Live cell imaging is a standard technique in experimental biology that enables the observation of isolated cells and tissue slices in real time and the testing of cellular responses to changes in buffer composition. However, most live cell imaging devices require the use of dedicated microscopes and/or specialised stage adaptors, and come at a…

Jordan canonical form (JCF) is one of the most important, and useful, concepts in linear algebra. Mathematics, physics, biology, science and engineering undergraduates often find the first application of real JCF in the discipline of differential equations (continuous models) to solving systems of differential equations. In this work, we apply…

Despite extensive studies on large language models and their capability to respond to questions from various licensed exams, there has been limited focus on employing chatbots for specific subjects within the medical curriculum, specifically medical neuroscience. This research compared the performances of Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Anthropic), GPT-3.5 and…

Acquiring computational modeling and simulation skills has become ever more critical for students in life sciences courses at the secondary and tertiary levels. Many modeling and simulation tools have been created to help instructors nurture those skills in their classrooms. Understanding the factors that may motivate instructors to use such tools…

The biology education literature includes compelling assertions that unfamiliar problems are especially useful for revealing students' true understanding of biology. However, there is only limited evidence that such novel problems have different cognitive requirements than more familiar problems. Here, we sought additional evidence by using…

Recently there is an increasing need for experiments that can be conducted remotely. In this sense, this paper presents three experiments about materials science and an X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique that can be taught and performed entirely remotely. The first experiment is about the calculation of lattice parameters, atomic radii, and…

In recent years the possibility of observing by microscopy the dynamic activity of living cells has been largely pursued. We have developed a low-cost (~ 260 euros) on-stage cell incubator for inverted optical microscopes. This device allows to keep cells in good conditions for their survival and proliferation. The device is based on the use of…

Studies have shown that neonate rodents exhibit high ability to learn a preference for novel odors associated with thermo-tactile stimuli that mimics maternal care. Artificial odors paired with vigorous strokes in rat pups younger than 10 postnatal days (P), but not older, rapidly induce an orientation-approximation behavior toward the conditioned…

The laboratory practice "Primary culture and directional differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)" is part of a required course for sophomore medical students at Tongji university, which has been conducted since 2012. Blended learning has been widely applied in medical courses. Based on a student-centered…

The commercialization of virtual reality (VR) hardware has enabled the use of VR as an educational tool. We describe how a VR platform was used to create molecular visualizations using standard PDB files with the purpose of delivering biochemistry and cellular biology lessons for undergraduates. Specifically, we describe two new software modules,…

This research investigated how collaborative e-learning strategies affected the understanding of DNA Replication among the 9th-grade Biology CC class. The study involved 24 diverse students (ages 15-17), including regular education students, English Language Learners (ELLs), and students with IEPs selected through proportional stratified random…

What are the capacities of visual arts curricula to engage learning within narrow frameworks of overly "scientistic" standards (Lather, 2007)? With growing emphasis in schools under STEM initiatives and evidence-based standards, the possible cross-pollination of effects that art education may have on a science-centric education may be a…

Over the years, many of my students have reported that they enjoy lectures that include short, simple animations. To keep students engaged, I have developed a small set of teaching animations using PowerPoint and Camtasia Studio software packages. A survey of students who learned four difficult topics with traditional written lessons and with…

Interdisciplinary exploration is vital to education in the 21st century. This manuscript outlines an innovative laboratory-based teaching method that combines elements of biochemistry/molecular biology, kinesiology/health science, computer science, and manufacturing engineering to give students the ability to better conceptualize complex…

This short paper describes an ongoing NSF-funded project on enhancing science and engineering education using the latest technology. More specifically, the project aims at developing an interactive learning system with Microsoft Kinect™ and Unity3D game engine. This system promotes active, rather than passive, learning by employing embodied…