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Journal Article

Electronic Student Response Found Feasible in Large Science Lecture Hall: Inexpensive, Homemade System Sparks Student Attention and Participation

Science educators have been directing attention to the surprising ineffectiveness of the traditional lecture and with the increasing enrollment are searching for ways to make large lecture classes more efficent. One of the principal ways is to make t...

Journal Article

Old Wine Into New Bottles: How Traditional Lab Exercises Can Be Converted Into Investigative Ones

The trend in biology labs to move away from the traditional method of teaching to an investigative one is increasing. The object of this is to teach not only the facts but also the process of science. But all techniques and procedures are not equally...

Journal Article

Active Learning in the Lecture Hall: A Nonlaboratory Science Course for the Nonscience Major

In this article, the author modified a primarily lecture, general education course for nonscience majors to engage the students in a variety of active learning activities. Students' skills for cooperative learning were developed slowly, beginning wit...

Journal Article

Editorial: Peacekeeping Technology R&D—A Role for Smaller Science Departments

The Journal of College Science Teaching’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue....

Journal Article

The "Old Dogs" Project: Prodded by Their Peers, Professors Learn New Tricks

In this article, the authors describe a low cost, easily emulated project designed to improve classroom teaching methods. The arcane title supports the notion that "old dogs" (teachers with many years of experience) can learn new tricks. In the desir...

Journal Article

Preparing the Next Generation of College Science Teachers: Offering Pedagogical Training to Graduate Teaching Assistants as Part of the College Reform Agenda

Syracuse University initiated a comprehensive Teacher Assistant (TA) program called the Future Professoriate Project—a project designed to prepare future faculty members for their teaching role. The goal is to transform TAs into confident, knowledg...

Journal Article

Appropriate Technology for the Classroom—Using “Post-it Notes©" as an Active Learning Tool: Discovering a Simple Yet Effective Teaching Device in Everyday Classroom Supplies

During the semester, the author found that students became more and more comfortable with the use of "Post-it Notes”—they became a tool much as their pens and pencils were tools. Some students would make Post-it Note concept maps at home as part...

Journal Article

Evolutionary Biology at the Movies: Analysis of Movie Plots Reveals Importance of Biological Issues to Students

This article features a movie project where students rent and watch the movies on their own time. The project reinforced the author's conviction that nonbiology majors are genuinely interested in biology, although they often do not realize it. Pointi...

Journal Article

Guest Editorial: Strategic Planning at the NSF: A Sea-Change for Undergraduate Institutions

An opinion piece about the integration of research and teaching at undergraduate institutions....

Journal Article

SCST: 'What Am I Doing Here?' Some Thoughts on How This Column Might Better Serve Its Audience

In this column the leadership of SCST shares its views with JCST readers. In this month’s issue, the new SCST president shares thoughts on the column and reminds members that it is a place where they can be speaking and interacting....

Journal Article

Research and Teaching: The Effectiveness of Portfolio Assessments in Science—Integrating an Alternative, Holistic Approach to Learning into the Classroom

One of the most interesting and controversial debates in science education today involves testing and grading strategies. This article describes the results on the effectiveness of using student-created portfolios for learning and assessment. The por...

Journal Article

Interpretation and Closure in the Historical Geology Laboratory: "Reading" Nature's Geological Evidence Overcomes Students' Skepticism

This article features a "reading the rocks" lab activity and an earth history essay both of which are important interpretive and creative elements of the historical geology course. The lab allows the students to begin the course with confidence that ...

Journal Article

DNA Sequencing in Undergraduate Laboratory Courses: Duplicating Current Research Protocols Using Biochemical Methods of Analysis

The basic goal in designing the molecular biology lab was to provide students with exercises that were as representative as possible of current research protocols. This goal was easy for some exercises but the DNA sequencing can be expensive and diff...

Journal Article

Favorite Demonstration: The Brine Shrimp as a Model Organism for Biology—Arthropods Useful in Demonstrating Properties of Organisms

Biology lectures expounding the properties of organisms can easily be enhanced with a living demonstration model organism—the large brine shrimp is one that students find interesting. This article features demonstrations using brine shrimp in the c...

Journal Article

Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues in the Undergraduate Biology Curriculum: Encouraging Student Debate on the Social Implications of Biotechnology

In recent years, ethical questions that require thoughtful deliberation and the making of decisions by all elements of society have been fast emerging from reserch in biology and biotechnology. The main objective of this course is to ensure that stud...

Journal Article

Crossing Disciplinary Lines—Bar Codes and DNA Codes: Students Crack the Codes of Digital Technology

In this course, students study bar codes used by the U.S, Postal Service. Once students have a basic understanding of these codes, they compare their features with that of DNA codes. When students are introduced to the notion of breaking codes, some ...

Journal Article

Undergraduate Geology Education—The Carleton College Experience

At Carleton, students who discover geology as sophomores can start majoring by selecting from several courses in the second level and continuing on in a track that works. It also means that students who do not major in geology have an opportunity to ...

Journal Article

Computer Use in the Science Classroom: Proceed with Caution! What Educators Still Need to Learn About Computer Exploitation

Compared with books, black boards, calculators, and overhead projectors, the computer is a very new entity in the classroom. Despite its newness, this field must mature quickly to keep pace with the rapidly increasing use and potential misuse of comp...

Journal Article

Taking Biology Through Creative Writing: Integrating Abstract Biological Concepts into Narrative Contexts Makes Science Come Alive for Apprehensive Nonmajors

In this article, the author developed entertaining creative writing assignments that require all students to provide the story context for their own learning. Simple and creative methods of conveying information reduce the abstractness of the materia...

Journal Article

Teaching General Biology for Nonmajors Through Community Service Projects

In this article, the teacher reevaluated her teaching techniques and objectives for the general biology course for the nonscience major. In doing so, she felt a change in content, format, and emphasis was necessary. To inspire students to be open to ...

Journal Article

Research and Teaching: Where do Ideas for Students Come From? Applying Constructivism and Textbook Problems in the Laboratory Experience

When students are regimented by lab manuals that dictate what to think, how to think, and when to think, lab activities essentially lose impact for learning. A constructivist approach (as opposed to the constructivist approach) could help make lab ex...