Review of \u3ci\u3eTeaching Children Science: Hands-on Nature Study in North America, 1890-1930\u3c/i\u3e by Sally Kohlstedt

Many scientists and educators agree that the goal of science education is to prepare students to know, use and interpret scientific explanations of the natural world, as cited in the National Research Council publication, Taking Science to School: Learning and Teaching Science in Grades K-8 (DuschI et al. 2007). Yet, many science instructors of K-12 and post-secondary students often rely on teacher-telling modes of pedagogy and neglect to engage their students in natural inquiry and scientific study that model the research methods used by scientists. As a result, many young people are not aware of how scientists make discoveries about the natural world. Moreover, some critics argue that our children are so out of touch with the natural world that they prefer to be plugged in to electronic games rather than discovering the outdoors, a phenomenon coined as nature deficit disorder by Louv (2006). In response to the realization that our students need more meaningful science instruction, scientists and educators actively proposed reforms and have been studying the effects of various instructional and assessment strategies. As I read about the nature study movement in the late 1800s and early 1900s, I realized that for the past 100 years, North American educators have been passionate about the same things--trying. To find ways to improve science instruction by making It more relevant and interesting to students. We know that when people are passionate about topics, they are more motivated to learn, and this is exactly the sentiment that educators drew upon at the start of the nature study movement in the United States and Canada

Preprint Peer Review Enhances Undergraduate Biology Students' Disciplinary Literacy and Sense of Belonging in STEM

ABSTRACT Education about scientific publishing and manuscript peer review is not universally provided in undergraduate science courses. Since peer review is integral to the scientific process and central to the identity of a scientist, we envision a paradigm shift where teaching peer review becomes integral to undergraduate science education. We hypothesize that teaching undergraduates how to peer review scientific manuscripts may facilitate their development of scientific literacy and identity formation. To this end, we developed a constructivist, service-learning curriculum for biology undergraduates to learn about the mechanisms of peer review using preprints and then to write and publish their own peer reviews of preprints as a way to authentically join the scientific community of practice. The curriculum was implemented as a semester-long intervention in one class and, in another class, as an embedded module intervention. Students' scientific literacy and peer review ability were assessed using quantitative methods. Student’s perceptions of their scientific literacy and identity were assessed using thematic analysis of students’ reflective writing. Here, we present data on the improvement in the peer review ability of undergraduates in both classes and data on the curriculum’s interrelated impact on students’ development of scientific literacy, identity, and belonging in peer and professional discourse spaces. These data suggest that undergraduates can and should be trained in peer review to foster the interrelated development of their scientific literacy, scientific identity, and sense of belonging in science

The problematic Soave cuff in Hirschsprung disease: Manifestations and treatment

Purpose Following a Soave pull-through for Hirschsprung disease (HD), some children struggle with obstructive symptoms. We hypothesized that these symptoms could result from a functional obstruction of the pull through caused by the Soave cuff, and that cuff resection might improve bowel emptying. Methods We reviewed patients referred to our center from 2008 to 2012 with obstructive problems following a Soave pull-through for HD (CCHMC IRB # 2011-2019). Only patients with an obstructing Soave cuff were analyzed. Patients with other reasons for obstruction (anastomotic stricture, transition zone, aganglionic segment) were excluded. Results Thirty-six patients underwent reoperation at our center for obstructive symptoms after an initial Soave pull-through. Seventeen of these patients had a Soave cuff only as the potential source of obstruction. Pre-operative symptoms included enterocolitis (10), constipation (6), and failure to thrive (1). Nine patients (53%) required irrigations to manage distension or enterocolitis pre-operatively. 14/17 patients (82%) had a palpable cuff on rectal exam. Eight patients (47%) had radiographic evidence of a cuff demonstrated by distal narrowing (4) or a prominent presacral space (4). Four children (23%) underwent excision of the cuff only. Thirteen (76%) had removal of the cuff and proximally dilated colon [(average length 7.2 cm) (12 performed transanally, and five needed laparotomy as well.)] Post-operatively, episodes of enterocolitis were reduced to zero, and need for irrigation to treat distension was reduced by 50%. Nine patients have voluntary bowel movements, and five are clean on enemas. 3/6 patients with pre-operative constipation or impaction now empty without enemas. (Follow up 1-17 months, mean 7 months.) Conclusions Recurrent enterocolitis, constipation, or failure to thrive can indicate a functional obstruction due to a Soave cuff when no other pathologic cause exists. Physical exam or contrast enema can identify a problematic cuff. Reoperation with cuff resection can dramatically improve bowel emptying. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Writing-to-learn activities

Zip file includes: • Spreadsheet (with demographic data and general grades) • Spreadsheet with Graphic Organizer data • AAAS/NSF PI Conference paper 2016 • NARST Conference paper 2015 • Cell Biology Concept Survey • Cell Biology WTL Peer Eval Rubric • Cell Biology WTL Grading Rubric • Cell Bio WTL Assignments 1, 2, and 3Includes bibliographical references.Biology educators need instructional strategies to improve student learning and achievement, especially in foundational courses when students are presented with vast amounts of content knowledge. Writing-­to-­learn (WTL) tasks in lecture courses can help biology students improve the quality of their arguments and increase content knowledge. WTL activities can model how scientists use inductive reasoning to design studies and arguments; encourage revision of ideas; support peer review and discussion; and help with writing-­to-­communicate tasks. Our WTL interventions include the use of graphic organizers, iterative writing, peer evaluation, and self-­evaluation. We examined the effects of WTL on content knowledge, performance (grades), and argumentation. WTL is associated with 1) increased use of abstract concepts over the course of the semester in two WTL interventions (intense and moderate); 2) increased performance for some students (first generation, women, and minorities); and dialectical argumentation (persuasive) compared to demonstration arguments (expository).This project was supported by NSF grant TUES # 1244889

Outperforming yet undervalued: Undergraduate women in STEM.

In spite of efforts to increase gender diversity across many science fields, women continue to encounter beliefs that they lack ability and talent. Undergraduate education is a critical time when peer influence may alter choice of majors and careers for women interested in science. Even in life science courses, in which women outnumber men, gender biases that emerge in peer-to-peer interactions during coursework may detract from women's interest and progress. This is the first study of which we are aware to document that women are outperforming men in both physical and life science undergraduate courses at the same institution, while simultaneously continuing to be perceived as less-able students. This is problematic because undergraduate women may not be able to escape gender-ability stereotypes even when they are outperforming men, which has important implications for 1) the recognition of women's achievements among their peers in undergraduate education and 2) retention of women in STEM disciplines and careers