Professional training plans play a pivotal role in higher education institutions, as they significantly impact employability, graduate performance, and meeting labour market demands. These aspects serve as crucial indicators in the selection processes for prospective candidates in higher education institutions and in accrediting the quality of…

We developed a curriculum for an upper-level molecular biology course-based undergraduate research laboratory class funded by a National Science Foundation CAREER grant that focuses on identifying new small proteins in the bacterium, "Escherichia coli." Our CURE class has been continually offered each semester for the last 10 years, with…

National efforts to reform undergraduate education have highlighted the need to relate abstract concepts in biology to real-world examples, especially for non-majors who may undervalue scientific processes. We therefore decided to introduce a module titled "Climate Change, Sustainable Practices and Plastic Pollution," utilizing such…

Recent calls to reform undergraduate biology education, including Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education, have led biology departments to examine their curriculum to determine the extent to which it aligns with Vision and Change content and competency recommendations. The recently released BioSkills Guide translates the broad Vision…

Teaching experience has been identified as an important factor in pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) development. However, little is known about "how" experienced teachers may draw on their previous experience to facilitate their PCK development. This study examined how two experienced high school biology teachers approached the…

Student affect was measured and compared with their overall learning outcome scores. There was a significant difference among the student affect scores (F = 4.52; df = 3, 444; p < 0.01). Among the affect items measured, only Progress Monitoring Information was significantly regressed on overall learning outcome scores (F = 5.45; df = 1, 103; p…

Teachers' content-related knowledge is a key factor influencing the learning progress of students. Different models of content-related knowledge have been proposed by educational researchers; most of them take into account three categories: content knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and curricular knowledge. As there is no consensus about…

A primary goal of university instruction is the students' demonstration of improved, highly developed critical thinking (CT) skills. However, how do faculty encourage CT and its potential concomitant increase in student workload without negatively impacting student perceptions of the course? In this investigation, an advanced biology course is…

A first year non-majors biology course, with an enrollment of around 440 students, has been redesigned from a course of traditional content and teaching style to one that emphasizes biological concepts in current global issues and incorporates active learning strategies. We were informed by the education literature incorporating many aspects of…

Mixed methods research conducted across three semesters in introductory college geology classes (n=187, 190, 138) attempted to ascertain whether integrated study of petrified wood could serve as a portal to improved student geobiological understanding of fossilization, geologic time, and evolution. The Petrified Wood Survey[TM] was administered as…

The need for the development of a biotechnician curriculum was investigated. A search for operational job descriptions for biotechnicians was conducted. Industry consensus was that this is a generic term too broad to be useful. Biotechnology companies within a 300-mile radius of Chicago and universities and other colleges in Illinois that hire…

Until 1982, achievement in A-level biology in Kenya was measured by an examination which consisted of four papers, three measuring theory work and one measuring practical skills. In 1982, a three paper examination was developed, the first two papers measuring theory and the third paper measuring practical skills. Based on the change in the test…

This study investigated the contributions of the professional qualification of biology teachers, laboratory facilities, and biology textbooks to the teaching of biology in 10 government and 10 harambee schools in Kenya. Biology is currently a compulsory subject in all secondary schools in this country. Data were obtained from questionnaires…

A 1989-90 project determined the knowledge and skills necessary for employment in the aquaculture industry. The study identified technical materials and other resources available in private industry and higher education institutions. Two surveys determined the status of aquaculture in Texas school districts and identified tasks performed by…

This document was developed to encourage and aid local schools in the assessment of their science curricula on a continuous basis. It provides: (1) a 21-step implementation schedule for conducting a science curriculum assessment and/or revision; (2) a model for assisting schools in developing their science philosophy, goals, and topics; (3)…