This qualitative study compares the views about nature of science (NOS) between students enrolled in a traditional lecture and laboratory course and students in an inquiry-based class to the view of the scientists who taught the course. We administered the Views of Nature of Science Form C (VNOS-C) to identify students' views after partaking in…

Inquiry-based lab experiences have been shown to be more effective than traditional lab experiences. Students' perceptions of the types of thinking required in science lab settings have implications for interest and persistence. This study compares students' perceptions about the thinking required in traditional and inquiry laboratory settings.…

Traditional lab courses separate lectures from lab work, whereas integrated lab-lecture courses (also known as studio courses) combine both in a single session under one instructor. Previous studies suggest that integrated lab-lecture courses may have the potential to enhance the learning experience for introductory-level students. In this…

Digital learning environments such as virtual laboratories have been proposed to augment or even replace conventional forms of teaching in recent years. While there is some evidence on comparable learning outcomes between real and virtual labs, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of virtual labs as compared to conventional face-to-face…

This three-paper dissertation addresses the experience and the implementation of evidence-based learning practices in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)/biology education. Study 1 explored instructional strategies and student perceptions and preferences for various teaching practices in graduate and undergraduate classrooms…

Anatomy and Physiology should be considered a gateway course due to its challenging scope and key role as a foundational prerequisite for many degree programs. Students often encounter gateway classes early in their college career when they are academically vulnerable due to their lack of university experience. A&P teaching methods are…

The analysis of spontaneous tail coiling (STC) in zebrafish embryos is a functional parameter that allows the study of motor development. It has recently gained relevance as a biomarker to assess the neurotoxicity of environmental substances. Its practicability in the laboratory makes it an excellent pedagogical tool for promoting students'…

Supplemental instruction (SI) confers student success, as represented by grades, knowledge retention, and student engagement. However, studies often report professional, not undergraduate, program findings. To measure these effects, students studying human anatomy at a university in Ontario, Canada, attended structured (peer-assisted) or…

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have been proposed as a mechanism to democratize access to the benefits of apprentice-style scientific research to a broader diversity of students, promoting inclusivity and increasing student success and retention. As we evaluate CUREs, it is essential to explore their effectiveness within…

The unforeseen COVID-19 pandemic forced educational institutions to shift to a remote or distance-learning mode. As a result, classes were offered online, and this shift in teaching modality presented great challenges, especially in teaching laboratory courses. While several options are available, we evaluated the use of (i) videos of lab…

The two-semester General Chemistry laboratory sequence for nonchemistry majors at James Madison University has recently made the transition from expository, confirmation experiments to project-based (first semester) and research-based (second semester) curricula; this narrative will describe the development and current state of the Brewing Science…

While light microscopy (LM) and virtual microscopy (VM) are valuable pedagogical approaches in histology education, studies comparing their effectiveness have primarily emanated from North America. This research aimed to compare the performance, satisfaction, and perception of Chinese undergraduate dental students enrolled in a histology…

Studio-style course delivery involves the integration of laboratory activities with lecture elements of the course, with the goal of increasing student learning and satisfaction through directly linking laboratory and lecture concepts while focusing on active learning. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of studio delivery of an introductory…

Laboratory classes effectively enhance student understanding and appreciation of course concepts. With course delivery suddenly shifted into the online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic, four laboratory exercises in each of two introductory-level soil science courses were converted into virtual sessions delivered in the form of…

In this study, a new competency assessment system was developed for the blended learning course "Organic Chemistry Laboratory". The system utilized a mastery transcript evaluation model and incorporated the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) taxonomy and Primary Trait Analysis (PTA) scale method. With this system, students…