Development of scientific explanation abilities in students is an important aspect in science education. However, traditional learning methods such as textbooks and PowerPoint presentations are often less effective in improving skills due to lack of student interactivity and involvement in the learning process. This study aimed to analyze the…

Virtual experiments offer opportunities for students to engage in the scientific process and observe scientific phenomena. However, virtual experiments are not always effective for learning. The current study examined how two small manipulations might support better learning from virtual experiments and the extent to which this varied across…

Abstract Microbiome study requires both molecular techniques and bioinformatics skills, which are challenging for biologists to participate in this growing field. To introduce microbiome concepts and skills to students, a 6-week wet-lab and bioinformatics course for undergraduates was implemented through the project-based learning (PBL) approach.…

The instructors of four biology-related courses at a Canadian university integrated Labster virtual labs in their courses as a pre-lab activity, lecture substitute, or to provide lab experience in courses with no on-site labs. The instructors used a backward design approach to align the labs with the learning objectives of their courses and to…

Writing a lab report can be an opportunity for students to engage in scientific thinking. Yet students' lab reports often do not exhibit evidence of such engagement. Students' writing can appear focused on "filling in" required components and reporting on predetermined conclusions. We conducted a design experiment in an introductory…

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are increasing being taught to undergraduates across institutions and topics and offer an opportunity for more students to participate in authentic research. There are many types of "CUREs" with varying degrees of including all five elements identified by Auchincloss et al. (2014)…

This research reports the assessment of pre-service teachers' reception and attitudes towards virtual laboratory experiments in Life Sciences with the aim of advancing adaptability to digital learning. Using sequential mixed-methods in a quasi-experimental design, 68 pre-service teachers in the 3rd year of a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) program…

Molecular storytelling combines three-dimensional (3-D) structure visualization, chemical and biological knowledge, and multidisciplinary functional information from various bioinformatics data resources to generate new knowledge. It prepares students for independent and interdisciplinary learning, facile navigation of public databases to gather…

The purpose of this research is to explore a new computer-based interactive learning approach to assess the impact on student learning and attitudes toward science in a large university ecology classroom. A comparison was done with an established program to measure the relative impact of the new approach. The first inquiry project, BearCam, gives…

Advocates using computer-simulated learning environments to allow students to develop their own problem-solving rules when it comes to collecting and evaluating scientific data. Describes the use of "Identibacter interactus" to simulate identification of an unknown microorganism. (WRM)

This project originated with the desire to offer general biology students a laboratory experience which emphasizes scientific thinking rather than a review of lecture content. To create investigative laboratories without many of the practical problems of their implementation, this project uses a combination of "methods modules" for…

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Conference on Education and New Developments 2015-END 2015, taking place in Porto, Portugal, from 27 to 29 of June. Education, in our contemporary world, is a right since we are born. Every experience has a formative effect on the constitution of the human being, in the way one thinks, feels and…

The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference intention was to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There had been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a…