Exploring Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Biology Graduate Teaching Assistants Through Their Participation in Lesson Study

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are responsible for teaching the majority of biology undergraduate laboratory sections, although many have not received training in the aspects of effective teaching. One type of professional development, called lesson study, has played a key role in improving student achievement in secondary education in both Japan and the United States. Key features of lesson study, including research, collaboration, observation, and reflection, are believed to create changes in teachers’ knowledge and beliefs, which can inform the development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). PCK is an integration of both content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge and involves teachers’ understanding of the best ways to help students comprehend the specific subject matter using multiple instructional strategies, examples, and explanations. The present study examined the potential that lesson study holds for advancing GTAs’ PCK while teaching an introductory biology laboratory course.The participants in the study included four GTAs who taught the laboratory sections of a general biology course for students majoring in Biology. The participants had diverse backgrounds, both in terms of their teaching experience and their teacher training. Collectively, the group met for 10 weeks during the fall 2014 semester in order to complete two cycles of lesson study. Using a qualitative methodology, this study found that two aspects of PCK emerged during the lesson study process. The researcher also noticed a disconnect between the participants’ intent and practice. This disconnect could be attributed to the awkwardness of implementation of new strategies, the duration of the lesson study, and the inexperience of the participants in the study.Ph.D

English for Strufents of Biological Departments

Структура пособия позволяет выбрать оптимальные способы организации работы для эффективного усвоения материала и аналитической обработки информации.Данное пособие предназначено для студентов I курса биологического факультета университета. В пособии представлены оригинальные тексты и упражнения к ним, способствующие закреплению лексического и грамматического материала

Community college students\u27 plant biodiversity learning experience in an introductory biology course: exploring the value added by using a CD-ROM to develop inquiry lessons

This study examined the value added to standard textbook-based instruction of plant biodiversity by the use of the exemplary interactive CD-ROM, Conserving Earth’s Biodiversity. This CD-ROM features renowned conservation figure E.O. Wilson. The setting of the research was an introductory biology course in a rural public community college in the Deep South. Six participants were purposively selected to represent three levels of achievement and two groups, the CD-ROM group (exposed to CD-ROM in addition to the textbook) and the textbook group (only course textbook). Students experienced lecture-based, textual, virtual, and real experiences, and examined their ability to understand biodiversity-related concepts and to pursue guided-inquiry questions about local plant biodiversity. Their performance was assessed through activities, quizzes, concept maps, interviews, surveys, and students’ presentations. This study led to three main findings. First, use of the CD-ROM, in addition to the textbook, allowed students to form a well-rounded grasp of plant biodiversity. Second, use of the CD-ROM enhanced the development of inquiries on local plant biodiversity and the metacognitive phase of assigning roles for local plant diversity. Third, the Plant Biodiversity Literacy Rubric [PBLR] was developed, based upon the history of the concept of biodiversity and was used to evaluate students’ progress by assigning them to various levels of understanding during the study. The students in the CD-ROM group gained a broader perspective of plant biodiversity-related concepts, such as levels of biodiversity, hot spots, genetic diversity, food plant diversity, and threats to biodiversity. The CD-ROM was never detrimental to the learning process. They were more self-directed in their development of inquiries, felt more confident about their presentations, and were more metacognitive during their inquiries. Performance on specific activities such as the essay and The Golden List of Species suggested an enhanced cognitive-behavioral/affective experience for students in the CD-ROM group. The PBLR is an exportable instrument, which may allow ecology educators at all levels to assess student’s levels of understanding in a sensitive way. At this time, it is critical to gauge effective understanding of plant biodiversity and ecology education, as it is vital to the survival and well-being of life on Earth

Champagne Seas—Foretelling the Ocean’s Future?

Imagine you are an ocean researcher and you want to study the ecological impacts of ocean acidification. You know from studies carried out under controlled laboratory conditions that lowered pH can impact the physiology, growth, and development of certain organisms. What you want to know next is how these changes in individual species translate into the direct and indirect ecological changes that occur in the open ocean. Here we summarize the results from a new approach to understanding the ecological implications of ocean acidification: observational studies and IN SITU experimentation at ocean sites with low pH and high CO2

Lynn Margulis : discurs llegit a la cerimònia d'investidura celebrada a la sala d'actes del Rectorat el dia 6 de juny de 2007

La professora Lynn Margulis es va doctorar al Departament de Genètica a la Universitat de Califòrnia, Berkeley (1960-63). Durant els anys seixanta va demostrar una extraordinària capacitat de síntesi al reunir centenars d'experiments i hipòtesis disperses per formular d'una manera coherent la teoria de l' endosimbiosi, per explicar l'origen de la cèl·lula eucariòtica. En la dècada dels anys setanta va viatjar incansablement per defensar l'esmentada teoria, actualment acceptada i que constitueix una de les bases més importants de la moderna biologia cel·lular.Especialment interessant ha estat la intensa col·laboració científica que ha mantingut amb el professor James E. Lovelock, autor de la hipòtesi Gaia, i que considera la Terra com un supraorganisme capaç d'autoregular-se. Aquesta col·laboració la va portar a interessar-se per altres temes com l'Ecologia global o l'evolució dels primers microorganismes. La seva tasca científica ha quedat reflectida en els seus llibres i en un gran nombre de publicacions amb importants contribucions a la biologia cel·lular i a l'evolució microbiana. Pel que fa a la tasca docent, ha estat professora en les universitats de Boston i Masschussets Amherst, a més de professora visitant d'universitats de tot el món. Lynn Margulis ha rebut nombrosos premis i distincions al llarg de la seva carrera i forma part de diversos comitès científics internacionals . És membre de la Acadèmia Nacional de Ciències dels EUA des de 1983 i de l'Acadèmia Russa de Ciències Naturals. Actualment, Lynn Margulis és professora distingida del Departament de Geociències de la Universitat de Massachussets Amherst.Nomenament 01/02/2007. A proposta de Facultat de Biociències. Investidura 06/06/2007. Padrina: Isabel Esteve Martíne

Promoting students’ metacognitive awareness and cognitive learning outcomes in science education

This research aimed to investigate the effect of project-based learning (PjBL), predict-observe-explain (POE), and predict-observe-explain based project (POEP) on metacognitive awareness and cognitive learning outcomes in biology learning. The research used a pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design. The experiment was conducted from August to December 2020. The metacognitive awareness questionnaire was applied to measure students’ metacognitive awareness. Besides, an essay test was used to assess cognitive learning outcomes. Data collection in this study was carried out using Google Form, Google Classroom, Google Meet, and WhatsApp. Data analysis using statistical product and service solutions (SPSS) version 23 software. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) results analysis showed that PjBL, POE, and POEP affected students’ metacognitive awareness and cognitive learning outcomes in biology learning with a value of p<0.005. The least significant different (LSD) result was significantly different in improving students’ metacognitive awareness and cognitive learning outcomes. The POEP class gained the highest posttest score. Therefore, POEP could be applicable to improve students’ metacognitive awareness and cognitive learning outcomes in Biology learning