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Feedback

Participants in the March workshop were asked to describe something they learned and, if they were presenters, something they hoped others learned from their presentations.

I learned some important strategies for improving student learning, such as how to strategically use pre-lecture or pre-lab quizzes, as well as using augmented reality as another way to study protein structure. We also discussed how to work on math skills in our classes and how to encourage crossover between biology and chemistry topics to enhance learning.

I hope that the workshop participants came away from my presentation with some new ideas about how to present the links between DNA and protein structure, as well as the impact of mutation on protein structure and human disease. I presented some possible lab exercises that could be used as a substitute for “wet lab” exercises.

—Tricia Melloy,
Fairleigh Dickinson University

I learned that ideas and reflections take on more pixels and color when they are shared with others. It helped me to explain more fully my thoughts and ideas when I shared with colleagues.

y presentation was on a pre- and post-test on threshold concepts in biochemistry, and I have students with varying chemical backgrounds in my class. I hope people saw that student learning is not just about how many previous classes a student has taken but how deeply they learned about these abstract topics.

—Kelly Keenan,
Stockton University

Scientific literacy is an important and integrated part of critical thinking skills, including interpretation and representation of scientific data; problem solving using quantitative skills; evaluation of scientific information and sources; recognition of evidence to support hypothesis; understanding of research design; and making justifications, predictions and conclusions based on quantitative data.

—Yufeng Wei,
Seton Hall University

I enjoyed hearing about the innovative practices other faculty were using in their classrooms. Since lots of us are finding similar challenges as we try to employ active learning practices, it is good to have a chance to hear about some works in progress to get suggestions and share ideas.

I have been developing a course-based undergraduate research, or CURE, project for a nonmajor’s lab and talked about some aspects of this that have been rewarding and some that have been challenging. I hope that for other faculty who are developing or plan to develop CUREs, it gave them ideas for things to try and things to avoid, and also the willingness to try a good idea that will engage students even if there are some kinks still to work out.

—Amy Springer,
University of Massachusetts Amherst