Which Sweetener Is Best for Yeast? An Inquiry-Based Learning For Conceptual Change

One way to help students understand the scientific inquiry process, and how it applies in investigative research, is to involve them in scientific investigation.  An example of this would be letting them come to their own understanding of how different variables (e.g., starting products) can affect outcomes (e.g., variable quality end products) (e.g., Cherif, Gialams & Siuda, 1998; Puche & Holt, 2012; Hazzard, 2012).  In this inquiry based learning activity, students work logically and systematically to design a scientific study geared to investigate the question of sweetener preference for yeast.  In doing this, they learn to use skills associated with inquiry such as problem solving and communication–--including the scientific practices of hypothesizing, investigating, observing, explaining, and evaluating (e.g., Cherif, 1988; NRC, 2011; Robinson, Nieh, & Goodale, 2012).  They enforce their understanding of learned concepts and skills by communicating what they have learned through the process of writing a scientific paper aimed at publication in a peer reviewed scientific journal.  In doing so, they learn how scientists practice science, learn cross-disciplinary science concepts and core ideas, and discover implications and applications for the results and findings of the investigative inquiry.  In this paper, we also provide the necessary background and information teachers and student-teachers need to help them to feel confident and competent in carrying out the learning activities with their students and be able to answer unanticipated questions. Keywords: Inquiry-based learning, student success, sweeteners, yeast, fermentation, scientific metho

The Role of Educators in Growing Leaders and Leadership Among School Students

Student activism has been a powerful force through the 20th century and continues into the 21st century. Student protests now are more likely to be instigated by local events and one can see that when students are supported and encouraged, their leadership grows. This paper considers the role of educators in helping students develop their leadership abilities and skills through six examples: climate change protests started in Sweden, gun violence protests in schools sparked in the United States, protests highlighting refugee crisis in Greece, work to understand homeless individuals as human beings, protests focusing on the care for stray animals and movements to pay reparations to descendants of slaves in the United States. Each example is then viewed through the lens of what educators can learn from that experience so that they can most effectively encourage and help students in future movements. Keywords: Student activism, Student’s Leadership, Education Reform, Student’s Engagement DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-18-01 Publication date:June 30th 201

Where Have the Beans Been? Student-Driven Laboratory Learning Activities with Legumes for Conceptual Change

Accessible, familiar, relevant, effective and expansive teaching and learning resources is the dream of every teacher and educator throughout all types of educational systems. Furthermore, engaging students in meaningful scientific investigations using familiar objects inspire students to make the needed connection with the science concept being introduced.  Actively engaging in solving problems, and arriving at empirically based conclusions, leads to a lasting effect on students’ learning; what is more, a deep appreciation of science and the real understanding of the scientific process is fostered.  In this paper, we provide a set of laboratory-based activities using a variety of edible legumes (beans, peas, lentils, etc.) to introduce students to various STEM concepts in integrated, empirical investigations.  Legumes have been grown throughout the world, and have been cultivated since ancient times for more than 11,000 years.  The seeds of legumes come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and are known for their differing nutritional values based on their content. But most of all, they are accessible, familiar, real and relevant, and are limitless in terms of locales where they can be found.  It is precisely these reason that make them an effective teaching and learning resource in the laboratory classroom settings.  Throughout all these laboratory learning activities, students engage in hands-on experiments, conducting research, engage in productive discussion, write scientific papers, and present their findings within a scientific framework.  Through these set of inquiry activities, teachers and students will never look at beans in the same way again.  Perhaps in fact, teachers may even consider them as one of their best teaching and learning resources. Finally, the appendix section offers more ideas that support the teachers whom is introducing these scientific concepts with the use of legumes.  We include additional ideas, information, activities, and questions (complete with answers) that we feel students may ask during the learning process. In doing so, we aim to save time and energy for those teachers who wish to use and/or adapt the suggested laboratory learning activities as a means of introducing conceptual changes. Keywords: Legumes, Science Inquiry, Laboratory experiments, Learning science, Effective learning resources.

Has the Time Come to Start a Dialogue About the Role of Nutrition and Our Inner Microbiomes In Education? Teacher and Faculty Perspectives

The purpose of this study is to determine if educational professionals at the high school and college levels believe that their students should be required to complete a Health and Nutrition and/or a Microbiology course for graduation. The study used both a descriptive survey and a questionnaire as data collection instruments. The study population was comprised of 655 teachers and instructors from high schools, colleges and universities across the U.S.A.   Quantitative analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. Qualitative analysis of open ended responses was organized into multiple themes. While all the participants strongly agreed that our nation (U.S.A.) is facing critical challenges in overcoming the new trends in obesity, diabetes, infectious diseases and other related epidemics, as well as on the role of education in solving the matters, they differ on what to do and how to prepare the current and future generations. At the college level, while over half of all the participants (61.22%) preferred to see Microbiology as a part of the graduation requirement from college, only 41.22% of the same participants felt comfortable in making Nutrition a part of the graduation requirement.  At the high school level, while 42.59% of all the participants saw no problem in including Nutrition as a part of the graduation requirement from high school, only 10.53% of the same participants felt comfortable including Microbiology as a graduation requirement from high school.  More detailed outcomes are presented in this paper. However, more participating college instructors compared to high school teachers did not think either of the topics should be mandated for graduation from high school or college; the only exception would be if these two fields of study were part of their selected academic program. Instead, this group of participants suggested making changes to existing course design and content (such as the required “health” or Biology classes), which would offer valuable additions to the existing curriculum and prepare students in health and nutrition. Finally, almost all of the participants provided various reasons and justifications for their perspectives on the matter.  The study also shows a significant role for administrators and academic leaders in this requirement process (decision making process for the curricula). Recommendations based on the findings are provided and discussed below. Keywords: General education, Nutrition, Microbiology, Human Microbiomes, Obesity, Diabetes, Illness prevention, Infectious diseases, Education, burden of disease, educational reform