Can we get practice questions like the exam? Exploring student expectations and assessment preparation

The perceived misalignment between practice questions and graded assessments can lead to student frustration and discouragement (Osterhage et al., 2019), as well as concerns over fairness. However, students often resist engaging in activities fostering metacognition, particularly in courses where students commonly attempt to use memorized patterns to solve problems (Avena et al., 2021). As a result, students often ask that exams have questions that “are the same as or similar to those solved in class”. Recognizing that mismatches between student expectations and experiences will impact retention (Maloshonok et al., 2017), effort has been undertaken in STEM higher education courses to introduce exercises that foster the development of metacognition (Stanton et al., 2021). To examine differences in expectations between students and faculty in the graded assessments, we implemented exam wrappers in a large-enrollment (311 students) introductory genetics course. To gain further insight, we are conducting interviews with students and instructors from similar courses nationally. In this session, participants will be invited to examine the themes emerging through the analyses of the exam wrappers and our interviews, consider alignment with their own pedagogical contexts, and share strategies to address perceived misalignments with assessments. We aim to develop a student-centred framework to foster metacognitive problem-solving strategies in the post-COVID era. Please note that we will be making use of Mentimeter – please bring your devices with you! This study was performed with ethics approval

BIODIDAC is BACK – A repository of images for biology education at all levels!

Initially launched in 1995 by two biology professors at the University of Ottawa, Antoine Morin and Jon Houseman, BIODIDAC is a fully bilingual (English and French) online database containing images in zoology, botany, human biology, and histology. In the past, nearly 8,300 registered users from 150 countries have used material from BIODIDAC, and it is estimated that around 25 million students and educators worldwide have benefited from it. Each image generally includes the name of the species presented, its common name(s), the format presented, and a detailed text description including its taxonomic classification. Overall, the repository has become a useful tool for a variety of teaching and learning objectives. Examples include the downloading of images for teaching and learning of anatomical and microscopic features and for use in assessments (i.e. labelling structures) to name a few. Unfortunately, as the applications and software used for the original version were outdated, BIODIDAC was taken offline in 2019 and unavailable to the public. Thanks to resources and services of the University of Ottawa Library and Department of Biology, a small team was formed in 2022 with the aim of updating and publishing the images and metadata as an Open Educational Resource (OER) (https://omeka.uottawa.ca/biodidac/). Participants are encouraged to bring an internet connected device to access BIODIDAC and explore the repository

Practical design patterns for guided/fill-in-the-blanks notes for large classes

Incorporating active learning in large multi-section courses with four-digit enrolments often requires careful planning and buy-ins from students and fellow instructors. Setting up active learning is usually a very time-consuming process. Interleaving lecturing and active learning using guided notes offers a middle ground to reduce instructor workload. Guided notes are fill-in-the-blank lecture notes for intentional and purposeful note-taking during class and are typically distributed to students before classes. Research shows guided notes improve students\u27 success rates in challenging courses such as first-year calculus. Our on-the-ground experience matches that of the literature. For example, time saved from copying words off a chalkboard is used for in-class thinking. We found that guided notes promote in-class engagement and encourage two-way communication between instructors and students. We showcase practical design patterns for creating guided notes with examples from first-year undergraduate math courses. Moreover, we discuss strategies to create dynamic lessons and how to reuse such design patterns in your courses

Closing remarks and Lunch-to-go

Join us in the Atrium for our final opportunity to gather at WCSE 2025. Grab a \u27lunch to go\u27 and join us in reflection on the experiences of WCSE 2025

Community Dinner, Sponsored by SimBio

An optional social Community Dinner, generously sponsored by SimBio. Tickets available for purchase online in advance of the conference (via the 2025 Registration and Accommodations portal). Expect a relaxed, casual, and friendly atmosphere, buffet dinner, drink ticket, plus a cash bar. Join us to break bread with your new and familiar colleagues

Do you practice what you preach?: A look at whether instructors model the process they value most

Efforts to reform undergraduate STEM education emphasize evidence-based instructional practices such as student-centered teaching, which shifts the focus from instructors to students by engaging in one-on-one, group, and whole-class discussions (Lund & Stains, 2015). These interactions enhance learning by encouraging students to construct knowledge collaboratively (O’Connor et al., 2015). The quality of these interactions can be assessed by examining teacher discourse moves (TDMs)—verbal strategies that guide student understanding of course content (Kranzfelder et al., 2019). Teacher discourse moves can be authoritative, where the instructor\u27s ideas take precedence, or dialogic, which allows students to develop their own perspectives (Kranzfelder et al., 2020). Despite the value placed on dialogic teacher discourse moves, many instructors still rely on authoritative teacher discourse moves to facilitate student-centered activities (Kranzfelder et al., 2020). Additionally, the role of affective outcomes in shaping how students engage with teacher discourse moves remains underexplored. This mixed-methods observational study explores: What does instructor discourse look like in an introductory biology course? And how do students experience these discourse moves? We analyzed discourse from a diverse group of instructors using the Classroom Discourse Observation Protocol (CDOP; Kranzfelder et al., 2019) and the Follow-up Discourse Observation Protocol (FUDOP; Cen et al., 2024). To complement these data, we conducted student focus groups to understand how students perceive and experience these teacher discourse moves. Our findings offer a nuanced understanding of instructor discourse and its impact on students. These insights will inform professional development initiatives designed to enhance teaching practices in undergraduate biology and provide a foundation for future research on effective classroom practices. This study was reviewed and approved by the UBC Behavioural Research Ethics Board (H19-02391)

Time Saving Tips

Show up with your best time-saving tips for anything (science) education related. Bring a resource, link to a URL, a quick handout, just your voice--whatever. The idea is to share--in a 3-minute, on-the-spot pitch--something that has made your work more sustainable