The present work aimed to investigate the contribution of the board game 'Synthesizing Proteins' to the understanding of protein synthesis by high school students, based on the socio-interactionist theory of Vygotsky. Fifteen students (six from a public school and nine from a private school) participated in the research, which had three stages:…

Given the importance of phylogenetic trees to understanding common ancestry and evolution, they are a necessary part of the undergraduate biology curriculum. However, a number of common misconceptions, such as reading across branch tips and understanding homoplasy, can pose difficulties in student understanding. Students also may take phylogenetic…

The aim of the research is to examine the contribution of applying author-generated dichotomous keys (digital key - DDK and print key - DPK) to the quality and durability of the knowledge of eighth grade students about the "Systematic and classifications of plants (Bryophyta, Pteridophyta, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms)", as compared to…

While most studies concerning how Universities respond to crises are based on simulations, we describe how the University of Canterbury responded to a real crisis, a series of major seismic events that caused significant disruption in 2010/2011. We focus on a single, first-year undergraduate biology course in which we modified our teaching…

Undergraduate laboratory exercises addressing aspects of cancer biology such as increased cell proliferation, gain-of-function signaling mutations and tumour formation often rely on tissue culture or even small mammal models. Many departments have limited or no access to these tools, and even well-equipped departments face logistical problems when…

One of the key agendas for the emerging field of disciplinary-based education research is the evaluation of the trajectory of disciplinary knowledge development from novice to expert. However, with the ongoing promotion of student-centered and collaborative undergraduate science classrooms, it is unknown how peer discourse during these exercises…

Family planning, the prevention of unwanted pregnancy, and women's reproductive health are topics that have received close attention for decades. It would therefore be fair to assume that there exists a good knowledge of the menstrual cycle. However, it is clear that many people have various misconceptions about the menstrual cycle and fertile…

This study investigates students' conceptions of the carbon cycle with regard to the components they believe to be relevant to the carbon cycle, how they interrelate these components, the ways in which they trace carbon atoms, and the different levels of biological organisation they consider when doing so. A total of 142 students aged 13-16 years…

During the 2012-2013 academic year the University of North Dakota (UND) piloted the use of a Student Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) classroom. "Genetics," a 300 level class for Biology majors, and "Concepts of Biology," an introductory course for non-majors were two of the classes…

In this paper, I explore how seamless embedding of four mathematical concepts: counting, ratio, distribution, and statistical significance, into a unit on inheritance enables students to gain a deeper insight into biological phenomena than a qualitative only approach achieves. The topic of Mendelian inheritance is used to illustrate this proposal.…

Microscopy skills are critical for many aspects of biology, yet they are notoriously difficult to teach, especially to large classes. We trialled the use of widescreen monitors with touch-screen capability connected to compound microscopes in an introductory-level plant biology lab. Working in teams, students used the screens to interpret,…

Institutions of Higher Education have grappled with the predicament of first-year success and epistemological access for years. Recently, a study employed Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) to elucidate why students who performed relatively well in high school biology struggled with the subject in first-year. This study shed valuable light on this…

Scientific drawing and writing are critical to the development of observational and recording skills in biology. However, it is unclear how the process of drawing and writing contribute to the learning of plant taxonomy. In the present study, 41 adult botanical novices studied a suite of UK native plant species using two methods: labelled drawing…

Visual representations are a familiar element of daily life and particularly beneficial as illustrations in science textbooks. In this case, learners draw on human dimensions such as cognitive style (CS) and prior knowledge (PK) when engaging in visual thinking. This study aimed to compare and explore the relationships among the format aspect…

The recent increase in accessibility and scale of genetic data available through next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has transformed biological inquiry. As a direct result, the application and analysis of NGS data has quickly become an important skill for future scientists. However, the steep learning curve for applying NGS technology to…