scale questionnaire. Responding to how much the laboratory component helped their learning, students answered positively 83 ± 11%, with a similar 82 ± 14% rating on “enjoying the lab experience”. Interestingly, students answered a rather low 40 ± 26% on being concerned about suffering of the fish, and also a contrasting low and diverse 59 ± 30% over how ethical the usage of animal experiments in medical research is in general. Further study will be performed on how this experience impacts student perceptions of animal research. The developed module protocols will be shared with instructors interested in adding virulence studies into their courses.

21-C Student Research at a Two-year College Using Biology and Chemistry in a Team-building Approach.

K. Zarrabi, H. Porter, P. Leary, and D.V. Harbour. College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, NV.

We want to determine if enrollment in an integrated undergraduate research program increases the likelihood that students will enroll in a program to obtain a university or graduate degree. We have developed an integrated undergraduate research program to promote first- and second-year students. Our early studies demonstrated that 85% of 100 students rotating through a portion of the program obtained a terminal degree. Here we describe collaboration between a team of four faculty members working with eight students. This project is based on field identification, collection, chemical extraction and characterization of desert plants. Extracts were tested for antibacterial activity in growth inhibition and biofilm formation. Students rotated through each program phase with a different faculty member but were allowed to concentrate on one aspect of the program, such as characterization of extracts implementing gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry or test the extract effects on biofilm attachment, viability, or cell mass. Students were also allowed to determine the amount of time they wished to contribute to each phase of the program, but all students contributed three semesters of work. Students were assessed by their ability to develop hypotheses, demonstrate laboratory skills, work independently, troubleshoot protocols and submit manuscripts. Student success was measured by the presentation of their data at scientific meetings, as well as, their pursuit of further scientific research at other institutions. Of the eight students rotating through the four parts of the program, all demonstrated confidence and enthusiasm for their work and are successfully continuing their science majors at universities, two have presented at scientific meetings, one is participating in a summer research program at a university, and two are preparing to apply to graduate schools. We conclude that our results demonstrate undergraduate research programs at two-year colleges can be successful in recruiting science majors and researchers. We are pursuing grant funding to expand and continue this work.

22-A Improving Student Understanding of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) by Incorporating a Kinesthetic Learning Activity

S.E. Haydel and V. Stout. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.

Although many biology students understand that PCR is used to amplify DNA, there are a number of misconceptions about the molecular processes, as well as a lack of detailed understanding of the individual steps of the process. These misconceptions prevent students from predicting the effects of alterations of the standard PCR process. We hypothesized that these problems could be addressed using a kinesthetic, hands-on modeling of the PCR process. We developed a PCR “toolkit” composed of the following: i) intertwined, multi-colored yarn representing double-stranded, supercoiled, chromosomal DNA, ii) multi-colored, short wax sticks representing DNA primers, and iii) long wax sticks (three different colors) representing the PCR extension products. Students worked in groups of three to “amplify” a specific region of the template DNA (designated with black stripes) and progress through the first three cycles of PCR. This hands-on, kinesthetic approach (a) allowed students to visualize the process and recognize common mistakes, (b) encouraged active engagement in the learning process, (c) accessed a diversity of learning styles, and (d) emphasized the importance of specific molecular interactions and outcomes during early PCR cycles. Twenty-eight undergraduate students participated in the activity. Identical four-question tests (worth 12 points) designed to address the common misconceptions of PCR were administered before and after the activity to assess learning. Scores on the post-assessment test increased an average of 2.95 points (25%) compared to pre-assessment scores. On average, the upper third of the class (based on pre-assessment scores) improved 11%, the middle third improved 30% and the lowest third improved 33%. These results indicated that although the comprehension of all students was aided by the activity, students who began the activity with lower levels of understanding of PCR cycling and misconceptions were aided the most by this kinesthetic PCR activity.

23-B Implementing the National Genomics Research Initiative’s Phage Hunter Program for Freshmen at a Large Public Research University

L.E. Hughes, S.E. Simon, and R.C. Benjamin. University of North Texas, Denton, TX.

The National Genomics Research Initiative (NGRI) from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education Alliance provides a year-long, classroom-based research experience for university freshmen. In NGRI, students each isolate and characterize a novel mycobacteriophage, as well as participate in the annotation of a phage genome. The University of North Texas (UNT) implemented NGRI in the fall of 2009. Freshmen at a public research university can contribute to authentic scientific research in a classroom setting. During 2009 freshman orientations, 24 freshmen who represent a cross-section of UNT biology majors were selected based on their motivation to engage in the year-long experience. These students enrolled in the freshman biology lecture for majors and replaced the traditional laboratory sequence with the NGRI laboratory, which met for two hours twice a week. The fall semester course provided a wet lab experience, while students conducted in silico analysis of a bacteriophage genome in the spring semester. The laboratory was taught by two faculty members and a graduate teaching assistant. All 24 students successfully isolated a unique phage, obtained a high titer lysate, and prepared a restriction analysis of the genomic DNA. All 24 students also preregistered to return for the spring semester. Two phage genomes were sequenced over winter break for annotation during the spring semester. The course was successfully implemented as judged by the completion of all major scientific goals by all students. In a freshman level course in which two to four students typically withdraw from each section, a 100% completion rate is a success. Several lessons were learned by the instructors in this implementation. The time period for lab sessions was inadequate for the work expectations, so lab meetings of three hours each are recommended. A dedicated space was also important, since research of this type required students to come in outside of scheduled class time. While the demand on faculty time is higher than for the typical lab, the course directors found the level of engagement with the students to be highly rewarding. Overall, the NGRI implementation was successful in the large public university setting.

24-C A Project-driven Laboratory Course in Microbiology

L.T. Isaacs. Goucher College, Baltimore, MD.

The hypothesis is that this hands-on, project-driven laboratory course in microbiology enhanced student interest and learning in microbiology. Sample sizes ranged from 10–13 students. Each class served as it own control in terms of learning through comparisons of scores in pre-tests and in the final exams. Further proof comes primarily from post-graduation qualitative feedback that is difficult to quantify. Samples of such feedback will be provided in the poster along with contact information for verification from former students who have agreed to the release of the information. In addition, most activities generated positive feedback in end-of-semester college-administered perception evaluations indicating that the course helped enhance interest and understanding. The overall mean for the pretest is 51.94 (SD = 23.89). The overall mean for the same class after the course was 87.78 with SD = 4.68. The sample size for this assessment is 10. Students learn techniques, contents, and research methods in an introductory laboratory course in microbiology by participating in various projects. In addition to the identification of “unknowns” through culture-based phenotypic characterizations, students chose from a variety of projects for investigation. Choices included: (1) investigation of the human vaginal microbiome through Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) and 16s rRNA gene clone library analyses; (2) antimicrobial properties of plant and animal extracts, (3) hydrocarbon utilization of pond isolates, (4) Western blot analyses of reversion from lac- to lac+ in E. coli, and (5) construction of phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene analyses. Assessment of laboratory work and reports indicate that students learn techniques, and learn to analyze and synthesize their work through these activities and through the writing and rewriting of laboratory reports. When laboratory reports were not required, student performance in test questions is not as good as in test questions involving projects with required laboratory reports. The mean class performance for three test questions where all students had a write-up was 85.26 (STDEV = 13.49). The mean performance for a test question (e.g. project 2) where only some students wrote a report while others did not is 62.79 (STDEV = 28.72). In that class, students who wrote a report on project 2 earned a mean test question performance of 91.11 (STDEV = 9.43) versus a mean of 56.67 (STDEV = 23.78) from students who did not write a laboratory report. The sample size for this specific assessment is 13. The instructor discusses different approaches to enhance student learning without involving formal laboratory reports. Some students found project 4 on the above list confusing. The instructor discusses ways by which project 4 might be improved to lessen confusion. Although most students learned from the construction of phylogenetic trees (project 5), most students did not find the activity interesting. For five students, who learned to construct phylogenetic trees based on an actual research project, the construction of phylogenetic trees was more interesting. None of the five students stated that the project was boring, repetitive, or tedious. Some projects have resulted in year-long research projects and in student presentations at regional or national meetings. Sample students papers and feedback are provided.

25-A Undergraduate Research Projects on Metagenomic Analysis of Environmental Bacteria

R.H. Kuddus, J. Kirsi and J.D. Holmes. Utah Valley University, Orem, UT.

Independent research experience is a valuable asset for undergraduate students seeking employment and graduate or professional training. Time is a major constraint in facilitating a substantial undergraduate research experience. We wanted to determine if a short and highly defined research project would confer confidence to students. By confidence we mean that students could understand the research goal, do experiments free of supervision, respond to changing situations, and interpret/summarize/present data. Research activities involved metagenomic analysis of environmental bacteria (extraction of DNA from environmental samples; PCR-amplification of rRNA genes; cloning, sequencing, and BLAST analysis of the DNA sequences; and interpretation and presentation of the data). These activities were to be completed in one semester. Learning outcomes were assessed by the degree of effort, completeness of laboratory notebooks, ability to perform laboratory experiments independently, and effective presentation of the data before an audience. Four groups of students (3, 2, 2, and 1 students/group) undertook the research project. The students had completed biology or microbiology laboratory courses but none had any prior molecular biology research experience. The group of three students completed the research, identified approximately a dozen tentative bacterial species, and presented the data at a regional conference. The first group of two students completed the cloning. The second group of two students is currently working on and projected to complete at least the sequencing. The final group of one student completed the DNA extraction and PCR-amplification but then switched to culture-based identification of the bacteria. Each student was able to perform the experiments independently and their performance was comparable to six individual researchers who worked on open-ended research projects for two to three semesters. Selected sets of actual data will be presented. Undergraduate researchers in small groups can complete highly defined projects in one semester and gain confidence in performing experiments independently as efficiently as historical controls (students who worked on open-ended research projects for two to three semesters).

26-B Integrating Plant-Microbe Interactions in the Biology Curriculum: Utilizing the Sinorhizobium-Medicago Model to Introduce Undergraduates to Different Aspects of Symbiosis

B.M. Martinez-Vaz1, M.J. Sadowsky2, N.D. Young2 and P. Tiffin2. 1Hamline University, Saint Paul, MN and 2University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN.

Rhizobia are known for their ability to establish symbiotic relationships with different legumes. This symbiosis leads to large amounts of biological nitrogen fixation worldwide, providing a major source of organic fertilizer for agriculture. The aim of this project was to use the Sinorhizobium-Medicago association to integrate different aspects of symbiosis into several biology courses. As part of this effort, a laboratory activity on symbiosis was designed and implemented in an introductory cell biology course. The association between rhizobia and legumes is a modern example of endosymbiosis. We hypothesized that observing the processes leading to the establishment of the Sinorhizobium-Medicago symbiosis will improve student’s knowledge of modern laboratory techniques and important cell biology concepts such as the endosymbiotic theory, cellular structure, organelle function and cell signaling. During the first part of the lab exercise, students inoculated and planted M. truncatula seedlings to observe nodulation. GFP-tagged Sinorhizobium strains and fluorescence microscopy were used to observe the root infection process. In addition, students used several staining techniques to observe and compare M. truncatula plant cells, Sinorhizobium bacteria and bacteriods living inside root nodules. Following this, a secondary summer research component was created to enhance student knowledge of modern lab techniques and their application to the study of symbiosis between Sinorhizobium and M. truncatula. Assessment of the lab exercise was conducted by administering pre- and post-tests. Results of the pre- and post-tests showed student’s scores improved from 65% to 85% after the completion of laboratory activity; a paired T-test showed these data were significant with a p value < 0.001. Assessment of the summer research experience was conducted through a poster presentation, using a rubric to score the participants (scale 1–5, N=5). The results indicated that 100% of the participants could prepare a poster describing the results of their project and the application of modern lab techniques to the study of symbiosis.

27-C The Effect of Hands-on Experience with Microbial Identification Technologies on Student Understanding of these Methodologies

J.D. Newman. Lycoming College, Williamsport PA.

For several years, as part of our environmental unknown microbe identification laboratory exercise, the lab report instructions have included the following prompt in the background section: “What are the different ways that one can identify microbes (e.g. API tests, Biolog, MIDI/FAME, 16S rRNA)? What is the relative value of each, advantages, disadvantages. (you will need to research this!!).” Recent grant funding has allowed us to purchase Biolog and MIDI/FAME instruments, and these technologies have been incorporated into our Spring 2010 Microbiology (Bio321W) course being taken by 26 mostly sophomore and junior-level students. It is hypothesized that hands-on experience with these techniques will improve student understanding and ability to effectively describe the techniques in their lab reports. This improvement will be measured using a detailed rubric to score the level of understanding demonstrated in student lab reports and comparing scores from 2009 (before incorporation) and 2010 (after incorporation). The description of API tests will serve as a negative control, because we still do not use these tests. The description of 16S rRNA sequencing, which was used in both years, will serve as a positive control. The description of Biolog and MIDI/FAME are experimental. It is expected that there will be a significant increase in the quality of the technique descriptions and the number of related concepts that are articulated in the lab reports.

28-A Assessing Higher-order Scientific Process Skills in a Research-oriented Laboratory Course

E.R. Sanders-Lorenz, J.H. Miller, M. Levis-Fitzgerald, M. Ko, D. Pires, and W. Yan. University of California – Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA.

We developed a laboratory course in which students explore microbial diversity within environmental samples. We hypothesized that the curriculum would develop skills critical to a student’s competence as a research scientist. We compared the effectiveness of a guided-inquiry format (lab A) to that of a traditional ‘cookbook’ class (lab B). Students in lab B, the control group, perform techniques one time, while students in lab A perform the same techniques multiple times. We expected repetition would enable lab A students to achieve greater perceived technical competence. To test this hypothesis, repeated measures one-way ANOVA tests (alpha = 0.05) were conducted on several variables from pre- and post-surveys administered to both courses. Results from the ANOVA tests revealed that there was a significant difference with variables related to a subset of laboratory skills over the duration of the course. We report the difference between mean scores of the post- and pre-surveys for lab A (mdA) and lab B (mdB). For example, students in both labs had perceived changes in competence over time with skills such as PCR (mdA = 1.24; mdB = 1.27; p = 0.000 ), DNA purification (mdA = 1.04; mdB = 1.18; p = 0.000 ), hypothesis development (mdA = 0.51; mdB = 0.36; p = 0.000 ), and ability to critically read journal articles (mdA = 0.41; mdB = 0.15; p = 0.002 ). Even in cases where students reported similar gains in both labs, the average proficiency in lab tasks shows students progress from novice to intermediate skill level in lab B and from intermediate to very proficient in lab A. To expand this initial study and evaluate gains in conceptual knowledge and research-oriented cognitive skills, we conducted a rubric-guided evaluation of written assignments. Learning outcomes were categorized according to Bloom’s Taxonomy, and student efforts were scored for accuracy and completeness. Together with the survey data, results indicate the research-based course experience promotes the development of higher-order research skills including procedural competence, creating and testing hypotheses, and analyzing results.

29-B The Ciliate Genomics Consortium: Immediate Undergraduate Contributions to a Community-based Genome Annotation Project

E.A. Wiley. Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA.

Use of inquiry-based exercises in biology teaching labs has increased in recent years, largely in response to national recommendations that students more directly engage the scientific research process. Here, we have extended the idea of inquiry-based labs to include immediate dissemination of relevant, original, student-generated results to an interested community of scientists. We tested whether the direct contribution of student results to a larger community project would improve student confidence and motivation toward further research opportunities. This initiative required: 1) a set of research-based labs with potential to yield results of interest and use to a specific scientific group, and 2) a means for disseminating student-generated results. For lab modules, we capitalized on the need for functional annotation of the recently sequenced Tetrahymena thermophila genome. For dissemination, we developed an interactive database/website (tet.jsd.claremont.edu) for presentation of student results that links to the Tetrahymena Genome Database. The resulting research-based learning community of undergraduate peers, mentors and outside scientists from a variety of institutions (state and private universities, small liberal arts colleges), who collectively contribute to the gene annotation project, is named the Ciliate Genomics Consortium. For any putative gene of interest, research modules performed by faculty and students in the consortium generated new data on protein localization and expression, and improved gene models by experimental confirmation of introns, exons, and 5′/3′ termini. Tracking and survey assessments revealed that for students engaging these research-based modules in a class, the generation of novel results for immediate publication was a powerful motivational tool that enhanced students’ effort on course assignments, interest in learning, confidence as viable contributors in a research community, and motivation to pursue additional research opportunities (28% more likely to engage another research experience within two years of the course compared to a control group).

30-C Individualized Active Learning: Group Research Projects Involving the UV Mutagenesis of Bacteria Designed and Performed by Students and Written as a Mock Peer-reviewed Journal Article

A.H. Williams. University of Tampa, Tampa, FL.

By taking an active role in individual projects, students will improve their understanding of such processes as designing scientific experiments, interpreting results, and preparing a peer-reviewed journal article based on the experiments. Students in an undergraduate microbiology lab/lecture course completed a group project with three components. First, a common time course, penetration, and repair experiment involving UV mutagenesis of bacteria is performed. Second, based on the preliminary results, each group individually drafts a hypothesis, designs their own experimental procedure, discusses the project with the professor, and performs the experiment. Third, the groups will write a peer-reviewed mock journal article based on their hypothesis, results, and conclusions. The students submitted an experimental design proposal which was reviewed by the professor and discussed with the students. In addition, the students peer reviewed their fellow students’ mock journal articles. The scores on the final experimental design and paper (mean = 89%) were significantly higher (p <0.0001 ) than the scores for rough drafts (mean = 69%), indicating an increase in understanding of the processes of developing experimental design and writing journal articles. This was gained through the process of peer review both by the professor and the students. On their online student evaluations of the course, there were two questions on a numbered scale related to class projects and one open ended question on class activities. With regard to the evaluation question “The class activities: did not help at all (1) or helped a great deal (5)”, 59% of the students felt the class project helped their learning a great deal, higher than previous semesters. In response to the open-ended question, students consistently mentioned the UV projects specifically. In conclusion, the students gained understanding of designing, implementing, and presenting research projects, results, and conclusions through active learning. This is evident through their significant improvement on experimental design and written manuscript projects after the peer review process and their responses to evaluation questions.

STUDENT LEARNING

31-A Student Attitudes about Collaborative Exams

K. Archer. Trinity College, Hartford, CT.

Many studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of collaborative learning among small groups of students as they work on in-class questions. Of the questions an instructor can pose, exam questions carry the highest stakes of all, and result in intense student focus during the exam period. I am interested in knowing whether exam questions answered as a team can bring the intensity of exams together with the effectiveness of group discussion to yield improved comprehension. Since students may resist an unfamiliar pedagogy, their acceptance may be critical for its success. Here I report on how students who experience the group exam perceived it. I hypothesized that a majority of students would perceive group exams positively. Students (n= 57) in an introductory biology course were given four exams during the semester. Each exam began with a section that was taken individually. Once completed, the individual exam was handed in and students then worked in small groups on a collaborative exam that included a subset of questions from the individual exam. A single collaborative exam was turned in for each group. The individual exam comprised 80%, and the group exam 20%, of the total exam grade. Student attitudes about the group exam experience were assessed with questions on the course evaluations. Most (60%) agreed with the statement, “Our group discussions during group exams helped me understand at least once concept better.” When invited to write about what they liked and didn’t like about them, most students (33/57) wrote positive responses, the most common was that they “were helpful in understanding the concepts (12/33).” Of the negative responses (25/57), the most frequent was that “they took time away from the individual exam” (8/25). The data suggest that student attitudes were generally favorable and that improved understanding was perceived by at least some students to be an outcome of the method.

32-B Knowledge of Microbiology to Modify Course Content: A Preliminary Study

T.V.I. Akpata and S.A. Abdallah. College of Nursing, Al-Shuwaikh, Kuwait.

Microbiology is a compulsory course for students at the Kuwait College of Nursing, established in November 2002. The course involves theory and practical exercises, taught to male and female students separately. We hypothesized that students' inadequate knowledge reflects deficiency in the curriculum. The objectives of this study were therefore to assess knowledge of microbiology among student nurses in Kuwait and identify aspects of the course deserving more emphasis. An anonymous questionnaire was administered on 233 students at various levels of study in different programs at the College. The questionnaire covered five main areas: general microbiology, epidemiology, infection control, pathogenicity and immunity, as well as three open-ended questions. Knowledge of students was determined by correct responses to the various pre-tested questions. The statistical significance of the differences between the knowledge of students at different levels or programs was determined using ANOVA while t-test was used to compare the responses of male and female students. Results obtained showed no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05 ) in the responses given by students in different programs or at different levels of study. The students scored less than 50% in questions in the various areas of microbiology irrespective of level of study, program or gender. In questions about general microbiology, the higher the level of study, the more correct number of responses but there was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05 ) between levels. In conclusion, nursing students had generally low knowledge of microbiology but appear to improve with level of study. Specific areas in which students had the lowest number of correct responses were immunity and pathogenicity. As a result, there is a need to emphasize aspects of immunity and pathogenicity in the review of the microbiology curriculum.

33-C Linkages Between Metacognition and Cooperative Learning in an Upper-level Biology Course – Baseline Data

J. M. Bader and W. Fox. Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.

This study describes baseline data on the metacognitive status of undergraduate students in an upper level elective biology course (Biol 336 Aquatic Biology). The purpose of this first phase is to collect baseline data to determine if students show gains in metacognitive awareness as part of the normal progression through the course. The course was taught in a manner comparable to previous years with no discussion of metacognition, nor any assignments requiring students to reflect on their learning. If our hypothesis is correct and students do not demonstrate increased levels of metacognition, the next time we offer the course, we will use strategies specifically designed to increase student metacognitive levels. Students completed the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) at the beginning and end of the course. In addition to this self reporting instrument, students ranked how they felt they did on each of three essay questions on each exam during the semester, and those rankings were compared to the grades they earned. Qualitative data were collected periodically during the course as well as a student focus group at the end of the semester. There is no evidence that student metacognition improved as a result of taking the course. The average pre- and post-MAI scores were not significantly different (p > 0.6). There were no significant correlations between MAI scores and final grades (r = .04, p > 0.5), grades on any of the four exams (r1 = .03, p > 0.5; r2 = -.04, p > 0.5; r3 = .08, p > 0.5; r4 = .03, p > 0.5), or total number of college level science courses taken (r = -.12, p > 0.5). Analysis of local monitoring accuracy indicates that students were slightly better predictors of their own performance on the final exam (r = .3977) than they were on the first exam (r = .16), but the differences were not significant (p > 0.1). Although the focus group was small (n = 4), those who did participate held widely varying views on what helped and what hindered their learning, further evidence that students did not engage in any consistent metacognitive activities. Comparative data will not be available until the course is taught again in the fall semester, 2010.

34-A Does Exposure to Bloom’s Levels of Understanding Help Students Develop Higher Order Thinking Skills?

L.K. Etchberger. Utah State University, Uintah Basin Regional Campus, Vernal, UT.

Successful biology students must develop critical thinking skills. Students taking the introductory course for majors at our rural campus are diverse in their study competencies, contributing to a high attrition rate (up to 50%). I assessed whether teaching my students to use Bloom’s levels of understanding would help them develop critical thinking skills and metacognition in an effort to improve learning and retention. To teach Bloom’s levels of cognition, I gave a mini-lecture on the first day of class, lead a class discussion on reasons for achieving higher-order cognitive skills (HOCS; applying, analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing), and distributed the Bloom’s-based Learning Activities for Students (BLASt; Crowe et. al., 2008) as a guide for their studying. After the first exam, students used peer instruction with clickers to label the Bloom’s level of sample exam questions. Bloom’s skill levels for subsequent exam questions were indicated to reinforce student awareness of Bloom’s levels throughout the semester. I assessed student learning using the introductory biology concept assessment (J. Knight, personal communication). Students in my class fell into two distinct groups according to normalized learning gains (< 0.12 and > 0.25, mean = 0.29, Std Dev = 0.22; N = 15). At the end of the course, 80% of the students (N = 15) demonstrated HOCS (novel application or analysis) without prompting when responding to an open-ended question post assessment (60% of low learning gains group, N=5; 90% of high learning gains group, N=10) compared to just 40% in the pre-assessment. Anonymous student assessment of learning gains demonstrated that the Bloom’s activities provided “much” or “great” help in their learning for 67% of respondents (N = 9). These and other data support Bloom’s education as a worthwhile intervention for improving metacognition and critical thinking skills. Unfortunately, attrition remained high with only nine (all in the high learning gains group) of the twenty-two students enrolled continuing in the second semester.

Crowe, A., C. Dirks, and M. P. Wenderoth. (2008). Biology in Bloom: Implementing Bloom's Taxonomy to Enhance Student Learning in Biology. CBE Life Sci Educ. 7:368–381.

35-B Assessment Strategies and Improved Learning in Non-majors Microbiology – A Moving Target Given Soaring Pre-nursing Demands?

S.M. Boomer. Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR.

Since 1997, non-majors microbiology at Western Oregon University has undergone many changes. Initially, this course (then BI218) primarily served Health/Physical Education, which dropped all microbiology requirements by 2007. In 2005, BI218 was upgraded to BI318, fueled by the development of an on-campus nursing program. During my 2008 sabbatical, I redesigned three aspects of this course, largely because students seemed confused by learning all microbe groups at once. First, I changed unit content from that in a typical textbook (concepts followed by diseases) to one driven by taxonomy (separate units for viruses, bacteria, and eukaryotes). Second, I implemented daily active learning exercises, including in-class assignments and pop quizzes. Third, I began formally assessing students via pre/post content, attitudinal, and background surveys. For this study, I hypothesized that 2009–10 cohort exam performance would be higher than 2005–07 cohorts, given the specific implementation of active learning and a taxonomy-driven curriculum. For this presentation, I have compared exam performance data between the 2005–07 cohorts (125 students, 31% pre-nursing) and the 2009–10 cohorts (114 students, 70% pre-nursing). Key findings include an 11% increase in exam performance in 2009 (2010 data are in progress, with the first three exams showing 11–14% increases). I will also present assessment data from the 2009–10 cohorts, including attitudinal perceptions about active learning and pre/post content scores across all units. In terms of the latter, the 2009 cohort improved 48% (2010 data in progress, with the first three exams showing 44% increases). Given that in-depth assessment data were not collected between 2005–07, it is possible that increases were due to the selection of more well-prepared and/or motivated students. Nevertheless, pre-course content performance remains low (overall approximately 30%), suggesting that students come into these courses knowing minimal microbiology. In conclusion, active learning and a taxonomy-driven curriculum improve student learning in non-majors microbiology.

36-C Students of All Learning Styles Report that Knowledge Maps are Beneficial to Learning

R.J. Gerrits. Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, WI.

I have used expert-generated knowledge maps (similar to concept maps but with greater levels of structure and detail) for my physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology students for the past few years. In order to obtain more information related to their usefulness to student learning, I designed a survey to test the hypothesis that they would be beneficial to students of varying learning styles. The survey was administered to thirty-one previous students who had not taken any courses with me for at least one academic quarter. The survey was administered in sections, with the first section asking students to take and report their scores on the VARK exam, the second section asking free response questions such as “what was most beneficial to learning in Dr. Gerrits’ class”, and the third section asking questions focused specifically on knowledge maps. Of the 26 students reporting their VARK scores, 10 showed no learning style preference and the rest showed preferences for V, A, R, and K with the following breakdown: 5, 1, 4 and 6, respectively. Twenty-nine students completed the free-response portion of the survey, with 69% mentioning the knowledge maps as being a class attribute that was most helpful to learning (in comparison 28% of students listed “ability to explain” and 17% listed “learning outcomes”). A Chi-square analysis with William’s correction indicated there was no association between learning style and the mention of knowledge map on free response (p = 0.42 ). When asked specifically about knowledge maps, 100% of respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that they were useful to learning, 94% have referred to them in subsequent courses, and 58% of students reported drawing their own in subsequent courses (drawing their own was also not associated with learning style via William’s corrected Chi-square analysis). These results indicate that students found the knowledge maps useful during the course for which they were designed, as well as in subsequent courses.

37-A Motivational Activities Can Improve College Students’ Learning

H.M.N. Guerreiro. Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

Introduction of motivational activities may improve teacher-student relationship and affect positively on learning. In 2006, inspired by the Wash Up project from ASM, a new project called Wash Your Hands was created for the Introductory Microbiology course. The objective was to stimulate students to actively learn about the main pathogenic bacteria through the challenge of teaching an adapted content of their course at an elementary school level. Students would first attend lectures and laboratory classes on the topics and prepare interesting educational material for elementary school children on basic hygiene processes. They prepared a play as well as educational games, to be presented to grade 2 children from a public elementary school next to their college. Participation in the activity was voluntary and, despite the fact that less than half of the class 34.7% (25/72) joined it, the project had a significant impact on student/professor relationship within the class as a whole. There was also an influence on final grades results. In the previous semester (2005.1), 48 students were enrolled in Microbiology and 13 (27%) failed. In the first semester of 2006, when the project was introduced, 72 students were enrolled, and only 4 (12.1%) failed. In the following semester, the program was discontinued but a different approach to improve student/teacher relationship was used (ice-breaking activities on the first day of classes). From a total of 33 students, only two (6.1%) failed. The Wash Your Hands project was re-introduced in the following semesters as well as other motivational programs. Failures have been now around 5%. These results confirm our hypothesis that motivational projects are an important aspect that affects student/professor relationship positively, making them closer and influencing students’ learning abilities.

38-B Assessing the Impact of Student Response System (SRS) on Pedagogy and Student Learning Outcome in a Cell and Molecular Biology Class

K.F. Hung. Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL.

While the overall benefits of student response systems (SRS) have been reviewed elsewhere (Caldwell 2007, King & Robinson 2009), the specific benefits in each individual implementation should be assessed. In the Cell and Molecular Biology class in Spring 2010, students were asked to use an SRS system to complete in-class quizzes. Students were presented with a small set of questions (four items) as a quiz; each class was quizzed on the major concepts for that lecture twice. First, students will answer the set of four questions at the beginning of class. Then, after the lecture portion pertaining to the topic, each question will be repeated. This generates the pre- and post-lecture scores for these quizzes. Many of these quiz questions will also appear on tests (approximately 30 questions covering four to five lectures). Further, students will be asked to fill out an anonymous survey on their reaction to the use of the SRS in their learning, twice: once early in the semester and once in the end. There are two hypotheses for this experiment: (1) the SRS can measure immediate student learning that results from lecture; (2) using an SRS will improve student learning. To test the first hypothesis, results from the pre- and post-lecture quizzes will be analyzed for increase in correct responses. Analyses of the first six quizzes showed that only 1 out of the 24 quiz questions failed to register direct learning gain (chi-squared test, p < 0.001 ), whereas the other 23 questions showed gain ranging from 44.44% to 227.78%. To assess the second hypothesis, test results from the Fall 2009 semester, where SRS was not implemented, were used for comparison. Analyses of the first two tests showed that the Spring 2010 semester test results were statistically better than the Fall 2009 semester (chi-squared test, p < 0.001 ), with improvement in mean score being 14.95% and 31.89% for test 1 and test 2, respectively. These early results suggest that the SRS can identify gains in student learning and improve student learning. Analyses of selected individual questions, results from student surveys, challenges of implementation and the implications for pedagogical approaches will be presented in the poster.

39-C Team-based Learning in a Large Lecture Course: Effective Even in Small Doses

C.Y. Inouye. California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA.

There is mounting evidence that team-based learning is highly effective in improving comprehension, critical thinking and content retention. However, this evidence comes primarily from studies of relatively small (< 30 students) classes and often involves the wholesale delivery of a course in a student-centered format, requiring a more comprehensive conversion from the lecture format. Thus, I addressed whether a more conservative integration of team-based activities had a significantly positive impact on learning and retention in a relatively large (80 students) lecture course in animal physiology. About once a week in this 10-week course, I selected a topic that students consistently had difficulty understanding (e.g., homeoviscous adaptation) and followed a lecture on the topic with pre-activity questions (administered using clickers), followed by a structured team-based activity that required groups of 3–4 students to discuss answers to a series of “questions for thought” on the topic. The team activity was followed by another set of clicker questions isomorphic to the pre-activity questions. I found a significant increase in the mean percentage of correct answers when comparing pre-activity (41.8%) and post-activity responses (66.6%, paired t-test, p < 0.001 ). Student performance (mean score 63.5%) on the relevant exam questions administered weeks later were similar to post-activity performance. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in student performance when comparing mean performance on relevant exam questions given in the team activity year, 2009 (63.5%), with the previous year (2008) when no team activities were done (37.6%, unpaired t-test, p < 0.001 ). Comparisons of the effectiveness of think-pair-share activities versus more structured team-based learning activities will also be discussed. The results suggest that even sporadic use of team-based learning activities is effective in increasing understanding of particularly difficult concepts and, more importantly, in content retention.

40-A The Effects of In-class Concept Questions on Learning and Retention in Genetics

J.K. Knight and M.K. Smith. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.

Several studies have shown that asking in-class concept questions using clickers improves student understanding in the classroom. But does this process have longer-term affects on student understanding? We addressed this question in an introductory non-majors human genetics course by asking series of questions that test understanding of the same concept, and are of similar difficulty, but have different story lines. Two questions were asked sequentially in a class period (Q1 and Q2), and a third question (Q3) was asked in class 2–5 days later. Students voted individually on Q1, discussed the question and voted again (Q1ad). The instructor then explained the answer to Q1. Next, students voted individually on Q2, which was also followed by instructor explanation. At the beginning of the next class period, students answered Q3 individually. Sixteen such question series were asked, and the data analyzed by evaluating individual student performance on each series. The data show two interesting trends. The first is that instructor explanation in between Q1 and Q2 ensured the same success rate for students on Q2 (72%), regardless of their initial performance on Q1 or Q1ad. This suggests that students are able to remember and apply what they learn in class on a short-term basis. The second trend is that retention of a concept appears linked to the ability to answer Q2 correctly. Even though all students were given an explanation for both Q1 and Q2 in the classroom before moving on to the next concept, the chance of correctly answering Q3 was much higher for those who answered Q2 correctly (68%) compared to those who did not (46%). Thus, students are unlikely to retain concepts even to the next class period unless they can correctly answer questions before they leave that day. We are also investigating whether success on in-class concept questions predicts success on similar questions on exams, as well as whether students recognize the value of such questions for their learning.

41-B The Use of Current Events as an Assessment Tool in an Allied Health Microbiology Course

A.B. Miller. University of Cincinnati, Raymond Walters College, Cincinnati, OH.

Most students taking Microbiology 281 at Raymond Walters College are required to take the course as part of their allied health programs. An important student learning outcome of the course is the ability to apply the information attained to “real-life” situations. Newspaper articles covering course-related material provide an avenue for students to see how the material discussed in the course relates to life outside of the course. Assessment of students’ understanding of the articles provides an opportunity to measure how well students are able to apply information to situations outside of traditional coursework. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether students improved in their ability to understand a subject-related newspaper article by the end of the course compared to their ability at the beginning. Additionally, data was collected on the students’ perceptions of both the exercise and their own abilities. This study involved approximately 57 students enrolled in microbiology during the winter and spring quarters of 2009. The study included administering a pre- (first week of class) and post- (last week of class) current event news article assessment. In both cases, the students were given the same news article to read during class and then given a worksheet including both factual and application style questions related to the information in the article. The article chosen for the assessment related to many important course concepts including pathogens, virulence, and antibiotic use/misuse. Analysis of the data showed that the average correct responses on the factual questions improved from 41% on the pre- assessment to 77% on the post-assessment. Average correct responses on the application questions improved from 14% to 63%. The improvement in scores from pre- to post-assessment was significant (p < .001 ). There was a significant interaction effect in that student performance on application questions improved more than performance on factual questions (p = .002 ). Analysis of student responses to survey question and open-ended comments showed that students valued current event assignments.

42-C Microbiology Education Through Biography Writing

D. Ningthoujam. Manipur University, Canchipur, Imphal, India.

Scientific biography can be an effective tool for the communication of science. It also may help reinforce the affective domain of the learners, besides the cognitive domain, by placing the scientific discoveries in the human and social context. Reading and writing of biographies of scientists will help ‘humanize’ science and enrich the learners’ intimate engagements with the people behind the science. In this study, therefore, students’ understanding of microbiology was promoted and evaluated through their biographical write-ups on a major microbiological discovery. The target students were MSc 1st Semester students of the Department of Biochemistry, Manipur University, India. The topic “How agar was discovered?” was assigned. After a brief introduction to the topic, pre-test write-ups of the students were evaluated. Only two (13.33%) students could correctly write some aspects of the discovery (n = 15). Eight (53.33%) could not write anything substantial about this discovery, whereas the remaining five (33.33%) could give only a sketchy picture of the event. The best two writings were discussed in detail in the classroom and hints for exploring the subject and improving the write-ups were given. All the students were then asked to undergo post-test sessions and their write-ups were again examined and evaluated. Eight (53.3%) students could now give a good account of the discovery. Five (33.33%) of them showed a fair understanding of the event as reflected in their reports, whereas two students submitted poor write-ups though they could now at least mention some aspects of this major microbiological discovery. There was a significant increase in the number of students (from 2 to 8, out of total 15 students) who could understand the implications of this important microbiological milestone. This project was later expanded to cover two pioneers of immunology, Emil von Behring (humoral theory) and Ilya Metchinokov (cellular theory), which reinforced learners’ enthusiasm and deepened their understanding of major themes in microbiology. This study proved that significant improvements in students’ grasp of major microbiological landmarks can be gained through biographical write-up assignments.

43-A Microbiology Education Through Concept Maps

D. Ningthoujam. Manipur University, Canchipur, Imphal, India.

Students’ understanding of science can be enhanced through construction, evaluation and revision of concept maps. Concept maps help build up connections, relations and hierarchies of concepts and promote deeper learning by assimilating new concepts into learner’s existing conceptual frameworks. This project, therefore, explored if students’ learning of microbiological themes can be effectively promoted through analysis, evaluation and revision of student-generated concept maps on a major microbiological topic. The target students were MSc 1st Semester students of the Department of Biochemistry, Manipur University, India. The topic “microbial fermentations” was assigned. After a brief introduction to the topic, pre-test write-ups of the students were evaluated. Only four (26.66%) students could prepare a preliminary concept map on the assigned theme (n = 15). Eight (53.33%) were not familiar with concept maps at all, and the rest (20%) could only submit sketchy concept maps. Possibly this is due to their lack of exposure to the significance of concept maps even though they have been widely published as learning aids in several science education journals. The best four maps were discussed in detail in the classroom and suggestions for deeper exploration of concept maps along with example concept maps and improvement of their final maps were given. All the students were then asked to undergo post-test sessions and the final maps submitted were again examined and evaluated. Ten (66.66%) students could now submit understandable concept maps, though many of them were still of average quality. Three (20%) showed a fair understanding of concept maps even though they were still sketchy, whereas two students (13.33%) submitted poor maps though they could now, at least, understand some aspects of the usefulness of concept maps as tools to help ‘construct their own knowledge’. There was a significant increase (40%) in the number of students who could draw proper concept maps on microbial fermentations. It must be noted that the assigned topic is vast and rich in concepts and several students found it difficult to make all the relevant connections. This study, however, proved that significant enhancements in students’ understanding of complex microbiological themes can be achieved through concept maps.

44-B On-line Quizzes: Feedback Facilitates Feedforward

C.J. Power. University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Over the last 10 years, 10% of students in a second year microbiology class of 250–350 students have obtained a final mark between 45 and 49 out of a total of 100, with 50 being the mark needed to obtain a pass. These students were subsequently given an additional one-hour test. If they passed the test their mark was adjusted to 50; if not, their mark remained as it was. This test provided a safety net, and compensated in some way for the variation and inaccuracy that is part and parcel of every exam. But maybe there was a better way of helping students to get over the line? Perhaps there was a way to encourage these students to regularly revise their work and possibly remove the need for additional tests? Perhaps this would also give valuable feedback to all the students, not just those with borderline marks? In previous e-mail surveys, students had rated running weekly small group tutorials, having on-line quizzes and providing multiple old exam papers as equally effective ways of providing feedback. The hypothesis was that the introduction of weekly on-line quizzes would reduce the number of students failing by the narrow margin of 1–5 marks, by encouraging timely revision of all sections of the course and be of general benefit to others. Every week during semester a quiz was loaded on the Learning Management system and students were given a two-hour time period over seven days to attempt the questions. The following week the answers, with explanations, were provided along with another batch of questions. It was hoped that this delayed response would provide another opportunity for revision and reinforcement. If students answered 50% or more of the questions in the weekly quiz correctly, they were awarded one mark, to a maximum of 10, towards their final score in the subject. So what was the outcome? There was a 50% reduction in the number of students finishing up with a mark between 45 and 49 without significant grade inflation. A class e-mail survey on feedback that asked for comments on the quizzes drew positive comments from over the half of the class who responded (a total of 100 responses). A recurring response was that the quizzes were very helpful and useful for students to gauge their progress and level of understanding. However, some students were critical of the delayed feedback, the strict time allotment and the pass/fail nature of the exercise. Further refinements of the quizzes will address these issues.

45-C Does Your Teaching Encourage Deep or Superficial Learning?

M.P. Wenderoth. University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

What determines if students use a deep or superficial approach to learning? Is the study approach a student uses an innate quality of the student or a consequence of the learning environment of the classroom, and does it vary by academic year of the student? The Revised Study Process Questionnaire (RSPQ) asks students questions about how they study for a course and assesses whether a student uses deep or superficial learning strategies. The RSPQ produces two scores (deep and superficial) with a maximum of 50 for each. Students in ten different biology courses (100–400 level) took the RSPQ at the end of winter quarter. For each course the deep score (31.6 ± 1.7) was significantly greater (p < 0.05 ) than the superficial score (25.5 ± 0.9). However, when comparing scores across courses, there was not a significant difference between superficial scores for each class and only one 400 level had a significantly greater deep score (34.8 + 3.2) compared to the others. As the deep and superficial scores were so uniform across academic levels, I wanted to determine if the observed scores represented an innate and stable characteristic of biology majors. Therefore, I had a class of senior biology majors take the RSPQ twice. First they were to answer with respect to a class they liked and the second time they answered with respect to a class they did not like. In both cases, the student was asked to identify the department but not the course they were thinking about and give a few reasons for their selection. The class they liked produced significantly different deep and superficial scores (34.3 ± 5.7 vs. 24.4 ± 6.1, p < 0.001 ). The class they disliked not only showed a significant difference between deep and superficial scores (22.7 ± 6.4 vs. 34.3 ± 7.8, p < 0.001) but the scores flipped, with deep getting a low score and superficial getting the high score. A comparison of deep and superficial scores between the courses they liked and disliked showed a significant difference (p < 0.001 ). These results indicate that student’s learning strategies are fluid, not innate, and are influenced by course characteristics. The majority of courses cited by students as ones they did not like shared the following characteristics: heavy workloads, excessive amounts of course material, lack of opportunity to pursue subjects in depth, and high stress tests.

TEACHING APPROACHES

46-A Traditional Teaching Method: New Strategy to Increase Students Comprehension of Immunology Concepts

N.H. Ali1,2 and A. Farooqui2. 1Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi-Pakistan and 2University of Karachi, Karachi-Pakistan.

Curriculum of teaching in Pakistan consists of traditional knowledge-based lectures and tutorials; in the latter, direct recall questions are asked. Immunology is taught in the 2nd year of a Bachelors of Dentistry and Surgery (BDS) study, a four-year program. Most of the students prefer to memorize definitions and facts, routinely skipping classes since they view it as least applicable to their career as dentist. In the year 2008, only 40% of the students managed to secure more than a 50% mark on the examination. In an effort to stimulate the students’ interest, in the year 2009 a modified teaching approach - based on both active and passive learning – was adopted. Moreover, extensive use of multimedia and the Internet was avoided. The hypothesis was: to impart a thorough understanding and application of Immunology, both active and passive participation of individual student is mandatory. To test our hypothesis, a written assignment consisting of seven questions related to factual recall and five based on clinical/diagnostics/prophylactic application of the topic was to be submitted by each student on the third day after each lecture (three lectures a fortnight). In the beginning of the tutorial class (once a fortnight) answers of the assignments were discussed, confusion was resolved but lecture was not repeated. Then students in the tutorial class were separated into three groups and slides of figures or pictures related to the topic were shown. Students were given a chance to discuss them among their group members and explain their views to class. Finally case studies were discussed with whole tutorial group. The outcome of the study was that the students took a keen interest in Immunology. Written assignment and activities in the tutorial class enhanced their ability to comprehend the basic concepts; in the relaxed atmosphere students felt at ease to commute about the topic with the class. As compared to years 2007 and 2008, we noticed uniform attendance in both sessions and on the 2009 examination, 65% of student got ≥ 60% in Immunology while 15% of the students secured ≥ 80%.

47-B Using a Case-based, Cooperative Learning Approach for Undergraduate Medical Microbiology Practical Classes

A.M. Ciraj. Manipal University, Karnataka State, India.

There was a strongly felt need for strategies that help students inculcate the habits of respectful attention, intellectual flexibility and cooperation during undergraduate microbiology practical classes. Keeping these objectives in mind, a case-based, cooperative learning approach was adapted. It was hypothesized that students, if exposed to a case-based and cooperative strategy, would learn transfer knowledge to realistic situations and perform better during examinations. Students were assigned to eight cooperative learning groups of six members each. Cases that featured the most important infectious diseases were included along with supporting information such as clinical signs, symptoms and results of laboratory investigations. Within their groups, students discussed the cases and tried to reach a diagnosis with the help of the data provided. After this process, groups were randomly allocated, one case each for presentation to the whole class. Student and faculty perceptions on this approach were recorded using a questionnaire. A comparison of the student scores was carried out using student’s t-test. Of the 127 students who participated in this study, 74.01% felt that the case-based approach provided them with valuable clinical insights. While 79.5% of them found this strategy ensured active involvement of group members, 87.4% agreed this methodology had enhanced their understanding of microbiology subject matter. Faculty rated the process to be effective in stimulating student interest (85.8%) and in the retention of relevant microbiology knowledge (80.3%). Student batches with case-based, collaborative approach performed better in examinations (76.59 ± 10.74) when compared to batches that underwent practical classes in the conventional manner (62.28 ± 11.72) as evidenced by a significant increase in scores (p < 0.05 ). Case-based and cooperative learning approaches help students brainstorm solutions in a team. They not only enhance the retention of factual knowledge in microbiology, but also help in the advancement of generic skills and enhanced performance in examinations.

48-C Preliminary Results of Partial Scientific Teaching Use (Frequent Formative Quizzes and Mini-lectures Alternating With Group Discussions) on Student Learning Outcomes in an Undergraduate General Microbiology Course

J.P. Caruso. Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton FL.

General Microbiology, a junior majors course at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), routinely had excessive non-credit grades (~23% ≤ D+). This study’s hypothesis was that changing classes from lectures to active learning would affect student learning outcomes. In Fall 2008 (F08), the FAU-Boca class was changed from traditional lectures to partial Scientific Teaching (mini-lectures alternating with group discussions of questions) with frequent iClicker® formative quizzes (summative iClicker quizzes were already in use). The only changes were in teaching style and adding formative quizzes; identical grading rubrics were kept. Grade distributions were compared to the prior four semesters of traditional lecture classes. General Microbiology also began using Anchor Questions (≥ 10% of exam questions) in F08 to assess student (1) declarative and (2) analytical/problem-solving learning. FAU-Boca Anchor Question results were compared to FAU-Davie traditional lecture classes; both were from the same student pool, used the same text/test bank and shared most Anchor Questions. Compared to traditional lecture classes, F08 had improved grade distributions (p = 0.021, Kruskal-Wallis ) and the failure rate was nearly 25% lower. The metabolism exam and genetics exam means were the highest ever in these areas. The Spring 2009 (S09) genetics exam mean exceeded the F08 mean and the final exam had the highest mean ever. In Fall 2009 (F09), the metabolism exam mean topped F08 and the failure rate was reduced ~50% from traditional lecture means. Both 2009 classes had improved grade distributions; F09 was significantly better than traditional lectures (p = 0.045 ). In traditional lectures, the % correct on Anchor Question outcomes 1 and 2 were 69.3 and 67.7 (F08) and 71.1 and 62.7 (S09). At FAU-Boca, the % correct on Anchor Question outcomes 1 and 2 were 80.0 and 66.5 (F08) and 75.07 and 64.96 (S09). Improved grade distributions, Anchor Question declarative learning and reduced non-credit grades in partial Scientific Teaching classes suggests they’re more effective than traditional lecture FAU classes.

49-A Aligning an Instructional Approach to Support a Learning Goal: Integrating Lectures and Assignments to Reinforce the Integrative Nature of Cell Signaling

K.A. Curto. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.

When I relied on textbook explanations of cell signaling as a progression from ligand to effector, my freshman biology students perceived signaling as a single linear mechanism. To foster the appreciation that signals integrate to modulate cell function, I revised my instruction and assignments with an interactive "pattern" in mind. On day 1 of the semester, I evaluated students' (N = 25) prior understanding of cell signaling. Their choice of analogy: baseball diamond (7), tree (5), racetrack (4), straight pathway (2), or none (7) showed mixed perceptions of signaling as sequential, circular or integrative. Eighty-four percent rated their understanding of signaling as "fair" or "lacking." The average score from 12 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on signaling terms was 2.60 (± 1.35). In week 5, I lectured on cell signaling emphasizing interactions among signaling modules (cross talk) as a realistic model. I assigned a review article on signaling interactions and "what-if-this-changed questions" based on the article's described interactions. A "near-peer" graduate student talked about her C. elegans signaling research using a home plumbing analogy to clarify cross talk results. A handout on concept map construction with examples supported their diagrammatic solutions of a hypertension drug treatment problem. The article with its questions and their diagrams were a basis for recitation discussion. At the end of the course (week 15), analogy choices more indicative of networks appeared: tree (10), baseball diamond (4), pathway (2), while 8 described their own analogy using terms such as "web, crisscrossing, net, intersect and crosstalk." Sixty-four percent of students now rated their knowledge of signaling as excellent or good (32% as fair). The MCQs score rose to a mean of 9.44 (± 1.47), a significant improvement (paired-sample t-test p < 0.001 ). Student recall of signaling terminology and an appreciation of its network-like character improved following multiple lecture messages, reading with application type questions on interactions, and a problem solving assignment whose solution mimicked the learning concept diagrammatically.

50-B Students Can Contribute to Format Their Own Lecture

O. Diagne. Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles, Dakar, Sénégal.

Improving student learning does not necessarily imply that we should use sophisticated techniques. Classic methods and tools of teaching microbiology are already available in Sénégal, but I have introduced more practice and more interactive discussions between me and my students at the university. The method used is a “Questions-Answers” format. It is based on a series of simple questions concerning the student’s life style. The technique is presented here with special emphasis on food microbiology. In this area, I ask the students questions like: What did you have for lunch yesterday? How did you cook your lunch? Have you ever been sick because of the food you have eaten? Why do you think you got sick - because the food was not heated enough? What exactly makes you sick? What is microbe? What kind of microbes can you find in your food? Are all microbes bad? Once collected, the good answers serve to complete the lesson of the day that I have prepared. This approach is expected to enable students to understand quickly and better the course before leaving the classroom. It can also stimulate their capability of reporting their knowledge on microbiology using their own words. From their participation and their answers, I can determine those students who would have good marks in the next test or exam. At the same time, students can gauge the progress they make in comparison with their classmates. The assessment is made every year. In 2009 all the students scored 50% or higher in the test and 51% obtained the same score in the final exam at level 1 which corresponds to one year after High School Diploma. The same score were obtained by 88% and 60% of the students, respectively, in the test and in the exam at level 2 (two years after High School Diploma). These scores are good compared to the results obtained in the same field at the other national universities. Some students were so motivated by this learning process that they showed increased interest in participating actively in the course and intended to make career in microbiology. Although the methodology has been designed for a course in microbiology, it can be applied to several areas of study, especially in the biosciences.

51-C The ‘Sci-Fi Microbe’ Discovered at ‘General Hospital’: Using Creative Writing as Teaching Tool in Microbiology Courses

A. Dolberry. Salem State College, Salem, MA.

Creative writing exercises were used during a 14-week semester to reinforce the following topics in microbiology: microbial structures and metabolism ('Sci-Fi Microbe') and microbial pathogenesis ('General Hospital'). I hypothesized that students have a better appreciation of how they are learning topics in microbiology when they are able to blend creative writing with foundational information presented in the course. In this study, 55 students in microbiology completed a pre-assignment survey, where they rated their past experiences with writing assignments in science and non-science courses. Creative writing projects were initiated while related information was concurrently introduced in lecture: microbial structures and metabolism (for ‘Sci-Fi Microbe’) and antimicrobial drugs and pathogenesis (for ‘General Hospital’). After the conclusion of each writing assignment, students completed a post-assignment survey to determine how creative writing compared to other types of writing and presentation activities in other science courses. Pre-assignment surveys indicated that 74% and 60% of students ranked writing term papers and lab reports as least preferred or slightly preferred, respectively. However, 96% of students indicated in the post-assignment survey that they were receptive to using creative writing (prefer to strongly prefer) as a new way to learn topics in their microbiology course. Of the total student participants, 68% indicated in the post-assignment survey that they preferred the creative writing assignments compared to writing lab reports and term papers. Future work on this project will include evaluating student learning of information from creative writing projects in a microbiology course.

52-A Use of Extensive Group Work to Improve Student Learning in Introductory Biology

M.A. Gazdik. Ferrum College, Ferrum, VA.

The goal of this study was to determine if using hands-on group activities could increase student learning in introductory biology. Inquiry-based and active learning approaches require students to use critical thinking skills while engaging them in the learning process. We hypothesize that incorporating such approaches into lecture will foster increased student understanding compared to traditional lecture courses. This study compared the student success of two introductory biology courses, one of which (C) was taught utilizing an active learning approach while the other (D) was taught using the standard lecture format. Both courses were taught by the same professor and had approximately 25 students with an equal mix of science and non-science majors. Students in each course scored equivalently (course C 54%, course D 55% average) on the course pre-test.

Students in course C were required to read the material before class to be prepared to participate in class activities. Each lecture incorporated various active-learning strategies ranging from case studies to class debates to information-based worksheets, depending on which activity best fit each subject. Course D was taught using standard lecture format with PowerPoint presentations. Both classes were given the same exams and student scores between all exams and the cumulative final were compared to determine student success. While based on only a single semester, students in the active-learning course were more successful (74% receiving an A, B, or C as a final grade) compared to those in the traditional course (48%). Exam averages in course C were 74, 61, 63, 74 on exams 1, 2, 3, and the final, respectively, with an overall average of 73, while exam averages in course D were 68, 54, 52, and 65, with an overall average of 60. The only statistical difference was found in the overall average score (p = 0.02 ) likely due to sample size. Additionally, students were more apt to come to class in course C (85 total absences) compared to students in course D (138 total absences). Based on these results, we conclude that student learning was increased by the incorporation of active learning techniques in the classroom.

53-B Use of Small Group Studies with the Teacher as “A Guide on the Side” for Deep Learning Approach: A Case Study on Microbial Physiology and Metabolism

U.O. George-Okafor. Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Agbani, Nigeria.

Prior to 2006, lecture-based method was employed for the teaching of Microbial Physiology and Metabolism which students found difficult to learn. Thus, they memorized to reproduce the content only for examination and this resulted to their low performance on the course. Worried by the students’ low performance in this course, I believed that developing small group study approach (with the teacher “as a guide on the side”) would motivate them to develop self-study skills for a better understanding of the course and its application in practice. The contents of the course were shared one month in advance among the five-to-seven-membered groups for library and Internet search (out-of-class activity). The teacher directed them on the materials that enabled them source for proper information. Each group prepared the topic, discussed and presented with either a poster or model that mimics real-life situation of the content under discussion. For example, the group that discussed protein biosynthesis, modeled ‘formation of Initiation Complex’. The groups’ discussions resulted in quality arguments that generated cogent questions which were mostly provided by the students. However, the teacher provided information on difficult concepts that were not properly covered. The students’ learning approach was evaluated after each topic and at the end of the study by subjecting them to both oral and written tests which at times involved students developing questions from their topics. The results obtained from the new learning approach were compared with the best result from the lecture-based format. The students’ overall performance, which improved by 8.8% in 2006, 6.4% in 2007, 10.1% in 2008 and 15.8% in 2009, was statistically significant (p < 0.05 ). Their communication skills through oral testing also improved. Thus, the above results have strongly shown the impact of small group work in developing self-study skills in students which enhances deep learning approach that leads to good learning outcomes.

54-C Students Perceive Benefits of In-class Writing Assignments in an Introductory Non-majors Microbiology Course

B. Govindan. San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA.

In an introductory non-majors microbiology class, students are often unprepared for applying their content knowledge to new situations. In this study, in-class writing assignments including case studies, concept maps and thought questions were given to students throughout the semester. The assignments were peer-graded and discussed with instructor guidance. The aim of these activities was to give students practice in knowledge application and to increase students’ metacognition. Implementation of these activities was hypothesized to positively affect student learning outcomes and study habits. In addition to four exams consisting equally of multiple-choice and short essay questions, students completed pre- and post-course surveys and wrote a reflective essay about the impact of the activities on their learning and study habits. Results showed that, while the mean exam scores for the class remained constant throughout the semester, 50% of the class (n = 160) demonstrated gains in the essay portion of the exams between the first and second half of the semester. Further analysis demonstrated that 75% of students in the top quarter of the class had gains in their short essay performance, compared to 53% of students in the second quarter, 40% in the third quarter and 33% in the bottom quarter of the class. Though the same proportion of students (25%) in the top and bottom quarter of the class reported that in-class writing made them more aware of their knowledge gaps, more students (50%) in the top quarter compared to the bottom quarter (7%) stated that the assignments made them review class material more frequently. Post-course reflective essays were analyzed and comments (n = 246) were divided into positive (82%) and negative (18%) categories. A majority (72%) of the class felt that “in-class writing assignments were helpful for my learning”. Students perceived the main benefits of in-class writing to be “an opportunity for critical thinking and applying what we already know” and “a useful checkpoint that forces me to review more often”. Thus, in-class writing activities may aid both metacognitive and critical thinking skills.

55-A The Use of Daily Quizzes in an Introductory General Biology Course for Majors

W.H. Grillo and G.P. Hollowell. North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC.

One of the most difficult teaching challenges, especially in introductory science courses, is encouraging students to study on a regular basis. There is an expectation in higher education that students should study one to two hours each day for each hour in class. Even though students acknowledge this expectation, many do not put this into practice. There are many assumptions as to why students do not continuously study: jobs, extra-curricular activities, and lack of motivation. In regard to this problem, an obvious question a professor can ask is, “How can I encourage students to study on a continual basis?” The faculty in the present study investigated if the implementation of short daily in-class quizzes in an introductory general biology course for majors would encourage students to study on a continual basis and increase their course performance. The quizzes would cover the content discussed in the previous class meeting and compose 10% of the final course grade. It is hypothesized that the daily quizzes will encourage students to study on a continual basis, resulting in an overall improvement in exam grades and final course grades. The participants for this study were enrolled in one of four sections of General Biology I. Two of the sections received the daily quizzes, while the other two sections did not. All other course material (exams, laboratory exercises, homework) was exactly the same. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through the administration of pre- and post-tests to measure student learning gains, post-exam surveys, the collection of weekly study logs, and analysis of both exam and final grade performance. Results indicate that there was no difference between the experimental (pre-test mean 50.7 ± 15.5; post-test mean 75.7 ± 15.9) and control groups (pre-test mean 47.8 ± 13.9; post-test mean 76.0 ± 13.5) in learning gains (pre-test t = -0.854, p = 0.396; post-test t = 1439.5, p = 0.811) and time spent studying per week. There was a higher percentage of students in the experimental group who received an A or B on the four lecture exams as well as their final course grade. Therefore, one can conclude that daily quizzes did not encourage students to study on a continual basis, but did have had an impact on exam and course performance.

56-B Blog, Blog, Blog. How to Get the Most from a Course Blog

L.K. Johansen, L. Hartley, and T. Duncan. University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO.

A large proportion of the students at the University of Colorado Denver are nontraditional and commute to campus for their classes. Because of the short time spent on campus, a student community is lacking. We tried using a course blog as a forum for UCD students to engage with their classmates outside of class time and to help the students connect the course material with their community. The hypothesis was that a class blog would engage the students with the course material more frequently than just during class meetings, and that the students would connect with their peers more often through the blog. The general implementation was for the students to use the blog to summarize daily course material, create posts integrating new material, and comment on each other’s postings. Pre- and post-course questionnaires based on a Likert scale were used to assess the students’ changes in attitudes towards blogging, the course material and interacting with their peers. Evaluation of students’ changes in attitudes indicated small increases in students feeling comfortable discussing topics in biology and “enjoying” contributing personal knowledge to the class discussions. Open-ended questions allowed us to determine that students found the blog useful in studying for the exams, though they thought the required comments were less useful. Interestingly, the students had trouble self-regulating their participation on a regular basis with the blog and asked for more rigid participation requirements in order to get the most out of the blog. The students also requested better training in the use of the blog. In addition, we discovered some practical tips for implementing a course blog and we learned quite a bit about designing questionnaires to assess the attitude changes that most interested us. For instance, we realized the choice of words such as “enjoy” or “scared” can influence student responses. We also found that the use of wordpress.com as the blog host allows for an in-depth investigation of when students viewed the blog. We are analyzing this data with respect to test dates and class meetings.

57-C Create a Bacterium: An Engaging Semester-long Assignment

M.-K. Liao. Furman University, Greenville, SC.

Many microbiology educators use the “adopt-a-bacterium” assignment developed by Dr. Amy Cheng Vollmer to engage students’ learning. While the ownership of the assignment motivates students to actively learn a bacterium of their choosing, the highest education objective in the cognitive domain of Bloom’s revised taxonomy, creating, may not be fully met. Thus, I developed a new “create-a-bacterium” assignment with the objective of building upon the success of the “adopt-a-bacterium” and further challenging students of upper-level science majors. This assignment requires students not just to search and organize but also to process and create information. The assignment was divided into three phases, and different features of the bacterium were created in each. In phase I, each pair of students made up a creation story, named the bacterium, and determined its physical and physiological features. In Phase II, the taxonomical, phylogenetic and genomic features of the bacterium were determined. An operon that corresponds to its unique metabolic trait was also created. In Phase III, the ecological niche of the creation and its interactions with the environment were explored. The tasks of each phase coincided directly with lecture topics in order to augment class learning. A written report for each phase, a final report, and two individual conferences with the instructor were required. The only “negative” student comments from the attitude surveys were that this assignment was more time-consuming and demanding than ones they had in other classes, and that they did not learn a “real” bacterium. However, they also reported that having to research and learn many bacteria in order to design their own creation made the “actively acquired” knowledge easier to retain. Furthermore, the results of the course evaluation form designed to assess the confidence levels of major microbiology topics indicated that having the lecture topics in sync with this semester-long assignment reinforced and enhanced learning. This assignment augmented learning and challenged students not just to learn but also to create.

58-A Learn Before Lecture: A Strategy That Can Increase Learning Outcomes in Large Introductory Biology Classes

M.L. Moravec, N.M. Aguilar-Roca, A.E. Williams, D.K. O’Dowd. University of California – Irvine, Irvine, CA.

In traditional large lectures, students are first exposed to new material in class and are expected to learn this information at a later time, primarily through self-study. We found that incorporating active learning strategies in class can increase learning gains. However, the large amount of new material covered in each lecture has limited the time available for in-class activities. To create more class time for active learning exercises, we developed two strategies for presenting new material before lecture. We hypothesized that adding learn before lecture activities (LBLs), combined with in-class exercises to practice the material, would increase student learning in a large (> 800 students) introductory biology course. To test this hypothesis, we created three LBLs for the Fall 09 class. Four to five slides from the previous year (Fall 08) were removed from each of three lectures and the information introduced in a narrated PowerPoint video or a one-page worksheet that were available electronically. Credit equal to 1% of the total grade required upload of a completed assignment. In class, time created by shifting lecture material to LBLs was used to actively engage the students in reviewing and testing their understanding of the LBL material. Over 92% of the students completed assigned LBLs. They performed significantly better (p < 0.05, Fisher’s Exact test ) on six of seven matched exam questions compared to Fall 08 students introduced to the material in lecture. The increase in learning gains ranged from 7–25% with an average of 15 ± 3%. There was no difference in performance based on LBL activity type (p > 0.2, Fisher’s Exact test ) and the majority (75%) of students reported the LBLs were helpful. We encourage the use of LBL activities as they shift some reviewing and learning to an environment where formative assessment and guidance is available, and can result in significant increases in learning gains.

59-B Problem-based Learning in a Blended BioDefense Lab Methods Course: Effect on Student Learning Outcomes and Student Satisfaction

K.M. Obom and P.J. Cummings. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a teaching strategy in which students work in groups to solve authentic “open-ended” problems through research and discussion. This learner-centered method has been used very effectively in on-site classes, but little data are available about the application and effectiveness of this strategy to the on-line learning environment. Our BioDefense Lab Methods class contained both an on-site and on-line component, with some course content delivered on-line and the lab portion delivered on-site. In our study we asked: Is PBL as effective as traditional on-line delivery for meeting unit learning objectives? What are students’ perceptions of learning through PBL? In our study, students had one on-line unit where they learned through simple content delivery and threaded discussion (traditional) and two PBL on-line units during the semester. To determine if the students met the unit learning objectives, at the end of each unit they completed a formative assessment for which they received participation points. At the end of the semester, students were asked to complete an anonymous survey about their satisfaction with the PBL learning exercises. Comparison of the means of the formative assessment of the traditional and PBL units demonstrates that students performed slightly better on the assessments in the PBL units compared to the conventional unit. An unpaired t-test comparison of the means of the PBL and traditional unit assessments was statistically significantly higher (p value = 0.0317) for the PBL units, suggesting that the PBL strategy may have been more effective in meeting the unit learning objectives than traditional on-line delivery. In the survey of student satisfaction, a majority of respondents reported that PBL was an effective way to learn the material (100% agreed), they learned a great deal from the PBL units (80% agreed) and they would recommend this strategy for other courses (80% agreed). From this study, we can conclude that students met the learning objectives for PBL units at least as well as or better than with a traditional on-line approach based on student assessment data, and that students were satisfied with the PBL learning.

60-C Use of Faculty Research in Host Pathogen Interactions as Basis for Development of Active Learning Activities

B.B. Quimby, M. Chase, G. Marbach-Ad, V. Briken, L. Cathcart, N. El-Sayed, K. Frauwirth, B. Fredericksen G. Houston-Ludlam, L. Injaian, J. Kessler, V. Lee, K. McAdams, K. S.. McIver, H. Miller, D. Mosser, E. Senkevitch, P. Shields, W.Song, L. Srinivasan, D.C. Stein and A.C. Smith. University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

As a faculty teaching team with research and teaching expertise in Host Pathogen Interactions (HPI), we hypothesized that scientific research could be used as the basis for active learning activities and that by participation in Research Oriented Learning Activities (ROLA) students would make gains in research oriented learning and understanding of HPI concepts. We developed, implemented and assessed eight ROLA piloted in six courses (General Microbiology, Bioinformatics, Pathogenic Microbiology, Bacterial Genetics, Immunology and Virology). ROLA development involved collaboration between faculty and graduate students working in HPI labs. Faculty research was used as the inspiration or model system for the design. Activity development occurred via the Backward Design Approach. The HPI teaching team and graduate fellows collaboratively defined “research oriented learning” as targeting skills important to scientists including thinking critically, communicating effectively and working collaboratively, and as engaging students to consider HPI research questions. Learning goals were established to target these skills and understanding of HPI concepts. In “Bikini Wax Disaster” a case study implemented in Pathogenic Microbiology, students investigated the effect of sugar availability on virulence, a question relevant to pathogenesis of Streptococcus pyogenes (subject of HPI faculty member research). Students in this course reported gains in understanding of the research process from participation in this activity (77% of sixty students enrolled) and reported being challenged to think critically about science (88% of sixty students enrolled). The collaborative process, which involved activity development (regular meetings, use on-line community organization site), was an effective method for development of activities to engage students in research oriented learning. Results from the HPI concept inventory was used to demonstrate increases in student learning of HPI concepts with greatest improvement seen in the introductory microbiology course (from 30.1 ± 14.8 to 49.1 ± 14.1; p < .001 with n = 107 ). Research oriented activities have proven to be useful tools for student learning.

61-A Improving the Quality of Undergraduate Theses by Teaching the Conventions of Scientific Writing and Professional Peer Review

J.A. Reynolds and R. Thompson. Duke University, Durham, NC.

Undergraduate theses and other capstone research projects are standard features of many science curricula, but participation has typically been limited to only the most advanced and highly motivated students. With the recent push to engage more undergraduates in research, some faculty are finding that their typical approach to working with thesis writers is less effective (given the wider diversity of students) or is inefficient (given the higher participation rates). In these situations, a more formal process may be needed to ensure that all students are adequately supported, and to establish consistency in how student writers are mentored and assessed. To address this need, we created BioTAP, the Biology Thesis Assessment Protocol, a teaching and assessment tool. BioTAP includes a rubric that articulates departmental expectations for the thesis, and a guide to the drafting-feedback-revision process that is modeled after the structure of professional scientific peer review. In this paper, we present the results of a study that compares the quality of theses written by students who used BioTAP versus those who did not, controlling for academic and demographic variables that could confound results. The overall quality of theses – including factors such as writing for the appropriate audience, constructing an argument for the significance of the students’ research within the context of the scientific literature, clearly interpreting results and discussing their implications, and citing appropriately – written by students who used BioTAP was significantly higher than the group who did not use this tool (p < 0.01 ). We also discuss how BioTAP has been successfully adapted to other departments and other disciplines, including economics, chemistry and engineering.

62-B Microbial Biotechnology – Simple Concepts, Salient Applications

K.S. Sattiraju. Jaypee Institute of Information Technology University, NOIDA, India.

Biotechnology, an umbrella science for application of biological principles for the benefit of humankind, is complete only with the contributions of these wonderful ‘animalcules’ – the microbes. In order to introduce undergraduate students to the potential of microbes, four curricular projects were designed with an overall objective of isolation and or identification of specific microbe/microbial property that addresses niche problems in the areas of agriculture or environment. From these curricular projects, students were expected to learn how to do literature survey, identify open questions related to agriculture or environment, formulate hypotheses, plan experiments to answer the question at hand, analyze the results and identify agreement with the hypotheses. This paper describes projects that explore: 1) microbes for detoxifying metals from agricultural soils; 2) sustainable energy production through microbial fuel cell; 3) anti-oxidative properties of edible fungi; and 4) microbes that use alternate substrates to produce environmentally safe bioplastic, addressing specific issues of agricultural or environmental significance. In the first project we tested metal remediating abilities of microbes known as biofertiliser or biopesticide microbes, so that the benefits they offer in a sustainable agri-management system can be multiplied. In the second project, a microbial fuel cell is designed, introducing spent substrates that have served their primary utility in food industry. The third project explores the ability of edible basidiomycetous fungus to produce a variety of bioactive compounds (anti-oxidative enzymes and secondary metabolites). The fourth project compares the bioplastic producing ability of microbes in carbohydrate rich synthetic media vs. spent oil cake. Student learning was assessed using a rubric matrix with a total of six parameters. Analyses were grouped under two headings: (1) “percentage contribution of individual parameters to overall learning”, and (2) “contribution of individual parameters to skill development based on first time learning.” It was observed that the parameters laboratory skills, teamwork, relating concepts (linking experimental research to theoretical learning) and experimental research contributed for overall learning (79% to 83%). Experimental research emerged at the top with a total count of 67 for skill development followed by scientific observation (with a total count of 56) rating them as skills cultivated exclusively during curricular projects. These observations stress the important role of curricular projects in cultivating research orientation amongst students, while providing baseline “proof of concept” on specific topics of interest that can be further developed into full-scale research investigations.

63-C Determining the Effect of Dissecting Primary Literature on Students’ Critical Thinking Skills and Attitudes towards Science

M. Segura-Totten, N.E. Dalman, F.S. Corotto, and S. Smith. North Georgia College and State University, Dahlonega, GA.

Undergraduate research is widely recognized as a high-impact practice. However, to have a successful and meaningful research experience, students must have strong critical thinking skills. Therefore, we need to engage students in class activities that develop their ability to think critically about scientific data. We hypothesize that students who follow a structured method for reading the primary literature within a cell biology class will have gains in critical thinking skills, particularly in their ability to synthesize and evaluate material. To test this hypothesis, we had students analyze primary research articles related to the topic covered in lecture using a variation of the CREATE method, while students in the control group read and discussed the same articles without a structured approach. The CREATE method compels students to analyze how and why a set of results is presented in a publication. Within this method, students think of the “next experiments” they would perform if they had done the research detailed in the article. To assess student learning gains, we are comparing students’ performance on the California Critical Thinking Skills Test and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory at the beginning and the end of the semester. We are also analyzing student gains in synthesis and evaluation skills through questions in the first and final exams. Additionally, we are investigating if students’ perceptions of scientific research are altered by comparing pre-/post- student-generated reflective papers on the nature of research as well as pre-/post-answers to the CLASS-Bio. We will present the results of these assessments, a detailed description of our adaptation of the CREATE method and student feedback on the method. Our results will give insight into the impact of actively dissecting the primary literature on critical thinking skills and on student perception of scientific research.

64-A Use of Authentic Images vs. Cartoon Representations to Teach Protein Localization in Introductory Biology

N.R. Lasky and M.I. Shuster. New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM.

Cellular and molecular processes are challenging for introductory biology students. We are asking whether using laboratory-generated fluorescent micrographs (authentic images) help students increase their understanding of and/or interest in protein localization in comparison with drawing and cartoon representations of cells. Students in two sections of introductory biology were taught protein localization with an identical lecture and an in-class activity. One activity used authentic images of fluorescent protein constructs, while the other had students draw the predicted locations of the tagged proteins on cartoons of cells. Students completed surveys about their interest, and answered the same exam questions on protein localization (PL) and a comparison topic (cellular respiration (CR)), which was also taught by interactive lectures and in-class activities. We used a ratio of PL to CR exam performance to compare sections. Our initial data suggested that the cartoon activity was better in terms of PL exam performance. We have since collected additional data, including sections taught by different instructors. In sections taught by the same instructor, the ratio of PL to CR suggests that cartoons are more effective than images (Spring 2009 PL/CR = 0.68 images; 0.77 cartoons, Summer 2009 PL/CR = 0.85 images; 1.0 cartoons). In Fall 2009 the sections were taught by different instructors and the PL/CR ratios were essentially identical in both sections: 0.76 images and 0.75 cartoons. This result may be confounded by the fact that the cartoon section significantly underperformed the images section for CR (68.7% vs. 75.3%, p < 0.001 ). The same trend was true for PL (51.5% cartoons; 57% images, p = 0.13 ).

Of the 144 Spring 2009 students taught using images, 93.9% found the images to be interesting and 88.6% thought the images helped them learn. Of the 132 students taught using cartoons, 87.4% agreed that drawing was helpful, but 85.6% thought that it would more helpful to see real cells. While students find authentic images interesting, they may learn better using cartoon representations of proteins localized in cells, absent other variables.

65-B Modification of Short Write-to-Learn Activities for Online Delivery in an Effort to Enhance Performance in Microbiology Hybrid Courses

H.R. Smith. Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, CO.

Front Range Community College offers a microbiology hybrid course for students preparing for allied health careers. Students meet on campus for laboratory exercises, but the “lecture” portion of the class is conducted on-line. Overall, student performance in the hybrid sections has been lower than that of the traditional classroom sections. Over the last five semesters, only 59% of students originally enrolled in hybrid microbiology courses have finished the semester, whereas 77% of students in traditional sections have completed the course. Also, in hybrid sections, students are noticeably frustrated with learning difficult concepts and demonstrate an obvious lack of deep understanding in the written portions of their exams. For example, on two exams given in fall 2009 hybrid sections, the overall score on objective questions was 74%, whereas the overall score on higher-level writing questions was only 60%. Recognizing these issues and comparing the two modalities, the author realized a fundamental difference. In traditional sections, students are consistently taught short writing activities to enhance their learning of difficult concepts and their ability to recognize if they clearly understand those concepts. These writing activities include guided writing prompts, comparing/contrasting terms, peer response activities, and Know-What-Learn (KWL) charts. The author modified these write-to-learn activities used in the traditional classroom setting for use as required activities in the course management discussion tool. Students’ participation involves both original writing and also responses to other students’ writing. The design of these activities reinforces the importance of truly understanding the concepts, rather than simple memorization of terminology and textbook definitions. Every aspect of these writing exercises takes place on-line, allowing students to participate at any time during the course. To determine the success of this approach, exam performance data were collected from previous hybrid students that did not participate in these activities. Similar exam data will be collected from this semester’s students after the implementation of these writing activities. Students will also receive a survey asking for feedback regarding the effectiveness of these activities on their learning and reducing their frustration. Preliminary data indicate that these activities may be enhancing student performance on formal assessments. On the first six quizzes, this semester’s hybrid students have scored an average of 85%, whereas students in the previous semester scored only an average of 77% on these same assessments.

66-C Web-based Tutorial Support for Academic Success in the Anatomy and Physiology

M. Tawde and A. Nguyen. Queensborough Community College, Bayside, NY.

The research project was selected for 2008–09 Biology Scholars-in-Residence program. The question asked was whether web-based tutorial support as supplementary instruction will help pre-Nursing students to succeed academically. My colleague, Dr. Nguyen, and I teach Anatomy-Physiology I and II and General Microbiology – pre-requisite classes to most nursing/allied health majors. The students at Queensborough CC are highly diverse not only in their ethnic and educational background, but also in the levels of preparedness. Many students lack formal training in science or biology; many are returning to school after time away from academia. These students are overwhelmed by the depth and immensity of the material presented in above courses. Though the enrollment for these classes is heavy, the above factors lead to high attrition rates. However one common feature in this new generation of students is their familiarity and access to the Internet, digital technology and other techno-gadgets. We decided to investigate if a Blackboard-based tutorial website will help the students build their knowledge base and thus improve their retention/academic performance. A course-wide tutorial website was set up, linked to Blackboard and made available to students. The website contained material on topics such as exchange processes, chemical basis of life, macromolecules and their properties. It also had animation, figures about cell structure, organelles and function, microscope and different tissues, and the skeletal system. These topics were covered in laboratory practical #1 and 2. We compared grades of students in A&P I that use on-line supplemental instruction with those that did not. We analyzed over 900 students across greater than 30 sections with different instructors, out of which approximately 23% students visited the website >10 times. On average, students that visited the website scored higher than students who did not, although there were students who never visited yet scored very high on tests. Likewise, there were students who visited >100 times, yet scored poorly (we do not know the time span of each visit). The fact that students analyzed had different instructors served as a built-in control, as the difference in two groups was independent of the class instructor the students had. The exam scores of students who visited for practical #1 and 2 were higher than the later two exams. Also we saw a high correlation between students who never visited and withdrew from the course. Here we identify one potential bias in our research – the outcome of the research project may be influenced by the fact that only the motivated students may access this supplementary on-line instruction and that would help them improve their grades. However, the less motivated students, who are the ones more likely to drop out of the class, may not use the supplementary on-line instruction.

67-A Clickers: Help or Hindrance to Motivating and Engaging Students in Small Non-major Introductory Science Classrooms

J.M. Washington. Nyack College, Nyack, NY.

Students in core non-major introductory science classes are often apprehensive, unmotivated and underprepared. This presents significant challenges in their ability to have a positive, meaningful learning experience. Active learning strategies such as the use of personal response systems or clickers have been shown to be phenomenally successful in stimulating interest and promoting learning in very large classrooms. While the use of personal response systems have been shown to be effective in large classrooms, their effectiveness in smaller science classrooms (n < 30) has not been investigated. This study looked at the usefulness of clickers in motivating and engaging students in the small classroom. Are they as effective in smaller classrooms? This study involved students in both core non-major Human Biology or General Biology courses (n < 30). Classroom pedagogy primarily included the alternate use of clickers or worksheets, and occasionally other techniques such videos, group work and discussion were added. Students were given pre- and post-motivation surveys, a mid-semester attitude survey and reflected daily on their level of engagement. The results suggest that, although approximately 7% of students disliked clickers, overall their usage engaged and motivated student learning just as well as other active learning strategies proven to be effective in smaller classrooms. Consequently, the use of clickers can stimulate and promote learning regardless of class size – they work as well in small or large classrooms.

68-B Case Studies with a Personal Narrative Improve Knowledge Retention, and Increase Student Understanding of Transcultural Health Care Issues

L.M. Young and R.P. Anderson. Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH.

Case study analysis in the microbiology classroom is an active learning technique that encourages students to integrate lecture content with practical health care applications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate performance and attitudes concerning the format of microbiology case studies and their ability to help students understand transcultural health issues. We hypothesized both enhanced student knowledge retention and understanding of transcultural health care issues would occur by incorporating the analysis of case studies with a personalized format into introductory microbiology courses. Cases using formal, impersonal descriptions of relevant clinical features, patient history, and laboratory analysis were compared to personally-oriented cases where material was presented in a story format similar to the manner in which a medical history would be acquired. The personal formats included information concerning relevant clinical and laboratory materials as well as family circumstances, personal characteristics and culturally relevant material that can affect health care. Classes involved in this study included an Introductory Microbiology class for nursing students, an Introductory Microbiology class for pharmacy majors, and an Introductory Microbiology class for majors. Students were primarily Caucasian with little travel history outside the U.S. and Canada.

Student performance in identifying the disease and pathogen, interpreting laboratory tests, and developing treatment and prevention strategies generally improved for the personalized format (91% on personalized case topics vs. 84% on clinical case topics (N = 30; p > 0.05 )). After they had participated in case studies using both formats, students’ performance was evaluated on exams to determine content retention. There was a marked increase in retention of course content on topics covered using the personalized format relative to the clinically-based format for answers to multiple-choice questions evaluated three weeks after case analysis (92% on personalized case topics vs. 42% on clinical case topics (N = 120; p < 0.05 )). Students also responded that personalized cases helped them better understand transcultural health care issues relative to clinical cases (85% to 15%; N = 52; p < 0.05 ). We conclude personally-oriented cases enhance student transcultural sensitivity and longer term content retention.

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DOI: 10.1128/jmbe.v11i1.155
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, May 2010
Copyright © 2010 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved



JMBE
ISSN: 1935-7885