All Journal of College Science Teaching resources

Journal Article

The medieval Spanish custom in which blind storytellers went from town to town telling stories (sung as mantras) of murder, impassioned love, and pestilence to the villagers as a means of sustaining themselves were known as Coplas de Ciego, or Bli...

Journal Article

Society for College Science Teachers: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly—Introductory Biology Textbooks

As editions of textbooks age, we are all forced to reexamine the universe of books and select one to use for three to four semesters. After 30 years of selecting textbooks, the author is still confronted with the fundamental question: Why is it so di...

Journal Article

Prayer Study

Students read an article about a study of the effects of intercessory prayer on cardiac patients published in a renowned medical journal. After reading the case and discussing the questions in small groups, students evaluate the study for its scienti...

Journal Article

The Fish Kill Mystery

In this case, students speculate on what may have caused a major fish kill in an estuary in North Carolina. In the process they explore how land runoff and excess nutrients affect aquatic communities and learn about the complex life cycle of the dino...

Journal Article

Two Peas in a Pod? A Case of Questionable Twins

Based on an actual event, this case study focuses on problems associated with reproductive technologies. It tells the story of the “Jones” who, after in vitro fertilization treatment, discovered that their fraternal twins were less similar in app...

Journal Article

Using Newspapers to Facilitate Learning

Incorporating newspapers into a science course encourages students to take control of their learning. Assignments related to newspapers facilitate active learning in a classroom environment focused on the learner. Several different types of assignmen...

Journal Article

Favorite Demonstration: Using Elodea as a Live Model of the Eukaryotic Cell

In this demonstration, the aquatic plant called Common Waterweed, Elodea Canadensis, serves as a model for cell function. The plant clearly exhibits cell activity by visibly demonstrating cytoplasmic streaming, which occurs in animals, plants, and pr...

Journal Article

Research and Teaching: Successive Concept Mapping

As alternatives to multiple-choice tests, concept maps offer user-friendly ways of evaluating learning. At the same time, they encourage and reward real understanding. The authors explored the value of using successive concept maps as vehicles for as...