Genomics is a core course for bioscience-majored undergraduates in many universities. However, the teaching of genomics faces many challenges such as the need for rapid updating of related knowledge, content overlap between genomics and molecular biology, lack of motivation of students in the traditional passive classroom-learning model, the…

Mental illness is a substantive issue for graduate students. We investigated experiences of mental illness during training among genetic counseling students, a subgroup of graduate students for which little data exists on this topic. Genetic counseling students and recent graduates (n = 227) completed an online survey, from who 11 were selected to…

Telehealth is increasingly being employed to extend the reach of behavior analytic interventions to families of children with developmental disorders who exhibit problem behaviors. In this preliminary study, we examined whether function-based behavior analytic interventions could be delivered via telehealth over 12 weeks to decrease problem…

Two community-based cohorts of children with autism spectrum disorder, examined using similar assessment protocols, were pooled (n = 301) and subdivided according to history of regression. Those with regression (n = 62), 20.5% of the combined cohort, were contrasted with those without regression (n = 241) at first assessment (age range…

In Florida, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities provides waivers for adults with the following types of disabilities: intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down syndrome, and Prader-Willi syndrome. This review examined the peer-reviewed literature to indicate and assess the common needs for…

This collective case study uses a design-based research approach to investigate the role of 3D pens, an emerging technology, in fostering creativity during a lesson on biomes, genetics, and heredity with learners in six classes of 4th and 5th grade students from rural Michigan and Idaho. Data analyzed included video of the classroom lessons,…

Statistical methods are indispensable to the practice of science. But statistical hypothesis testing can seem daunting, with P-values, null hypotheses, and the concept of statistical significance. This article explains the concepts associated with statistical hypothesis testing using the story of "the lady tasting tea," then walks the…

The need to make higher education curricula gender-inclusive is increasingly pressing as student cohorts diversify. We adopted a student-staff partnership approach to design, integrate, and evaluate a module that taught first-year science students the difference between biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation in…

Metagenomics is a tool that enables researchers to study genetic material recovered directly from microbial communities or microbiomes. Fueled by advances in sequencing technologies, bioinformatics tools, and sample processing, metagenomics studies promise to expand our understanding of human health and the use of microorganisms for agriculture…

Apart from classroom presentations to their instructors and peer groups, STEM students have limited opportunities or encouragement to engage in guided communication of scientific concepts to others (family, friends, or the general public). A critical need exists for accurate, comprehensible science to be disseminated to these groups. To develop…

Although multiple agricultural literacy campaigns exist, studies have found many people struggle to grasp agriculture topics. In order to process and learn information, individuals use a limited pool of cognitive resources. When topics or media messages are complex, those resources can be overwhelmed, thus hindering the learning process. Visual…

Background: Research into Rett syndrome has included various medical interventions. Non-medical interventions are relatively under-researched. Recent technological communication intervention advances have contributed to the evidence base in Rett syndrome. Method: The Embase, PsycINFO and MEDLINE were systematically searched for peer-reviewed…

Decades of research suggest that learning styles, or the belief that people learn better when they receive instruction in their dominant way of learning, may be one of the most pervasive myths about cognition. Nonetheless, little is known about what it means to believe in learning styles. The present investigation uses one theoretical…

Just before his death in 1970, John Scopes claimed that his famous trial "had no other effect upon my family" than his sister Lela losing her teaching job in Paducah, Kentucky. He was wrong. My interviews with John Scopes's family members and descendants -- most of whom have never talked about their famous relative until now -- reveal…

Evolution remains a controversial issue in the United States, particularly for evangelical Christians, who as a group have been a key player in anti-evolution education legislation. Religious cultural competence can be effective in decreasing undergraduate biology students' perceived conflict between religion and evolution. However, the impact on…