We are pleased to offer a new 90-minute Extended Mini format for this year’s Mini Workshops, in addition to the traditional 45-minute sessions. 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. All will include discussion and attendee participation. Some 45-minute workshops are offered twice throughout the day.
Conference attendees will sign up to attend specific workshops outside of the conference registration headquarters (Jennings Hall 251) once the conference begins. Early sign-up is encouraged, as space is limited and sessions do fill up.
8:30-10:00 AM | 10:30-11:15 AM | 1:45-2:30 PM | 3:00-3:45 PM
8:30-10:00 AM (Extended Mini Workshops)
Exploring macroevolution
Kari Benson – Lynchburg College
The unity and diversification of life is the key framework of biology and yet is a difficult concept for students to grasp. Here, we study macroevolution by both reflecting on the geologic history of the students’ home towns and solving mysteries related to fossil samples. In this inquiry, participants will solve the puzzles as the students do, to explore using fossils to learn about evolutionary history, ways of dating fossils, using online resources to determine the provenance, origin, and age of fossils, and getting practice with electronic resources. Most puzzles require some combination of direct observation and online analysis. As in the lab exercise, we will discuss the various puzzles to demonstrate the varied approaches in each. For later use, fossils samples can be ordered online and these puzzles can be adapted for use anywhere. Student learning assessment is conducted through both oral presentations and a brief written summary. The combination of hands-on experience and online research encourages reflection on both deep-time and the unity of life.
Equipping Students with a Transferable Skill: A Fool-proof Guide for Introducing Immunohistochemistry to the Undergraduate Neuroscience Laboratory
Audrey Chen – University of California, Irvine
Widely used in research laboratories, immunohistochemisty is a transferable skill that prepares undergraduate students for a variety of careers in the biomedical field; however, it is rarely introduced to students in the classroom laboratory. We have developed an effective, inquiry-based immunohistochemistry laboratory exercise which introduces students to the theory, procedure, and data interpretation of antibody staining in brain tissue. In two 4-hr lab sessions, students are exposed to handling of delicate brain slices, fluorescent microscopy, and data analysis using the Allen Brain Atlas, an online freely accessible database of expression patterns in the brain. The workshop will outline the standard lab lesson and also introduce adapted lessons to accommodate shorter class times, bypass the need for live vertebrates, or integrated into a 4-week course-based research experience. Workshop participants will visualize more difficult parts of the procedure, gain logistical tips on successful lab sessions, and leave with handouts of the protocol, supply list, and in-class worksheet. Although originally designed for upper-division neuroscience lab classes, this laboratory exercise would also be suitable for upper-division cell biology labs.
Introducing the Panorama Player, a revolutionary audiovisual teaching tool
Lakshmi Chilukuri – University of California, San Diego
Have you ever taught an intricate concept and had students forget the beginning before you got to the end? Or struggled with keeping all the details in play while engaging students in critical analysis? We have. Transposon mutagenesis is an intricate and elegant experiment that takes our students minutes to perform and days to understand. Students struggle with connecting the intricacies of the experimental design to the desired and actual outcomes. Preparation and review are integral to their understanding but blackboards are impermanent, powerpoints lack flexibility, and videos have a limiting linear progression. Since implementing our innovative video technology, the Panorama Player, we have made big strides in analytical analysis. This flexible lecture capture platform allows students to see the entire blackboard at the same time as a closeup view of the segment currently being explained. Students can also view a different segment of the blackboard without rewinding or pausing the audio. This technology has received enthusiastic reviews from faculty, instructional assistants, and students. Workshop participants will begin by attempting the most salient transposon mutagenesis questions based on assigned reading. Following a demonstration of our technology, we will explore extensions to the experiment permitted by clear conceptual understanding.
The DNA Damage Game
Steve Chordas, Caroline Breitenberger – The Ohio State University
The “DNA Damage Game” was developed to improve students’ understanding of the effects (or lack thereof) of mutations. It has been used primarily in a required upper division course for biology majors at Ohio State. In the game, students start with a DNA sequence containing a proto-oncogene and a tumor suppressor gene encoded in opposite strands. Each student also picks a card specifying genetic and environmental factors that may influence the types and frequency of mutations their DNA will acquire over the course of the game. The instructor announces exposure to various mutagens, and rolls of the dice determine how much DNA is damaged, where the damage occurs, and whether it is repaired. At the end of the game, students receive the information needed to decode their DNA sequence and determine how the mutations have affected their proto-oncogene and tumor suppressor gene. Participants in this mini-workshop will have an opportunity to play an abbreviated version of the game, to analyze their results, and to discuss the impact and utility of the game.
The effects of clove oil as an anesthetic for an insects
Robin L. Cooper, Kristin Weineck*, and Alexandra Stanback – University of Kentucky,
* University of Kentucky and Department of Medicine, Rostock University
The examination of the active ingredient in clove oil (i.e. eugenol) as an anesthetic for use on Drosophila melanogaster will be investigated. Adult fruit flies will be anesthetized with a simple flow through apparatus and the recovery will be performed. Behavioral tests to examine for alterations in behavior as well as to timing of recovery will be performed. Larvae will also be examined in a dose dependent manner to investigate the effect of eugenol. Behavioral assay with larvae will be performed with counts of body wall movements and mouth hook movements. Herat rate in intact larvae will also be measured after exposure to eugenol. Participations interested in direct application of 100ppm eugenol (mixed with physiological saline) directly on the larval heart and neuromuscular junction will be shown the dissections and experiments which can be performed. Eugenol can also be applied to other insects and invertebrates for comparisons. Injections and bath exposure of crayfish to eugenol will be demonstrated. This is a hands on mini-workshop. This is a true NGSS 3-dimensional student inquiry type of activity from engineering design to implementation and data analysis.
Cultivating Creative Communication through Graphic Summary
Lisa Farmer – University of Houston
The graphic summary is a combination of text and graphics that models a concept or process and presents evidence to support an argument. I use this format to train students to dig into the primary literature, find and evaluate sources beyond the textbook, and communicate effectively and creatively – all essential steps in training students in writing scientifically. The concise guidelines introduce students to disciplinary conventions for writing, but solicit creative responses at both the introductory and advanced levels. It requires students to exercise the same level of analytical skill as a traditional written summary, but is faster and more interesting to grade. In classes of 30 – 60 students, more than 90% of students choose a unique graphic approach to summarize experimental methods and results. To demonstrate this pedagogical approach, workshop attendees will construct paper-based graphic summaries derived from experimental data given the same preset guidelines and grading criteria that students receive. Completed summaries will be randomly redistributed among workshop attendees for rubric-based peer review to mimic the student peer review process that is paired with instructor-based review. Instructors that are seeking creative new approaches to assess student communication skills without requiring extensive writing assignments will benefit from this presentation.
Creating Collaborative, TA-centered Weekly Instructional Meetings to Support Student-centered Laboratory Instruction
Jonathan Horn, Erica Szeyller – The Ohio State University
In large lab courses weekly instructional meetings are paramount to course communication and uniform lab curriculum delivery, but can become tedious and ineffectual. We identified multiple challenges in our meetings, including: poor efficiency, too much focus on negative student interactions (‘venting’), reliance on lecture-style information delivery, decreased meeting value for repeat TAs, poor meeting preparedness by new TAs, and persistent misconceptions regarding lab pedagogy. These challenges were addressed by creating more collaborative, supportive, and TA-centered meetings that focus on student learning. In this session, we will share our methods, rationale, and discoveries in redesigning our weekly instructional meetings. Participants will use backward design to develop a plan for implementing TA-centric and learning goals-oriented instructional meetings at their own institutions.
Evolving with Avidians
Dianne Jennings – Virginia Commonwealth University
Do your struggle to understand the randomness of mutation? Do you hear your students say ‘this evolved so that…’? Or maybe they don’t understand how “fitness” can cause a change in the gene pool of a population. Come and explore how Avidians may be able to help your students with these concepts and how Avidians can be used for students to design their own research questions about evolution. We will be using a virtual online evolution (not a simulation though) to explore the potential of these unique organisms. Be prepared to fall in love with them.
Snapping Biodiversity: Documenting and sharing natural history using smartphones and social media
Kimberly Kellett – Georgia State University – Perimeter College
Students are on their phones constantly – why not incorporate their love of snapchatting and hashtagging into a learning activity? In this workshop, participants will learn about a scavenger-hunt style activity that allows students to document and share their natural history discoveries – biodiversity, adaptations, biological interactions – with their family and friends (and you) through photographs and videos. This activity will reinforce material that students have learned, give them opportunity to expand their knowledge, and emphasize the importance of science communication! Participants will hear about and discuss a variety of ways to implement this activity in their own courses – whether it is a semester-long project, a lab activity, or a homework assignment. Participants will also have an opportunity to conduct their own “mini hunt” and compete for the glory of… well.. winning the hunt. This workshop is appropriate for anyone who teaches majors or non-majors courses that include the topics of biodiversity, organismal evolution, and/or ecology. The only thing you need to bring to this workshop is a smartphone or tablet. #signupforthisminiplease
Teaching ecology with extended, student-led research studies using publicly available camera trap data collected in Tanzania, Africa
Shannon Mallison – Wake Forest University
This multi-week lab was designed to increase student engagement and understanding of ecological principles by using actual data collected in the Serengeti National Park. In addition, it connects them with real research being done in the department. It begins with students classifying camera trap images. They are then given selected datasets and are asked to answer manageable research questions (about biodiversity, habitat use, and animal behavior) and share their results with the class. Groups are let loose to query the full database and develop their own research questions. They also have access to the metadata (weather, habitat, distance from water, etc.) from the 200+ sites where the traps are located. They continue to work, sharing and collaborating with the class continually, during the next 2 weeks. Their final product is presented to the class in a symposium-style meeting. Projects included studies which examined biodiversity, predator-prey relationships, the effects of human interactions on wildlife, habitat use, and other species interactions. The students not only became enthusiastic experts on their own topic, they shared this knowledge with others in the classroom. This workshop will review the curriculum and database used, discuss the class outcomes, and brainstorm other possible ideas for the lab.
Designing Effective Introductory Biology Labs: Fostering a Spirit of Inquiry
John S. Peters – College of Charleston
Consider the experiences of students enrolled in your school’s introductory biology labs. Do your students come to value the spirit of scientific inquiry? By this, I mean; do they have diverse opportunities to experience the creativity involved in scientific discovery? Do they come to value the collaborative nature of science? Does that which motivates scientists to explore nature also motivate your students? Are your students comfortable with the question-driven, dynamic and tentative nature of science? Do your students appreciate why we should trust scientific knowledge and come to value its connections to issues that will confront them in their personal and civic lives. Traditional guided labs that focus on verifying concepts and processes (the follow directions and answer questions approach) often ignore these questions, simply assuming that just because labs are “hands-on”, and mimic “the scientific method” that students will come to appreciate scientific inquiry. This workshop will immerse participants in collaborative and inquiry-based lab experiences designed to foster student engagement, a creative mindset, effective collaboration, independence of thought, and scientific intellectual & communication skills in both majors’ and non-science majors’ introductory biology labs. The workshop will also explore instructional support resources developed to help our graduate (Masters-level) lab-teaching assistants make the transition from their experiences in traditional verification-style labs to leading a collaborative & inquiry-based lab. At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to examine the entire inquiry-based lab approach utilized in our large-enrollment introductory biology labs, along with samples of student & instructional support resources.
Use of Project FeederWatch to Engage Undergraduates in Bird Studies and Behavior
Katherine Wydner – Saint Peter’s University
Project FeederWatch (PFW) is an annual winter survey of birds that provides information about long-term changes in bird distribution and abundance across North America. From November to early April, birds at and around feeders are monitored according to an established protocol and reported to a database managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. Data on species of birds and the highest number of each species observed at a time are collected. Environmental factors such as weather conditions and snow cover are also recorded. PFW data are useful because they inform on where birds are as well as where they are not. In this workshop, I will present information on how PFW has been used at Saint Peter’s University to educate and engage students about birds and their behavior. The PFW protocol will be explained. Activities include a lesson on how to identify common feeder birds as well as how to be prepared for the surprise visitor. Types of bird feeding stations will be discussed. Weather conditions permitting, we will walk outside (visit a bird feeder if available), discuss PFW methods, and practice bird identification and data collection.
10:30-11:15 AM
An inquiry-based laboratory curriculum investigating cell viability using mammalian cell culture and fluorescence microscopy
Alessandra Barrera, Jennifer Hurst-Kennedy – Georgia Gwinnett College
Inquiry-based research experiences in an undergraduate laboratory lead to an increase critical thinking and improve student learning gains. This presentation will focus on the implementation of a model for a semester-long, course-embedded, inquiry-based research experience in a Cell Biology Laboratory. In this new curriculum, students work in groups to design experiments to investigate the effects of a chosen factor (e.g., acetaminophen, green tea) on cultured mammalian cells. The project is divided into two modules; the first module tests the effects of their chosen factor on cell viability using trypan blue exclusion assays, and the second investigates the mechanism of these effects by examining cell death and cytoskeletal alterations using fluorescence microscopy. The goal of this curriculum is to advance important student research skills, including graphing and experimental design, critical thinking skills, and scientific communication. Students apply a rigorous scientific approach to interpretation of the data generated, including analysis of the generated data and its relationship of the data to previously published work. The focus of this workshop is to discuss the curriculum model, the pedagogical goals, the logistics of implementing authentic research experiences in undergraduate courses, and the potential modifications for institutions with varying instrument availability.
Antibiotic resistant bacteria, play it to learn it
Catarina Mata – Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a topic that is particularly hard teach effectively to students taking their first Biology class. Students have several erroneous preconceptions of how it works. Such as “if you take antibiotics your body becomes immune to the antibiotic, so it will not work anymore”, or “bacteria get stronger” without the real foundation of what happened to allow some bacteria to survive after most were killed. Also, when asked the question “When prescribed antibiotics, do you finish taking the whole dosage, or you stop after a couple of days if you feel better?” about half say they think it is OK to not finish the antibiotics and save them for future use. This exercise that can be done as a complement to an antibiotics lab, or in lecture, has the students play the bacteria, be virtually sprayed with antibiotics multiple times, and have some survive the first rounds, but not the last. One of the scenarios has one of them survive all rounds. The “choice” of who lives is based on something the students are already wearing. After playing this game a couple of times, and reviewing the idea of mutation, and how fast bacteria can divide, students will watch the mega plate petri dish video on bacteria evolution, write their explanation of what happens and pair-share before the whole class discussion. Participants in the workshop, like students, will be bacteria in the game. They will either survive (stand) or die (sit) at each round. In the end they will discuss the reasons for survival. Since this approach has been used to teach antibiotic resistance, the number of students that demonstrate understanding the antibiotic resistance concept in exams has more than tripled.
Marine and Aquatic Ecology in Biology Labs through a Microcosm: An Alternative Integration to the Curriculum
Carrington Conerly, Elton Nguyen – The Ohio State University
With coral reefs declining and fauna in urban environments overlooked, it is more important than ever to ignite interest in these habitats to foster a new generation of conservationists. The purpose of this workshop is to demonstrate a method to expose students to aquatic ecological processes and biological diversity in habitats around the world through the use of established freshwater and marine microcosms. Within our microcosm room, we have established four 75+ gallon aquaria each representing a different habitat. These habitats range from coral reef to rainforest floor to what can be found locally here on campus. The marine tank is a closed system while the freshwater tanks are connected to each other allowing the water to cycle through these various environments. During this session, participants will learn about the creation of the microcosm room itself, including both the mechanics of how it was done along with tips and tricks we learned along the way. Then, participants will have the chance to experience the microcosms firsthand. Throughout the entire session, we will be providing details about how you can set up your own microcosms in a teaching laboratory.
Collaborative Concept Mapping in Google Draw
Rachel Hartnett, Mariëlle Hoefnagels – University of Oklahoma
Concept maps are wonderful tools for revealing connections among topics. In a progressive concept map, students build a portion of a concept map early in the semester and then add to it as the semester progresses (see Gayler and Hoefnagels mini-workshop, 2016 ABLE conference). The objective is to help students understand that all topics in biology, from atoms to ecosystems, are related. In previous semesters, our students have used a classroom set of iPads equipped with the Inspiration app to complete these assignments. Pairs of students would build a map on one iPad, save the completed map as a PDF, and email it to the TA. Students who wished to use the concept map to study would not be able to manipulate it outside of class unless they also owned the Inspiration app. However, Course Management Systems (CMS) are now integrated with Google Drive. This integration makes it possible for students to construct the concept maps collaboratively in Google Draw and turn them in directly to Canvas or another CMS (e.g., Blackboard, Moodle, and D2L). Because each map is stored on the student’s own Google Drive, students can continue to work with them outside of class as desired. In this hands-on workshop, you will work in teams to download a Google Draw template, use it to build a concept map, and learn how to submit it as an assignment in Canvas or another CMS. We will also discuss strategies and best practices that will maximize student participation and collaboration. Attendees should come prepared with a laptop or tablet, plus a preexisting Gmail account and current password.
The Great Elephant Census as a Case Study in Field Methods and Modelling: Scaffolded Activities with HHMI BioInteractive
Tara Holmberg – Northwestern Connecticut Community College
It is necessary for students to acknowledge that multiple methods can be used solve a problem. In addition, they should be able to use critical thinking skills to determine which method is best in different circumstances. Attendees at this mini-workshop will engage with several HHMI BioInteractive resources that facilitate students developing their sense of real-world challenges to methodology and considerations of accuracy and precision. Participants will see how students are drawn in by the current plight of modern African elephants. Three distinct, but related, activities are scaffolded and include active learning and modelling. The activities serve to clarify and reinforce terminology and concepts of various survey methods, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each. They are also a wonderful springboard for discussion of real-world challenges for scientists, biodiversity loss, keystone species, and much more. Students are quickly engaged in the activities and narrative because it is current and relevant. The lessons learned can be applied far beyond the elephant census.
Barking up a storm: what dog DNA testing can tell us about statistical errors
Lily Li, Eric Tarapore, Dail Chapman, Debra Mauzy-Melitz – University of California, Irvine
Recent technical advances have made sequencing more accessible than ever before,
leading to an increase in public interest in DNA testing. DNA testing results include ancestry
information and potential risk factors associated with disease. However, these results are
largely dependent on the reference population used by each company, which leads to potential errors. While founded in human genomics, the field has expanded to offer DNA testing for dogs (carrying over the same kinds of problems)! Fostered by an activity detailing current sequencing tools, this active learning exercise has students identify type I/type II statistical errors using real results from Wisdom Panel Dog DNA tests. To enhance this activity, we conclude with a discussion of current genetic testing limitations, exercising students’ abilities to critique popular science fads.
Protein Characterization – a database-based approach for analyzing protein structure and function
Alma E. Rodriguez Estrada – Aurora University
The study of proteins’ structure and function is essential in biochemistry courses. Once a basic understanding of the four levels of protein structure is achieved and general information about their function is learned, an additional challenge would further cement and tests students’ ability to understand and explain how protein structure often dictates its function and how structural changes due to mutations or altered cellular environment could potentially affect the function of proteins. The term paper “protein characterization” is a written assignment (mini-term paper) that students complete during several weeks of a biochemistry course. Students choose a protein of interest and explore the Protein Data Bank (PDB) in order to retrieve information related to the three dimensional structure, amino acid residue sequence and protein annotation. Likewise, students are required to review primary literature related to protein isolation and analysis. In this mini workshop, participants become involved in the inquiry process that students experience while completing this assignment. Participants will use the PDB website and the Jmol software to examine proteins. The presenter will also share the instructions and rubrics used to asses this assignment.
Introducing Freshmen to Scientific Writing
John Stewart – Oklahoma State University
As part of our Life Sciences Freshman Research Scholars program, we teach first-year students writing in a seminar class in their first semester. In the course, we teach literature citation skills (database searching and citation styles), scientific paper reading comprehension, and English technical writing style. We also teach Microsoft Word and EndNote use. Students write documents related to aspects of the program for their grades, including an example email to a faculty member, a set of annotated citations, a faculty interview summary, and a final proposal for work they will conduct in the following spring. Our students often struggle with finding literature, citing in a particular style, organizing their proposals, writing with the appropriate detail level, and knowing what information they need to include. We see improvement in their work and receive reports that our lessons helpful in other classes. In this workshop, we will report what we have learned in four years of teaching this course and discuss best practices in teaching scientific writing for all levels of students.
Six Lessons from Administering a Biology Teaching Professional Development Course
Erica Szeyller, Judith S. Ridgway – The Ohio State University
Teaching professional development (TPD) is nationally recommended for improving biology education, however the community lacks information on how to successfully implement TPD programs. To help bridge that gap, we will provide six transferable lessons from 10 years of experience in administering a biology TPD course at The Ohio State University. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to reflect on their current and potential TPD program components, recall best practices for a TPD course, analyze the usefulness of TPD components to their own situation, and identify initial steps to instigate change to their own TPD program. To meet those objectives, participants will engage in solo reflection, as well as small- and large-group discussion.
1:45-2:30 PM
Argument driven inquiry (ADI) labs using citizen science programs as a pre-CURE backbone
Kristine Callis-Duehl, Taria Crenshaw, Debbie Lichti – East Carolina University
East Carolina University has reformed the introductory Biology, Chemistry and Physics labs to use the same Argument Driven Inquiry format and expectations. The consistent expectations for method design, claim formation and evidence based justification allows students to develop their science argumentation skills as a central learning objective for their overall science education. Students create data-based posters that are the center for discussion and write lab reports that go through an intensive peer-review session to receive feedback from their classmates. In the second semester biology lab at ECU, focused on evolution and ecology, we use the citizen science project BudBurst as a pre-CURE laboratory activity. In this workshop, we will discuss the ADI format, present data on implementation and walk through the citizen science-based ADI lab. Attendees will participate in a mock ADI poster session and a peer-review paper session based on the BudBurst activity to better understand how to integrate these key activities in their own curriculum.
You won’t believe what these scientists found! Identifying and overcoming misrepresentation of science in mainstream media
Sarah Carmona, Alexa Roemmich, Debra Mauzy-Melitz – University of California, Irvine
Scientists have a responsibility to report their findings to the general public. However, the way scientific results are disseminated to a broader audience is frequently misleading. Authors of popular science (or “blog style”) articles often do not have a background in science, and articles may be compromised to emphasize the “wow” factor. Identifying the differences between clear, concise scientific writing and “clickbait” blogging is a vital skill to learn. In this workshop, students will gain a better understanding of science writing by comparing and contrasting the style, depth of content, and focus of a primary research article and its counterpart popular science article. By the end of this activity, students will be able to identify key components of primary research that are often missing in mainstream science reporting and will practice representing scientific research in an exciting way without misleading the reader or diluting the content. This exercise is particularly well-suited to a writing course for science majors but could also be adapted to non-major science courses.
Keystone Species and the Regulation of Ecosystems
Parks Collins – Mitchell Community College
Food chains within ecosystems rely on producers for regulation simply because no food for herbivores means no food for carnivores. However, there is another important factor in the regulation of an ecosystem: top predators. Using HHMI BioInteractive’s “Modeling Trophic Cascades” activity and “Exploring Trophic Cascades” click and learn, we will examine evidence on how top-down forces, such as predation, shape ecological communities both directly and indirectly. In this workshop, participants will learn how these two activities can be used in conjunction with a case from the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science titled “The Return of Canis lupus?” Together, these resources provide the opportunity for an in-depth class discussion about keystone species and trophic cascades. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to work with data sets from the case and scientific literature all while learning helpful strategies for presenting these to students.
Teaching Principles of Sustainability to non-majors through Community Engagement
Jessica Goldstein – Barnard College
Non-majors often take a science class out of obligation and have varied levels of interest in biological topics. To increase excitement and understanding about ecological concepts, we combined data-heavy footprint calculations with a tangible community-based civic engagement project. We asked students to volunteer at an local organization that would have a positive impact on their environment. Before volunteering, students took a short online “quiz” hosted by the Global Footprint Network (www.footprintnetwork.org) to calculate their ecological footprint and think about issues of sustainability locally and globally. Armed with this information, students were asked to decide how to collect data during their volunteer experience that would provide information on how their activity affected their local environment. Students chose to work on projects ranging from park clean-ups to salvaging and restoring bicycles for urban youth. They then presented what they learned (poster session or PowerPoint), with an added benefit of enhancing communication skills. These projects got students interested, engaged, and excited about sustainability and using resources more responsibly. This workshop will describe how to implement this project as well as provide time for participants to explore the Global Footprint Network’s vast set of ecological and sustainability resources.
Collaborative Concept Mapping in Google Draw
Rachel Hartnett, Mariëlle Hoefnagels – University of Oklahoma
Concept maps are wonderful tools for revealing connections among topics. In a progressive concept map, students build a portion of a concept map early in the semester and then add to it as the semester progresses (see Gayler and Hoefnagels mini-workshop, 2016 ABLE conference). The objective is to help students understand that all topics in biology, from atoms to ecosystems, are related. In previous semesters, our students have used a classroom set of iPads equipped with the Inspiration app to complete these assignments. Pairs of students would build a map on one iPad, save the completed map as a PDF, and email it to the TA. Students who wished to use the concept map to study would not be able to manipulate it outside of class unless they also owned the Inspiration app. However, Course Management Systems (CMS) are now integrated with Google Drive. This integration makes it possible for students to construct the concept maps collaboratively in Google Draw and turn them in directly to Canvas or another CMS (e.g., Blackboard, Moodle, and D2L). Because each map is stored on the student’s own Google Drive, students can continue to work with them outside of class as desired. In this hands-on workshop, you will work in teams to download a Google Draw template, use it to build a concept map, and learn how to submit it as an assignment in Canvas or another CMS. We will also discuss strategies and best practices that will maximize student participation and collaboration. Attendees should come prepared with a laptop or tablet, plus a preexisting Gmail account and current password.
Training Teaching Assistants as Active Participants in Large, Active Learning, Lectures
Amy Kulesza, Stephen Pearson – The Ohio State University
Active learning has been conclusively illustrated to reduce the number of failing students and increase student learning when compared to traditional lectures in STEM courses (Freeman, et al., 2014). As active learning is incorporated more and more in the college biology classroom, instructors typically ask: how do I conduct active learning in my large biology classroom? The answer lies in careful training of Graduate Teaching Assistants, Undergraduate Learning Assistants, or other helpers in the classroom (collectively called TAs). In this active session, participants will undergo training given to TAs and then apply what was learned to the training of their own TAs. Specifically, participants will describe active learning, cite evidence of why active learning is useful, evaluate active learning examples, and understand the role of a TA in a large active learning classroom. Using group discussion, think-pair-shares, and video analysis, participants will understand the type of positive behaviors TAs should exhibit during lectures. Best-practices will be explored, and participants will reflect on application to their own institutions.
Cells at Work: Designing Skits to Model Cellular Processes and Pathways
Judy Moore – Lenoir-Rhyne University
Cells are in a constant state of flux, taking in “supplies”, modifying them into metabolites and necessary biomolecules as they perform energy transformations, build products for intracellular and extracellular use, and give off waste. In this mini-workshop participants will design props and perform skits and other physical demonstrations to model intracellular processes such as activity of the mitochondrial ATP synthase complex, G-protein coupled receptor signaling, protein localization, and/or trp and lac operon function. The open-ended style of these activities is intended to encourage discussion and invention of variations to model regulatory complexities, to incorporate student suggestions, and to maximize meaningful participation for all students. Participants will brainstorm small scale (partner, <5 min) to large scale (whole class, 20 minutes+) physical activities that promote engagement with a variety of cellular processes.
A recipe for success: using Bio Beyond to supplement a non-major Biology course
Nicole Perry – Oakton Community College
In fall 2016, Oakton Community College adopted the use of Bio Beyond, as an adaptive textbook replacement in some sections of our non-majors Biology course in response to low student success rates and concerns about textbook affordability. Bio Beyond, from InSpark technology built on the smart sparrow platform, is an introductory digital textbook program centered on the question of “Is there life in the universe?” Initial results suggest an increased success of 7-9% and an increase in the percentage of “A” grades. Participants will be able to complete a lesson from Bio Beyond to learn how the lessons engage and encourage the students to learn the material. Since the implementation of Bio Beyond, we have worked with Inspark to develop a primer for anatomy and physiology students. We will also share our success results, discuss how we implemented Bio Beyond and the primer, and discuss our future plans for Bio Beyond and related tools in non-major biology courses and anatomy and physiology courses.
Using GFP transgenic C. elegans to demonstrate gene expression
Jennifer Rowsell – Saint Mary’s College
Gene expression is the process by which a gene is used as the instructions to synthesize a protein. Proteins affect an organism’s phenotype, which can be characteristics (such as eye color) or behaviors (such as chemosensation). So, an organism’s genotype (all of its genes) influence its phenotype (characteristics/behaviors) via proteins, which are synthesized based on the DNA instructions in each cell. In this exercise you will observe gene expression by using a transgenic C. elegans strain tax-4::gfp. The tax-4 gene is important in the sense of smell and taste of C. elegans and is expressed in chemosensory neurons. Participants will collect C. elegans from agar plates and wash them with distilled water. C. elegans will be mounted on microscope slides with an agar pad, to prevent coverslips from crushing the worms. Anesthetic will be added to prevent the C. elegans from moving during observation. The C. elegans can be viewed under white light to observe general anatomy (at a minimum to identify the head and tail). Next the C. elegans will be viewed under fluorescent light to observe the location of the TAX-4 protein.
Introducing Freshmen to Scientific Writing
John Stewart – Oklahoma State University
As part of our Life Sciences Freshman Research Scholars program, we teach first-year students writing in a seminar class in their first semester. In the course, we teach literature citation skills (database searching and citation styles), scientific paper reading comprehension, and English technical writing style. We also teach Microsoft Word and EndNote use. Students write documents related to aspects of the program for their grades, including an example email to a faculty member, a set of annotated citations, a faculty interview summary, and a final proposal for work they will conduct in the following spring. Our students often struggle with finding literature, citing in a particular style, organizing their proposals, writing with the appropriate detail level, and knowing what information they need to include. We see improvement in their work and receive reports that our lessons helpful in other classes. In this workshop, we will report what we have learned in four years of teaching this course and discuss best practices in teaching scientific writing for all levels of students.
3:00-3:45 PM
HHMI SEA-PHAGES: A course-based research experience that promotes persistence in the sciences
Tom D’Elia – Indian River State College
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is partnering with 2-year and 4-year institutions across the US to offer a fully-developed two-semester Course-based Research Experience (CRE) designed for institutions to adopt and replace the traditional introductory biology lab sequence. This CRE, called Science Education Alliance – Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES), has been shown to increase the likelihood of students persisting in the sciences when compared to students who take traditional laboratory courses. SEA-PHAGES students isolate and characterize novel bacteriophage during their first semester. During the second semester, complete bacteriophage genomes are analyzed and annotated by the students. Collectively, the data generated by the SEA-PHAGES students lead to new insights about the genetic complexity and evolution of bacteriophages. Since 2008, the SEA-PHAGES project has produced over 70 peer-reviewed publications, many of which include as co-authors SEA-PHAGES students and faculty. In the fall of 2017, 4,563 students (primarily freshmen), from over 100 institutions across the US have participated in the program. If you are interested in offering SEA-PHAGES at your institution, attend this workshop to learn more about the program and the support provided by HHMI. This workshop will also provide an instructor’s perspective to implementing SEA-PHAGES.
Structural DNA nanotechnology for educational laboratories
Michael Hudoba, Otterbein University
Due to the complexity and cost of materials and equipment, structural DNA nanotechnology is limited to research laboratories with expertise in the area that can afford expensive material and equipment. We believe that by removing the need for expensive equipment, students can be exposed to an advanced area of research while meeting valuable educational milestones in fields such as chemistry, biology, biophysics, biological engineering, and materials science. To that end, we have developed four experiment modules that focus on assembling, characterizing, and understanding the design and function of DNA nanodevices. These modules are designed without the need for specialized equipment, allowing students to fold and analyze DNA nanodevices within a 90-minute class period using standard equipment such as hot plates or water baths and a Minione gel electrophoresis system, which is well-suited for classroom implementation. Participants in this workshop will learn basics of DNA nanostructure assembly and engage in a condensed version of an experiment module where they will fold a DNA nanostructure in a self-assembly reaction. We have recently successfully piloted this condensed module in a local 6th grade classroom demo.
Training Teaching Assistants as Active Participants in Large, Active Learning, Lectures
Amy Kulesza, Stephen Pearson – The Ohio State University
Active learning has been conclusively illustrated to reduce the number of failing students and increase student learning when compared to traditional lectures in STEM courses (Freeman, et al., 2014). As active learning is incorporated more and more in the college biology classroom, instructors typically ask: how do I conduct active learning in my large biology classroom? The answer lies in careful training of Graduate Teaching Assistants, Undergraduate Learning Assistants, or other helpers in the classroom (collectively called TAs). In this active session, participants will undergo training given to TAs and then apply what was learned to the training of their own TAs. Specifically, participants will describe active learning, cite evidence of why active learning is useful, evaluate active learning examples, and understand the role of a TA in a large active learning classroom. Using group discussion, think-pair-shares, and video analysis, participants will understand the type of positive behaviors TAs should exhibit during lectures. Best-practices will be explored, and participants will reflect on application to their own institutions.
15 Shades of Gray: An exercise in serial dilutions for undergraduate students
Kristina Lackey, Kati Tormanen, Debra Mauzy-Melitz – University of California Irvine
Many undergraduates struggle with the concept of serial dilutions and making multicomponent solutions. We have developed an activity that makes these seemingly abstract concepts tangible, using readily available dyes as a visual representation of molarity. After this activity, students will be able to pipette serial dilutions accurately, convert between different metric units and make stock solutions with multiple solutes. After a brief presentation about serial dilutions and molarity, groups of 4-5 students are given dyes diluted to a specific concentration and instructed to make further serial dilutions. These solutions are then arranged based on concentration, using the color of the solution as an indicator of molarity. The students will then focus on making solutions of varying concentrations, using multiple solutes. This activity uses two separate dyes to create a hue of colors, ultimately creating a spectrum. With many commercial dyes available, as well as common solutions, this activity can be easily incorporated into any undergraduate laboratory course. In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to try one of the activities and learn how to adapt it in their class setting.
Investigating the Domestication Syndrome
Karen McMahon – The University of Tulsa
Domestication syndrome attempts to explain the noted physical differences of domesticated animals when compared to their wild relatives. In this laboratory exercise, students measure features in the skulls of wolves and their domesticated counterpart, dogs, to determine some of the key changes in anatomy that characterize domestication: shorter snouts, rounder craniums, fewer and smaller teeth, etc. Students then measure and compare several features (size of brow ridge, forehead height, facial shape, etc.) in the Neanderthal skull to that of a modern human to determine if domestication is in evidence in present day humans as recent research has suggested.
BioTAP 2.0 (Biology Teaching Assistant Project): Engaging individuals in scholarly research about biology
Kristen Miller – University of Georgia; Gili Marbach-Ad, Grant Gardener, Beth Schussler, Judy Ridgway, and others
BioTAP 2.0 is a National Science Foundation funded Research Coordination Network grant whose aim is to build capacity within the network for collaborative research on biology graduate teaching assistant teaching professional development (GTA TPD). By helping practitioners assess their own programs, and by working with others to compare assessments across institutions, the network can build the empirical data necessary to make data-driven decisions about programmatic practices. The BioTAP Scholars program leads selected cohorts of individuals through an intensive, year-long program in how to design and engage in a scholarly research project on some aspect of a biology GTA TPD program. Participants in this mini-workshop will learn about the goals and accomplishments of BioTAP 2.0 to date, including data from a national survey on GTA TPD efforts, the first Research Development Session (RDS) and Virtual Learning Communities (VLC) for BioTAP Scholars Cohort 1, and topics of current Scholars’ research projects. BioTAP Scholars will be present to share their experiences with the Scholars program and engage in dialogue about their research project plans and progress. This is an excellent time to network with individuals who share common interests in GTA TPD.
A Hard Day’s Write: Teaching Writing in the Lab with a Minimum of Pain and Suffering
Suzanne Thuecks – Washington College
Washington College has designated introductory biology as part of our undergraduate writing curriculum. We have incorporated changes in assignments, grading, and small lab activities that have resulted in better quality writing. The facets of our program will be presented in the first half of this workshop; the second half will be devoted to discussion of barriers and solutions to the perennial problem of teaching our students how to write. Topics will include conducting effective peer review sessions, getting the most out of instructor comments and grading, resources for mini writing lessons, and more.