We asked biology professors what inspired them to become teachers. Here's what author and instructor Michele Schuster, co-author of Scientific American Biology for a Changing World with Physiology, had to say! Michele Schuster’s journey began when she first encountered the captivating world of biology in high school. It was at that moment when she peered through a microscope and witnessed the intricate beauty of cells for the very first time. Since that awe-inspiring moment, her fascination with cells and chromosomes never waned. Throughout her undergraduate studies, she delved deeper into the realms of cell biology, microbiology, genetics, and all things related to the world of chromosomes. During her time in graduate school, her focus shifted towards the study of chromosome segregation in yeast. Although her project didn't yield the desired results, it failed to dampen her unwavering passion for chromosomes. Following her graduate studies, she embarked on a post-doctoral research position at the University of Pittsburgh, where she  immersed herself in the field of oral cancer cytogenetics. This involved meticulously examining and analyzing rearranged and altered chromosomes found in oral cancer. Her objective was to identify chromosomal alterations that served as indicators of poor outcomes, thus warranting more aggressive treatment approaches. Additionally, she sought to unravel the biological implications of these alterations for future research endeavors. During an unexpected encounter at the Greek Food Festival, Michele’s life took an unforeseen turn. A conversation led to an invitation to teach a summer course in human genetics. Little did she know that this experience would prove to be transformative. Teaching ignited a newfound love within her that surpassed even her passion for chromosomes! Since that pivotal moment, she  devoted herself to the art of teaching, while also delving into the realm of education research. Her current inspiration lies in instilling a sense of wonder and motivation in her students. She strives to help them forge connections between their own interests, emotions, and the captivating world of biology. Her ultimate aim is to demonstrate the profound impact that biology has on their everyday lives. For Michele, success is not solely measured by her students' performance in her class, rather, it is when students’ effectively utilize the knowledge they have acquired to make informed decisions across various facets of their lives. Whether it be in matters of voting, healthcare, nutrition, exercise, or reproduction, she empowers students to apply their understanding, thereby leading fulfilling lives enriched by biological insights. See what Michele had to say about her inspirational journey into the classroom, watch the video below. ... View more

We asked biology instructors what inspired them to teach. James Morris, author of How Life Works, kindly shared with us what motivated him to become a scientist, teacher, and writer. Here's what he had to say!  I wrote How Life Works because I deeply care about science education. But if you ask me what inspired me and got me interested in science in the first place, it was my high school biology teacher, Dr. Dorothy Andrews. Dr. Andrews, or Dr. Dot as we called her, had a unique way of teaching that left a lasting impression on me. One of the things I loved about her was how observant she was of the world around her. She would notice even the tiniest details, like a plant growing through the pavement in a parking lot. We would often go on nature walks, but sometimes we never made it down the trail because she would get so caught up in her fascination with a particular plant. This story perfectly describes her - someone who noticed the world and delighted in it. It made a big impression on me and inspired me to pay close attention to the world around me. Dr. Dot taught me the importance of observation and close looking. She taught me that even something as seemingly simple as a fern can have many variations and unique characteristics. By noticing these differences, we could better identify and understand them. As Yogi Berra once said, "You can see a lot just by looking." Dr. Dot taught me to observe, which is an essential aspect of being a scientist. She had us read a book called "The Art of Scientific Investigation" by W.I.B. Beveridge. This book focused on different aspects of the scientific process, such as observation, experimentation, chance, and imagination. It laid a foundation for my understanding of science and continues to influence the way I teach and write today. When I went to college, I was disappointed to find that there wasn't as much emphasis on observation and experimentation in my biology classes. It was more focused on memorization, which turned me off from pursuing biology as a major. Instead, I became a history major. However, my passion for science was reignited later when I had another inspiring teacher, my graduate advisor, Dr. Ting Wu. Dr. Wu, a geneticist, introduced me to the world of chromosome structure, gene expression, and epigenetics. She encouraged me to ask interesting questions and explore the unknown. One valuable lesson she taught me was to treasure exceptions. When something didn't fit the normal pattern, it was an opportunity to learn something new. This reminded me of Barbara McClintock's book, "A Feeling for the Organism," where she described how getting to know corn so well allowed her to learn from its exceptions, leading to groundbreaking discoveries in genetics. Both Dr. Dot and Dr. Ting inspired me to become a scientist. I try to incorporate their teachings into both my teaching and writing. I prioritize caring for and getting to know my students. I ask open-ended questions that invite discussions rather than simply providing answers. My goal is to instill a sense of wonder in my students because when they are interested and curious, everything else falls into place. They will naturally learn the terms and processes if they have that sense of wonder. In recent years, we have learned a great deal about how students learn best. We understand the importance of learning objectives, structured learning, and active learning. However, one aspect that often gets overlooked is the crucial role of teachers. Just as Dr. Dot and Dr. Ting had a tremendous influence on me, teachers can have a profound impact on their students' lives. So, if you reflect on your own interests and passions, chances are there was a teacher who played a similar role. They ignited that spark within you. As we continue to improve science education, let's remember the significance of teachers. They are the ones who can inspire and guide students on their journey of discovery.  Watch this short video to view his response! ... View more

We asked Professor Ben Pierce, author of Genetics, A Conceptual Approach and Genetics Essentials, what inspired him to teach biology.  My interest in biology began at an early age when my family would take vacations in the mountains of Northern New Mexico. Growing up with three brothers, our parents made it a priority to keep us active and outdoors. We spent our summers hiking the mountain trails, observing wildlife, identifying wildflowers, and learning about the history of the area. These experiences fostered a deep appreciation for nature within me. As I grew older, my curiosity about how nature works inspired me to pursue a career in biology. At the age of 14, I embarked on a wilderness canoe trip in Southern Ontario, known as the Quetico, a vast region consisting of interconnected lakes. Our guide, whom we nicknamed Fez, taught us essential survival skills, such as setting up camp, cooking food, and navigating between lakes. Fez's approach was hands-on; he never carried our gear or paddled our canoes for us. He understood the importance of each individual making their own journey and taking responsibility for it. Fez's philosophy deeply influenced my own work as a teacher and textbook writer. Rather than being a mere conveyor of information, I see myself as a guide for students on their introductory genetics journey. With 43 years of teaching experience under my belt, genetics never ceases to fascinate me. It is a field that constantly evolves and remains relevant to our lives. Through teaching, I have had the privilege of sharing this amazing subject with my students year after year. My goal is not only for them to grasp the details of genetics but also to appreciate the broader beauty of the biological landscape. Genetics is a captivating field, and I consider myself fortunate to have the opportunity to learn and explore it alongside my students. Every year brings new discoveries and insights, keeping the subject fresh and exciting. I am grateful for the chance to be a part of my students' genetic journey and witness their growth and understanding. In conclusion, my passion for biology was ignited by childhood experiences in nature, and it continues to fuel my dedication to teaching genetics. As a guide, I strive to assist my students in mastering the principles of genetics while also nurturing their appreciation for the wonders of the natural world.  Watch this short video to view his response! ... View more

This year, 10,218 college instructors and 131,921 students used Achieve. Here, we break down what biology instructors and students really think about using the platform in their classrooms.  Overall, 83% of biology instructors agree that Achieve was a valuable asset for student study and review. John Geiser, an instructor at Western Michigan University, said, “Students like it and I think they actually learned more than when they were left to their own devices to learn the material.”  And he’s right! Students do like Achieve. 93% of biology students said that Achieve was easy to use and 83% agreed that it helped them study or review for quizzes and exams. Sophia Gonzalez, a student at College of Dupage, said, “I absolutely loved the e-book and all of the graphics, visuals, and content that helped me learn biology this semester. Everything was really easy to understand and to-the-point. I would definitely recommend Achieve to my friends!” Macmillan’s iClicker response system is included with Achieve. 91% of biology instructors shared that the time they invested in iClicker was worthwhile and 88% agree iClicker increased student engagement and preparedness. Moreover, Brian Black, a Bay de Noc Community College instructor, noted that iClicker is a great tool to have with a mix of both live and remote students.  Check out the infographic below for more stats and details from our user survey on what biology instructors and students really think about Achieve. ... View more

Learning science is a good place to start, not stop: Taking the next steps toward creating an inclusive classroom and meaningful learning Research in biology education has helped us better understand how students learn. Learning objectives, backward design, and high structure not only increase learning, but also reduce the achievement gap among students. The good news is that these kinds of practices have been incorporated and are now a standard in many classes, textbooks, and online systems. Incorporating these practices is just a first step. It is also critical to be inclusive, offer diverse perspectives, tell stories, connect facts and concepts to real-world issues, and even spark joy. In this webinar, James Morris will share resources and practices he uses in his introductory biology class that foster learning. Access the recording! ... View more

Transforming Intro Bio at a Hispanic-Serving, Land Grant Institution (and how the pandemic got us to the finish line) Many institutions are working to enhance student success and reduce disparities in introductory biology courses. In this webinar, Michèle Shuster discusses how after many years of incremental progress, she took advantage of the disruption of the pandemic to overhaul her approach on the return to in-person teaching. The result has been substantial improvements in student success, and elimination of disparities in pass rates between minoritized and non-minoritized students. In this webinar we'll talk about Michèle's current course structure, the rationale for the decisions she made, and how these ideas can be used elsewhere. Access the recording! ... View more

Even as higher education offers a world of exciting possibilities, the transition to college also presents harrowing opportunities for stress, struggle, and failure. At the same time, it is common for students, particularly new students, to lack awareness that experiences with failure and recovery can reveal, which include some of the most enduring and important lessons in life. In this webinar, Jay Phelan explored the use of instructor self-disclosure to nurture resiliency and a growth-mindset in students. We identified practical techniques for helping students not simply bounce back from failure, but actually thrive and reach better outcomes than what would have been possible without failure. Access the recording! ... View more

Our classrooms are increasingly diverse. Students learn in different ways, have varied levels of preparation, and have different backgrounds and experiences. Using inclusive teaching practices not only allows everyone to learn, but also creates a sense of belonging and community, one of the best predictors of success in science. In this webinar, Jim Morris will discuss practices he uses regularly in his large introductory biology class to include all students. He will also share resources in the introductory biology textbook How Life Works that foster inclusive practices.   Access the recording! ... View more

Research experience is essential for the ongoing education of many students. As an instructor, you may have developed research tasks, implemented them into your course, and sought supporting personnel to ensure your students learn the essentials. CUREs, or course-based undergraduate research experiences, provide undergraduates a form of apprenticeship-style research experience.   Dolan and Weaver’s A Guide to Course-based Undergraduate Research offers guidance and some of the best practices on how to provide research experiences outside of the lab. One of the first things to take into account when planning to implement a CURE, is that students bring with them certain types of background knowledge and skills, and have different areas of knowledge that need to be developed. Knowing about your students skill levels should help guide the structure of the CURE, including which instruments and materials will be needed, which sections of the project will be “practice” versus novel exploration, and how much time will be devoted to each aspect of the experience. If you would prefer to adapt an existing CURE, you can choose to do so separately from other instructors who teach that CURE, or you can join a group of users implementing the CURE at multiple other institutions. Consider these existing programs: Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) at the University of Texas at Austin: https://cns.utexas.edu/fri Science Education Alliance-Phage Hunters program (SEA-PHAGES): https://seaphages.org/ How do you introduce research experiences in your course? To learn more about developing and implementing CUREs, get your copy of A Guide to Course-based Undergraduate Research today!     ... View more

As winter break approaches and students prepare for final exams and projects, instructors are busy writing and grading those finals and discovering how well students actually understood the material. With the mix of available virtual and in-person courses, the consideration of different types of assessments becomes very complex.  Courses in STEM disciplines often cover a large amount of material that tends to encourage superficial learning instead of the more ideal deep approach to learning. Additionally, STEM courses seem to have a threatening and anxiety-provoking assessment system.  Summative assessment is the assessment of student learning; it is usually an exam, final project or report that provides a score on that student’s performance but rarely offers timely or effective feedback. But these final exams and evaluations are inherently necessary in the framework of our education system. What remains is to learn how to use summative assessment as a learning tool. Consider the ideas in the table below for your own test-taking processes. During the test Collaborative test-taking Pyramid exams Immediate feedback assessment technique Self-corrected exams Prior to return of the test Do-over After the return of the test Highlighting missed material Point-recapture Test analysis   How do you make use of summative assessments? Explore the various types of assessments and strategies for their use in Assessment in the College Classroom.   ... View more

Designing Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) What is a CURE Class? A Guide to Course-based Undergraduate Research highlights several key elements that make Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences, or CUREs, distinctive. There are some design features that are inherent to all CURES but there are also those that depend on educational and personal goals. In order to implement a CURE and achieve program goals, it is important to strategically integrate the CURE into your course.  Goals & Considerations for Designing a CURE Class There are different goals to consider when implementing a CURE. Some of the implementation insight from A Guide to Course-based Undergraduate Research is organized in the following table: CURE’s Overarching Goal Ideal Implementation To allow students the opportunity to dabble in research and consider it as a potential career path Early curriculum integration is recommended. Students are able to experience and learn more about different options and opportunities in research. To improve student retention Integrate the CURE in the curriculum prior to the point at which students leave.  To engage students in experiential learning Integration can be done at any point in the curriculum.    The inherent similarity among CUREs is that they involve students in research that can produce actual discoveries relevant to the stakeholders. Students should also be involved with iterative work that includes troubleshooting, problem-solving and other aspects of research. To learn more about developing and implementing CUREs, get your copy of A Guide to Course-based Undergraduate Research today! ... View more

With a new school year underway, it is important to consider and anticipate some of the potential threats to a new research student’s success. Among those threats are stereotypes that can take hold, especially in STEM fields of study.  Stereotype threat is defined in Entering Research as “the psychological experience of anxiety about performing in a way that reinforces a negative stereotype about your group”. An important step to avoiding these stereotype threats is to understand the subtle cues that make negatively stereotyped groups feel anxious or undermined. When groups of students are triggered, they experience anxiety that leads them to underperform and subsequently reinforce those negative stereotypes, creating a harmful loop.  There are many stereotypes surrounding women, racial minorities and others in academia. One of the ways to protect these groups of people from stereotype threat is to build and develop self-efficacy beliefs. However, saying that students should simply have strong beliefs in their own abilities to perform does not make it a reality. So to mitigate the negative impact of stereotype threats, a more direct approach of educating students about these threats may be necessary. Being a good role model regardless of gender, race or sex; encouraging students to have a growth view of intelligence; explaining other reasons for test anxiety; providing activities that reaffirm the student’s abilities.  How do you support your students when stereotype threats arise?  Read more about stereotype threats and other ways to help your research mentees in Entering Research: A Curriculum to Support Undergraduate & Graduate Research Trainees. ... View more

The best assessment is one that both gauges learning and engages students in learning. The first edition of Assessment in the College Science Classroom discusses two types of assessments: formative and summative. Formative assessment facilitates learning in many ways, not the least because it is iterative and provides ongoing feedback. Engaging students is challenging enough, but many effective strategies employ questioning. There are many types of formative assessments that can help engage students by requiring them to recall information from memory and apply that knowledge. See the table below for some examples of small-scale formative assessments discussed in Assessment in the College Science Classroom.     Example Intended Learning Outcome Brainstorming Students list everything they know on a given topic or in response to a question Students retrieve prior knowledge Concept Maps Students create graphical illustration with connecting arrows indicating relationships Students synthesize their understanding of complex processes or systems Immediate Response Systems (“Clickers”) Class polling systems allow anonymous responses and immediate feedback  Students retrieve information, apply new understanding and correct misconceptions Quizzes Quizzing at the beginning of class or online prior/after class Students retrieve information and apply prior knowledge to answer questions   Do you use assessments to encourage student learning?    Learn more about the different types of assessments and their potential benefits in Dirks, Wenderoth and Withers’ Assessment in the College Science Classroom. ... View more

Jenni Punt provides an overview of the immune response in the context of a SARS CoV-2 infection, including: viral life cycle, organs and tissues of the immune system, and the development of an innate and adaptive immune response.     Access On-Demand Webinar! WATCH ON-DEMAND HERE ... View more