Dissertation objectives included investigating how environment and plant life history influence aspects of leaf vascular infrastructure that supports photosynthesis, as well as photoprotection of the photosynthetic process. Additionally, I aimed to engage students in science and plant biology through innovative teaching methods. In summer annual…

Histology is a preclinical subject transversal in medical, dental, and veterinary curricula. Classical teaching approaches in histology are often undermined by lower motivation and engagement of students, which may be addressed by innovative learning environments. Herein, we developed a serious game approach and compared it with a classical…

In the classroom, metabolism is often approached and received as a mundane exercise in memorization. Teaching metabolism also faces the challenge of negative perceptions that can impede learning. We sought to improve the learning experience in an undergraduate lecture course on microbial metabolism by implementing an illustrated story that follows…

Gamifying is related to the motivational gain and engagement of participants in these systems, even in situations not exclusively related to the creative and entertainment industry. In the Biology teaching context, motivational strategies have fundamental importance to the learning process. The aim of this work was to investigate the development…

By adapting a well-established expository style practical on the topic of chemoselectivity, we present our successful approach to introducing elements of guided inquiry and decision-making to novice undergraduate chemists. Using nitroacetophenone as the polyfunctional substrate, students investigate the effect of using two different classes of…

This paper presents two low-cost hands-on activities designed to enhance student understanding and address the pedagogical challenges faced by microbiology professors in teaching concepts related to cell structure and gene regulation. In the first activity, we used Shrinky Dinks and Jeopardy-style game questions to explore the differences between…

Students with disabilities (SWD) have consistently been excluded in science in science classrooms. As inquiry-based instruction is the preferred method of science instruction, finding the best ways to teach using inquiry as an inclusive methodology is essential. The Science Writing Heuristic (SWH) is an argument-based inquiry approach that has…

Student engagement in science classroom is an essential element for delivering effective instruction. However, the popular method for measuring students' emotional learning engagement (ELE) relies on self-reporting, which has been criticized for possible bias and lacking fine-grained time solution needed to track the effects of short-term learning…

Phenomenon-based teaching is a multidisciplinary instructional approach based on student inquiry and problem solving. Students investigate and solve their own questions by applying what topics are relevant to the problem. The goal of phenomenon-based learning is to prepare learners to solve problems in real life. Instead of passively learning…

Effective teaching requires the use of techniques and strategies to counter student passivity and enhance engagement. Research demonstrates that drawing improves memory retention, increases motivation to learn, provides an opportunity to learn what makes an image an effective communication tool, allows demonstration of conceptual understanding,…

We explored the semiotic choices children in grades 1-6 made that nurtured embodied, dramatizing performances in science classes at urban public schools, serving predominantly students of color in a large US city. We studied how such choices in school and home settings (when instruction was remote during the COVID-19 pandemic) were implicated in…

Biology teachers received professional development to effect instructional changes that ensure student cognitive engagement and knowledge acquisition at higher cognitive levels. We asked the following questions: 1) What are the initial needs of teachers to promote active learner engagement and knowledge acquisition at higher cognitive levels? 2)…

This paper analyses Australian secondary science teachers' perceptions of their pedagogy and students' classroom engagement based on the Science Capital Teaching Approach (SCTA). Previous research studies related to the idea of teaching to enhance the science capital of secondary students mainly employed qualitative methods to collect data from…

Instructional shifts required by equitable, reform-based science instruction are challenging, especially in the elementary context. Such shifts require professional development (PD) that supports teacher internalization of new pedagogical strategies as well as changes in beliefs about how students learn. Because of this complexity, many PD…

Innovative approaches to teaching genetics are essential for improving student engagement and comprehension in this challenging field. Laboratory-based instruction enhances engagement with the subject while fostering the development of practical competencies and deepening comprehension of theoretical concepts. However, constraints on time and…