Mini Workshops are an opportunity to present novel approaches to teaching, but are not limited to wet-lab activities. They may include demonstrations, lectures, simulations, or hands-on activities and are offered in either 45- or 90-minute durations. All must include discussion and attendee participation.
Conference attendees will sign up for specific workshops outside of the conference registration headquarters once the conference begins. Early sign-up is encouraged, as space is limited and sessions do fill up. Just as with major workshops, attendees of these sessions peer review the workshops as do the editors of our proceedings, Advances in Biology Laboratory Education, before publication as a full paper or extended abstract.
90-Minute Minis | 45-Minute Minis
90-Minute Minis
Active Drawing of Genetics Mechanisms as an Undergraduate Learning Tool
Martin Hicks, Laine Morris, Alexa DiVenuto, and Flobater Gawargi; Monmouth University
Many students navigate undergraduate biology courses through passive learning, relying on memorization techniques to study content. This may not be the most effective strategy for meaningful comprehension of multipart and unfamiliar or new concepts. Can instruction by engaging students in active drawing and diagramming be an effective learning strategy? This workshop on pedagogical design focuses on creating a learning environment for visual model-based reasoning. Our strategy maximizes active drawing of the mechanisms of genetics and molecular biology during lecture and instructor-led collaborative drawing sessions. The goal is to increase student learning and success in undergraduate genetics coursework based on the fundamental concepts recommended by the Genetics Society of America. Topics are covered in three main sections – nature of genetic material and gene expression, transmission and genetic variation, and patterns of inheritance integrated with evolution and population genetics. Students are assigned pre-lecture concept questions with reading assignments and illustrative videos. In lecture, students are led in active stepwise drawing and discussion of concepts and misconceptions. Strategies include the reductionist point of view from theoretical and macroscopic down to molecular mechanisms. Concepts are related to modern research and human health and disease. Student learning is reinforced through weekly drawing and recitation group sessions led by lecture coordinators. Meaningful learning and level of comprehension is measured through concept inventory assessments and student feedback. Genetics concept-based hand drawings will serve as a learning tool for the genetics and molecular biology community after peer review and preparation for publishing. In this workshop, we share the semester week-by-week schedule with daily activities, concept questions and student-drawn as well as video illustrations. Importantly, workshop attendees are encouraged to participate in an active drawing session to demonstrate genetics concepts teaching strategy. We will share a questionnaire to get feedback on teaching strategy from attendees.
Composting as a Window to Microbial and Sustainable Activity
Mark Walvoord and Paul Olson; University of Central Oklahoma
Composting is the biological decomposition of organic matter. Although a naturally occurring process, it can be accelerated by active human management to balance ratios of organic inputs, moisture, oxygen, mechanical mixing, and heat. This balance ensures the diversity and abundance of organisms to optimize the degradation of organic substances during composting. Microorganisms underlie the process and include bacteria such as actinomycetes and fungi. This human-accelerated process of organic recycling reduces our ecological footprint through diverting waste from landfills, production of greenhouse gases normally occurring in anaerobic landfill environments, and provides rich organic nutrients for regenerative agriculture, gardening, and erosion control. During this multi-week project, upper division microbiology students contributed household compostable materials, recorded weight and type of those inputs, placed them in one of two compost setups, and regularly mixed the materials. They made visual observations of the different treatments and estimated the relative abundance of microorganisms and community structure in compost treatments. Extracts of cells from compost samples at different stages in the process were serially diluted and grown on selective agar plates to determine the number of colony-forming units (CFUs). Additionally, students measured pH and relative concentrations of water-soluble nitrates and phosphorus in the samples. At the end of the project, students also visually inspected the compost outputs and reflected on the reduction in materials, ecological cycling, and impacts on ecological footprints.
Workshop attendees will be introduced to the process of composting, review the lab procedures, and carry out portions of the lab. Various treatments of compost will be prepared and plated, then pre-grown dishes with microbial colonies will be examined. A discussion will follow to model how classroom discussion would go. The presenters thank ABLE for the 2019 Roberta Williams Teaching Initiative Grant for funding the development of this lab.
Maximizing Inquiry Elements in a Student Project to Investigate Fibroblast Growth Factor Signal Transduction in NIH 3T3 Cells
Aaron Coleman, University of California San Diego
Inquiry-based laboratory exercises are well established to better promote learning and science engagement in undergraduate students. However, implementing inquiry-based labs in upper-division biochemistry and molecular biology courses can pose daunting logistical challenges. CURE projects allow students to participate in novel research but are often at odds with integrating inquiry elements because they require students to follow a preestablished experimental design. Here we describe a project that incorporates inquiry and CURE elements to provide a research-like experience in a high-enrollment, upper-division biochemistry lab. Students investigate fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling in cultures of NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblasts and tackle some open questions about how alternate modes of signaling are achieved from FGF receptors. They begin with examining a dataset describing three distinct effects produced in NIH 3T3 cells by the addition of FGF-2 to the culture medium, and then must develop a hypothesis to explain how these effects are signaled. They go on to test their hypothesis by selecting conditions for a phospho-Erk/MAP kinase Western blot to measure signaling down the Ras-Erk pathway, and an ELISA experiment that measures signaling down the phospholipase C pathway. Workshop participants will examine the dataset to form their own hypotheses and design Western blot and ELISA experiments, and then will be provided student data to interpret. The workshop will conclude with a discussion of how this model for lab module design could be used to develop inquiry labs based on open research questions at their home institutions.
Three-Dimensional Molecular Representations to Enhance Students’ Learning and Engagement in Lower and Upper-level Courses
Alma Rodriguez Estrada, Chetna Patel, Ami Johanson, and Sheela Vemu; Aurora University
A clear understanding of the structure and function of macromolecules is essential in a variety of lower and upper-level chemistry and biology courses. The three-dimensional visualization of, for example, proteins and nucleic acids, can be achieved through the use of physical or digital models. The advantage of using digital models relies on accessibility and easy implementation in a wide variety of course formats including remote (synchronous and asynchronous), hybrid, and face-to-face in both, the four-year University and community college context. The three-dimensional molecular viewer iCn3D is a free, easily accessible, web-based, and menu-driven viewer that can be used to explore (see, rotate, and visualize intramolecular interactions) and manipulate (color) the structure of macromolecules. In this mini-workshop, two sample assignments will be presented. The first assignment, appropriate for a lower-chemistry course, explores the structure of nucleic acids and the intermolecular forces that determine their shapes. The second assignment, appropriate for an upper-level biology course, is designed to teach students how to use the iCn3D visualization program to create a variety of images that illustrate the different levels of protein structure and their relationship to their function. Both assignments can be implemented as directed (classroom or laboratory) or self-paced (homework) activities, depending on the particular learning objective and time available for their completion. Workshop participants will learn the basic features of the iCn3D viewer and embark on the completion of their chosen assignments. Presenters will share the assignment instructions, rubrics, and other assessments used to evaluate students’ learning and engagement.
Exploring Mechanisms in a Medical Treatment for a Disease: A Teaching/Learning Module
Robin Cooper and Rebecca M. Krall; University of Kentucky
To spark student interests in learning physiological concepts, this investigation focuses on an active form of health care and a treatment which is not fully understood. Students will learn that medical care is continuously evolving from evidence-based practice and scientific understanding. Studying the potential mechanisms of the pharmacological actions on physiological function may lead to developing a more precise mechanistic understanding that can lead to more precise treatments, which students might propose. Utilizing the primary research literature, fundamental physiological concepts, and client outcomes from case studies, the current module provides materials for instructors to construct a teaching and learning module based on the content provided. In this regard, the mystifying actions of how 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) helps to alleviate some of the rigidity and movement of limbs in clients with multiple sclerosis (MS) is explored. It is well established that 4-AP blocks a subset of voltage gated potassium (K+) channels, but it is somewhat counterintuitive how this promotes better locomotive movements. The mechanisms of action from clinical doses may be more related to the physiological changes that occur due to the progression of MS or even by actions on other cells besides neurons, leading to the secondary action on neurons. With the use of inexpensive electrophysiological instrument (i.e., Backyard Brains) nerve recordings of invertebrate nerves will be recorded while exposure to 4-AP to directly observe the effects on electrical activity. In this module, multiple physiological concepts are used to construct mechanistic explanations of the phenomenon. The learning objectives are to: (1) cover the basic neurophysiological principles of electrical signals, synaptic transmission, and pharmacological actions of ion channels; (2) demonstrate the disease process of MS, and (3) address scientific literacy developed from a review of research studies on the phenomenon. These exercises are fitting for a CURE teaching format.
Making Grading Less Grating
Suzanne Thuecks, Washington College
Grading is probably the least enjoyable part of every instructor’s job. In this workshop, we will reexamine why and how we grade assignments, lab notebooks, and papers. Participants will learn, discuss, and practice strategies for streamlining the process of grading. We will also discuss the difference between grading and feedback, and strategies for giving effective feedback. Participants are encouraged to bring an assignment or list of assignments from a course they teach to aid in our discussion.
Investigating Microplastics in Your Local Waterways
Deborah Lichti, University of Delaware
Many introductory courses are working to incorporate authentic research experiences throughout the freshmen year. Ecology is an important topic covered in introductory biology courses, but many students are on the pre-med track, and struggle to find the relevance with their future career goals. Integrating current events and news into coursework is a great way to demonstrate this relevance. I designed an authentic laboratory experience to enable students to study microplastics in the local waterways in Delaware. I found that students were more engaged in the discussions on ecology and worked to try to reduce plastics in their own lives after completing this laboratory module. During this multi-week laboratory experience, students investigate the molecular structure, density of plastics, and how plastics are broken down. They then research how the microplastics interact with the local food web. Next, students go into the field to collect water samples, retrieve the microplastic samplers, and describe the riparian zone, impervious surfaces, and possible sources of plastic. Once back at the laboratory, they separate the microplastics from the organisms, identify and count the organisms and microplastics, graph their findings, and present their findings through a poster presentation. Throughout this laboratory module, the students are learning about the microplastic research being conducted at the university and in one instance comparing their findings to those in the literature. Participants in the workshop will 1) investigate samples that include preserved organisms and microplastics, 2) graph their findings and connect them using a system model, 3) discuss the different sampling methods for collecting microplastics, 4) review the literature to learn of existing local research on microplastics, and 5) begin thinking about how they could incorporate microplastics into their own laboratory courses. This could help you begin developing your own authentic research experience regarding microplastics.
If the Shoe Fits: A Relatable Approach to Teaching Tree-thinking in an Introductory Biology Lab
Cassandra Debets and Kevin G.E. Scott; University of Manitoba
First-year students often lack the phylogenetic literacy required to understand and correctly interpret phylogenetic trees. We designed a suite of interactive exercises to provide students with opportunities practice tree-thinking and construct phylogenetic trees using familiar “species”: shoes. All exercises were designed to fill a single 3-hour laboratory period, but individual components could be used as stand-alone activities in labs or lectures. Throughout the laboratory period, students reviewed key terms and concepts using generic phylogenetic trees. Students were then introduced to phylogenetic trees made up of non-biological specimens to focus on the structure of phylogenetic trees and establish a foundation for tree-thinking. Finally, students were given hypothetical “species” of footwear and tasked with creating and defending a phylogenetic tree. Workshop participants will have a chance to engage with tree-thinking using non-biological specimens that can be manipulated in the hands-on construction of phylogenetic trees. Using this approach in our first-year labs helped to foster students understanding of phylogenetic trees and realization that trees are merely hypotheses of relationships based on current knowledge. Throughout the workshop, we will discuss and highlight common student misconceptions or points of struggle we have observed after our two implementations of these activities in a large enrolment (>1,000 student) majors introductory biology lab. We assessed students’ phylogenetic tree interpretation pre and post lab, and found a 22% increase in overall student performance, using anonymous iClicker questions.
Know Your Place: Utilizing Natural Areas Around Campus to Increase Connection Among Students, Their Campus, and Nature
Kimberly Kellett, Perimeter College at Georgia State University
How can we help our students bolster their mental health and perhaps even increase retention while addressing common learning objectives of Introductory Biology courses? Getting students outside and committed to monitoring and improving small natural areas on campus may hold some answers. In this workshop, attendees will participate in a sample of three outdoor activities aimed at increasing connection between students and the natural areas on campus. Participants can expect to go outside and get their hands dirty! Activities will include two different types of plant community diversity assessments, as well as a scavenger hunt. Participants will also learn about and discuss ways to collaborate with different disciplines to increase connection among diverse courses (e.g., Biology, Art, and English) by utilizing outdoor spaces and helping students work across disciplines to build a common resource (virtual “Greenspace” guides). The sample activities presented in this workshop are part of a month-long “Nature-based” module used in a Non-majors Introductory Biology II lab, but activities could easily be modified to fit different courses or time constraints. If your campus does not have “established” or large natural areas and your students are not accustomed to outdoor learning- we especially encourage you to attend! As long as you have a little bit of greenery on campus, these activities will work. No special or high-tech equipment is needed. Topics addressed by the lab activities in this workshop include community diversity, general plant anatomy and identification, and plant life cycles.
45-Minute Minis
Developing and Implementing CUREs on a Mass Scale with Limited Staff and Resources
Mindy McCallum, Louisiana State University
At Louisiana State University (LSU), CUREs (course-based undergraduate research experiences) are a unique opportunity to integrate authentic research projects into introductory biology laboratory courses. To better understand science and gain confidence in their abilities to do scientific research, students in CURE freshman biology labs focus on research that is part of ongoing in-house projects. Courses are communication-intensive with a strong focus on science literacy. With over 300 students enrolled in CURE labs each semester, the LSU introductory biology program has been able to offer a variety of experiences on a large scale.
This mini workshop will layout a framework for how one faculty member, with limited support, coordinates ten or more sections of CURE courses taught by five or more graduate teaching assistants. Participants will learn how CUREs are developed and implemented on a mass scale in freshman biology laboratories at LSU, engage in discussions, and walk away with example agendas and resources to aid in implementation at other campuses.
Fast and Friendly Bacterial Transformation for High School and College Labs
Callen Hyland, University of San Diego and Richard Chan, MiniOne Systems
Ditch the dish and kick the ice bucket! Learn how you can simplify prep for bacterial transformation labs using the innovative MiniOne gloTray, which replaces four petri dishes. By simplifying teacher prep and increasing the success of student experiments, MiniOne gloTrays lower the barrier for inquiry-based transformation labs, making authentic biotechnology investigation accessible without the hassle of pouring plates. In this hands-on workshop, participants will complete our student and teacher friendly version of the classic GFP bacterial transformation lab, introducing a plasmid with the gene for green fluorescent protein into lab strain E. coli to make them fluorescent. Participants will then have the opportunity to create their own hypotheses and design experiments to test them using a fresh gloTray. A background presentation will cover the mechanism of transformation and the control of gene expression, with connections to the central dogma of molecular biology, antibiotic resistance, and the COVID vaccine.
Development of Dry Lab Curriculum for High Enrollment Introductory Biology Courses
Suzanne Bohlson, Rachael Barry, and Matthew Mahavongtrakul; University of California, Irvine
The University of California Irvine is a public institution with a significant underserved population of students and 1000+ biology majors yearly. Due to high enrollment, it does not currently provide a lower-division ‚ “wet-lab,” curriculum and instead supports its lecture curriculum with highly heterogenous discussion section activities. 40% of incoming undergraduate students at UCI leave STEM fields within the first two years of the program, and underserved students who begin in STEM programs are nearly 50% more likely to change majors compared to traditional students. Active learning disproportionately benefits underserved populations, and exposure to active learning and authentic scientific inquiry early in college improves student persistence. Thus, we sought to introduce dry lab modules that incorporate active learning in first year high enrollment biology courses with an immediate goal to increase student learning. Our long-term goal is to address retention gaps across demographic groups. Modules were developed with a backward design process, where learning goals were first identified, and modules structured to address these goals. Subject content reflected a diverse range of topics in introductory biology courses including the properties of water, osmosis, cell cycle, and properties of ecosystems. The hybrid modules were designed to be delivered to approximately 50 students in a one-hour block, remotely or in-person, with a teaching assistant as facilitator. Students participated in collaborative problem-solving including case discussion and data analysis. Attention was given to addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the learning modules. Here we summarize four dry lab modules created for the introductory biology courses at UCI and provide resources for implementation of these modules at other institutions.
An Interdisciplinary Look at Drug Design and Testing: Penicillin Derivatives and Their Activity
Julia Schmitz and Elaine Bailey; Piedmont University
The purpose of this project was to promote undergraduate research and collaboration between chemistry and microbiology students. Research and collaboration have been shown to promote learning and retention, especially among underclassmen. Chemistry research students were asked to research the history, formation, mechanism and resistance of penicillin and its derivatives. Each student was then introduced to some basic organic chemistry lab techniques and asked to choose a derivative to make. The penicillin derivatives were made and diluted to afford two concentrations for testing. Students in a microbiology course then used their expertise in the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility test protocol to test the sensitivity of the synthesized penicillin as compared to commercial penicillin on Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. By measuring the zones of inhibition, the bacteria were shown to be more sensitive to the synthesized penicillin as compared to the commercial penicillin. In this workshop, we will discuss how to lead an undergraduate research project that is both scientific and interdisciplinary. Some basic information will be given on the synthesis of penicillin as well as the testing procedure. Participants will get to perform the Kirby-Bauer diffusion assay and measure zones of inhibition during the workshop.
Inquiry Based Learning Improves Scientific Literacy in First Year Biology Students.
Ana Medrano and Ann Cheek; University of Houston
To test the idea that course-based mini research experiences would improve scientific literacy, we developed inquiry-based modules, for both Introductory Biology laboratory courses. In each 4-week module, students learn a measurement technique, analyze published experiments, design their own experiments, collect data and present their results. The summary written or oral presentations are designed to build students’ graphing, analytical, and data presentation skills. Students improve at some skills after one 3-module course (paired pre- and post-test scores on the validated Test of Scientific Literacy Skills), but they improve at all nine assessed skills after completing 5 modules over two courses. Analyzing and discussing experimental design in a scientific paper was the most challenging activity for teaching assistants to lead and for undergraduate students to complete. The purpose of the guided paper discussions is for students to identify the authors’ hypothesis, explain their experimental design, practice verbally summarizing results shown in a figure or table, identify the authors’ inferences, and evaluate whether the results support these. This activity is intended to provide students an example of how to design their own experiments. Participants will engage in a role-play activity illustrating the discussion of primary literature in a laboratory session and will discuss and troubleshoot options to improve this type of activity.
Reimagining an Old Photosynthesis Classic: Quantifying the Effects of Different Factors on Photosynthetic Rates Using the Dye Bromothymol Blue
Fardad Firooznia and Jhunior Morillo; The City College of New York
Here we present a quantitative approach that can be used to study the effect of various factors on photosynthetic rates of aquatic plants. Addition of CO2 to a solution leads to production of carbonic acid, which can be reversed when CO2 is removed from the solution through a process such as photosynthesis. Bromothymol blue changes color based on changes in the pH, from yellow in acidic solutions to blue in alkaline solutions. Because of this, bromothymol blue has traditionally been used to demonstrate visually photosynthetic activity as the yellow solution turns blue in the presence of plants and light, indicating the effect of photosynthesis in removal of CO2 from the solution. Absorption of light at 615 nm by the dye is high under alkaline conditions and low under acidic conditions. Therefore, we can measure the change in absorbance at 615 nm as an indication of change in acidity, including subtle differences in pH that may not result in color differences detectable by the naked eye. In this workshop the participants will use bromothymol blue to study how photosynthetic rates of an aquatic plant are affected by the herbicide DCMU (3-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea) as an example of how the system can be used. DCMU competes for the binding site of plastoquinone. This example requires us to consider how inhibition of linear electron transport can be detected through the use of bromothymol blue, thus connecting electron transport to CO2 fixation and the change in the chemistry of the solution as measured through light absorption by the dye. This system can be used to study the effects of various factors on photosynthesis, which can be treated as inquiry-based or as guided-inquiry, which can be a point of discussion for the workshop.
SARS-CoV-2: Structure, Vaccines, Testing, and Modeling its Spread
Jessica Goldstein, Barnard College
In this workshop, I will go over activities related to many aspects of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that has spurred a deadly pandemic and altered life across the globe. These activities were originally developed to teach remotely during the spring of 2020 and have been modified for in-person teaching more recently (and updated with the latest information when possible). This hands-on workshop will provide activities in three areas related to coronaviruses and the current pandemic: (1) structure/function of coronaviruses and general information about DNA and mRNA vaccines (mainly readings, videos, and questions to answer), (2) problem-based-learning cases about different types of virus testing (PCR/molecular, antigen or antibody test), and (3) modeling the spread of infections through populations using a free computer simulation developed by the Shaman lab at Columbia University (https://bioinformaticshome.com/online_software/virus-outbreak/US/index.html#). Participants will have the opportunity to go through activities in each of these 3 areas, and will be given resources for teaching these topics at their institutions. These activities could be done in a laboratory setting or in a classroom (with access to computers) and are appropriate for introductory biology students. For the past few semesters, students have rated these activities highly and have indicated that they enhanced their knowledge and understanding of SARS-CoV-2.
Improving Student Inclusion in Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs): A Team Project in Online or F2F Biology Labs
Megan Barker and Agata Becalska, Simon Fraser University; and Elizabeth Steves, Fraser International College
Many introductory lab courses are constrained by resources and scale, and thus are often cookbook-style, or based on sample identification & basic equipment skills. Recently, however, there have been calls for increased inclusion in & access to authentic course-based research (e.g., Bangera & Brownell on CURES, 2014). To equitably provide these science process skills to the largest possible cohort of students, we have developed a new student research project within our first-year biology lab. This was initially piloted during our switch to remote learning for the pandemic but has proven well-worth bringing back into our face-to-face format.
Our student team research project is integrated throughout the semester, building authentic science process skills from start to finish (Clemmons et al, BioSkills Guide, 2020). Students start from a research idea, develop a multi-site experimental design, do hands-on data collection at home, analyze quantitative data, and present their findings in a conference-style format. We have also embedded structured time for building collaborative skills. This novel change to our lab curriculum runs online, hybrid or F2F; it has no lab budget costs; and it has been well-received in our course of ~200-600 students. It also has allowed us to improve our assessments: we evaluate writing (graphical abstracts) and oral presentation skills. Our lab exam can now be more cognitively challenging because our new curriculum better prepares students to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize.
In this workshop, participants will undertake a condensed version of the overall project. You will actively work through highlights of the process as a student, allowing you to identify and troubleshoot challenges for running this in your own context. Finally, we will discuss hurdles and opportunities for various course formats. You’ll leave the workshop with the complete resources to bring this research project to your institution and all your lab students.
Thousands of Undergraduates Present Hypothetical Research Projects at Judged Poster Sessions – How to do it!
Stephanie Mel, University of California San Diego
As a complement to the experiments in a large introductory biology laboratory course, we give students the opportunity to develop a hypothetical research project that is ultimately presented in a judged poster session. The starting point is learning about different types of literature and how to find articles in databases on any subject. Once students have identified a key primary literature article, we focus on the following: what question(s) were the authors asking? What methods did they use? What data do the figures show? What conclusions did the authors draw? Using what they learn from the paper, we ask students to generate a research question and hypothesis, write a background, determine what a next logical experimental question would be and then propose an experiment to address this question. Students must also identify possible outcomes of these experiments that both support and do not support their hypothesis as well as future directions. Student groups present their research proposals at a judged poster session with several hundred students (pre-COVID); our goal is to mimic a poster session at a scientific meeting as closely as possible. This gives students a chance to present orally, respond to questions, and evaluate the work of their classmates. This workshop will take participants through all of the steps – starting with a literature scavenger hunt, participants will then find a paper(s) on a topic of interest and develop ideas for the poster similar to what we have students do. At several steps along the way we will stop to discuss – the process, common problems students have, and the logistics of organizing a poster session of this size. This activity is an excellent complement to the skills students get in a laboratory course and a way to enrich their understanding of the scientific process.
Gamifying Graphing: Using a Party Game to Teach Graph Construction and Interpretation
Hans Lemke, University of Maryland
Research shows that graph reading is not intuitive, and that many instructors are blind to the lack of comprehension students have when graphs are used in class. Although we think of graphs as an easy way to get information, we often forget that this is a skill that we have built through years of practice. We developed an exercise using the party game Charty Party to give students a fun place to start practicing graph design and interpretation. This game is similar in design to the popular family game Apples to Apples but uses graphs as its foundation. Participants in this workshop will get to work through an exercise that we have developed as introduction to graph construction and interpretation. We will also spend time discussing other ways to use this game in class.
Determining the Effects of Lipopolysaccharide on Plant Root Growth in Arabidopsis thaliana: A CURE Activity
Katherine Sharp, Robin Cooper, and Rebecca Krall; Stephens College
Plant growth has the potential to serve as a model to study the impact of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on neurophysiology in mammals. LPS is an endotoxin from gram-negative bacteria that binds to glutamate receptors at the neuromuscular junction. Plants and mammals share highly conserved glutamate receptor subunits, and glutamate serves as a neurotransmitter in animals as well as an essential amino acid in plants and animals. It is believed that LPS binds to glutamate receptors, which block the glutamate response. Understanding the role of LPS on plant root growth can lead to cost-effective avenues to study mechanisms related to septicemia. Plants have shown how different environments, such as physiological salts, influence root morphology, and electrical potentials. Previously, the exposure to glutamate decreased the growth of primary roots and promoted the growth of secondary roots in Arabidopsis thaliana. The objective of this Mini-Workshop presentation is to present a CURE activity in which students expose LPS and glutamate to A. thaliana to study its influence secondary root development and growth. This presentation will include student learning outcomes collected from a neurophysiology course at a Research One university and a chemistry course at a small women’s liberal arts college, providing insight into its reproducibility in a diversity of settings. Furthermore, preliminary results and potential modifications will be presented that highlight how to create new and cost-effective research projects across multiple course implementations. Examples include testing the effects of LPS on different species of plants, such as peas or lima beans. Lastly, strategies to integrate this CURE in various courses (i.e., neurophysiology, biology, chemistry) to promote the interdisciplinary nature of life sciences will be discussed.
Using Wildlife Webcams as a Tool for Applying Quantitative Methods to Animal Behavior
Brian Swisher, Saint Michael’s College
Wildlife webcams are a widespread and inexpensive technology that can be used to observe the behavior of animals that otherwise may be inaccessible to a lab or field-based course. Although the initial appeal of wildlife webcams is their ease of viewing for entertainment, a subset of available camera sites are suitable for scientific study using quantitative methods. This workshop will introduce participants to each of the main components of a multi-week group-project lab that involves students of animal behavior in: camera selection, formulation of a study question, development of a data collection plan, data collection and analysis, presentation of their project.
Culture(s) and Cooking: Using Cooking Demonstrations to Bridge Cultures and Connect Microbes to Food
Alyssa Ang and Sarah Ruffell; University of Waterloo
An upper year microbiology course focused on the relationship between food microbiology, historically contained a laboratory component focused on food safety. Cooking demonstrations were introduced to the course, to 1) emphasize the link between food, culture and microbes and 2) illustrate the steps involved in food making and how these steps are tightly intertwined with microbial communities and behaviour. These cooking demonstrations were recorded in the faculty members home kitchen, to provide a stronger tie to real-world applications. During the cooking demonstrations the science behind the selection of ingredients and the preparation steps was discussed. Students were surveyed at the end of the term, and their response indicates that the learning objectives were achieved. In this workshop, a presentation will be delivered that provides activity details and shares a cooking demonstration used in the course. During the workshop, a demonstration of bread making will be given, along with a discussion of the microbiology principles being applied to the food preparation process. This demonstration will provide an in-person example of this hands-on activity, while course videos will be shared that provide an example of online delivery of the cooking demonstrations.
Use of eBird as a Tool for Undergraduate Education, Research, and Biodiversity Conservation
Katherine Wydner, Saint Peter’s University
Birds have a long and complex relationship with humans on many levels, from food to culture and myth. Yet over the past 50 years, wild bird populations across the continental United States and Canada have declined by more than 25 percent. eBird is one of the world’s largest biodiversity-related projects, accessible to both citizen-scientists and researchers. Data collected through eBird informs scientists on bird distribution, abundance, and habitat use both spatially and temporally. In this workshop, I will explain how eBird can also be applied at the level of undergraduate education to enrich students’ understanding, appreciation, and knowledge of birds and their biodiversity. Participation in eBird enhances our human connection to birds. eBird was used as part of an online ornithology course at Saint Peter’s University to provide an outside-the-classroom field-based lab experience, but it can also be applied to general biology, ecology, or other field study-based courses. It can be used throughout a semester or for a single laboratory experience. Various aspects of eBird will be explained from data entry to use of summary tools such as bar charts. Ways to develop bird identification skills will be discussed. Participants in this workshop will be able to practice using eBird on their smart phones through free apps provided by eBird and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, such as Merlin Bird ID. Global eBird data is managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and their partners to inform and benefit the cause of bird conservation.
DNA Barcoding for Novices – A Quick Tour and Hands-On Look at a CURE Designed for First-Year Students in a Large Enrollment Lab
Oliver Hyman, James Madison University
Growing calls in science education reform have emphasized wide-scale engagement of first-year undergraduate students in authentic research experiences; however, large course enrollments, inadequate student experience, limited resources and departmental inertia often create obstacles to reaching this goal. To help overcome these obstacles, the Department of Biology at James Madison University (JMU) has developed a cost-effective, scalable, and transferable, course-based research experience designed for large enrollment introductory biology labs. In this series of labs, first-year students use DNA barcoding to engage in authentic research practices drawn from the fields of ecology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics. Students use DNA barcoding to identify local species of plants, fungi, and invertebrates for a course-wide project documenting species richness in different local habitats. In this Mini Workshop we will provide a quick overview of the content, logistics, and implementation of these labs as well as links to resources that can aid in their implementation at your institution. The second half of the workshop will be a brief hands-on tour of a free, user-friendly, web-based platform called DNA subway that our students use to analyze DNA barcode sequences. Please bring a laptop if you can!
Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs)
Gerry Gourlay, University of Victoria
Classroom assessment techniques (or CATs) are activities for obtaining feedback from students around their learning which informs your teaching practice. Angelo and Cross (1993) argued that CATs are an effective way to receive meaningful feedback from your students related to your teaching. CATs can range from a short 2-minute exercise to longer exercises and are highly adaptable and modifiable to fit your unique class or lab dynamic and your teaching needs. In this interactive session, we will discuss the utilization of CATs in the many forms biology classes can take shape with multiple examples and most importantly have time to practice trying out different CATs in the pursuit of obtaining feedback on your teaching.
Hands-on Emotional Learning Tools for Climate Preparedness
Cathy Carolsfeld, Northwest Aquatic & Marine Educators Association
Climate change is accelerating, and climate panic can easily overwhelm us, if given the chance. Hands-on education set in local ecosystems have proven to have a powerful impact on student learning, in part by connecting both the heart and mind to the learning process. This positive approach helps engage students in thinking about bigger questions, including climate discussions and positive actions that can help all of us adapt to long-term climate and environmental changes.
Members of The Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators (NAME) “family” have been providing these kinds of emotional learning opportunities throughout the Pacific Northwest for more than 40 years. Participants in this workshop will experience some of the hands-on activities developed by our member-educators; and exchange ideas about how these examples might be adapted for students of a wide range of ages, subject areas and learning styles.
Coastal education resources created and published by NAME members will be highlighted, including Gloria Snively’s curricular guides, storybooks and many other published marine education resources; and Ann Eriksson’s book, Urgent Message from a Hot Planet: Navigating the Climate Crisis, with its “Toolkit for climate hope.”