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In-class peer grading of daily quizzes increases feedback opportunities
Learning ObjectivesEach of these objectives are illustrated with a succinct slide presentation or other supplemental material available ahead of class time through the course administration system. Learners found it particularly helpful to have video clips that remind them of mathematical manipulations available (in the above example objective c). Students understand that foundational objectives tend to be the focus of the quiz (objectives a-d) and that others will be given more time to work on together in class (objectives e-g), but I don't specify this exactly to reduce temptation that 'gamers' take a shortcut that would impact their group work negatively later on. However, the assignment for a focused graded group activity is posted as well, so it is clear what we are working towards; if desired individuals could prepare ahead of the class. -
Investigating the Function of a Transport Protein: Where is ABCB6 Located in Human Cells?
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this activity students will be able to:- describe the use of two common research techniques for studying proteins: SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analysis.
- determine a protein’s subcellular location based on results from: 1) immunoblotting after differential centrifugation, and 2) immunofluorescence microscopy.
- analyze protein localization data based on the limitations of differential centrifugation and immunofluorescence microscopy.
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Priority Setting in Public Health: A lesson in ethics and hard choices
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this unit, students will be able to:- Define the central distinction between public health and medicine
- Apply objectives of public health and individual medical care in a particular situation to identify potential areas of conflict in priority setting
- Apply moral theories of utilitarianism and deontology to a particular situation to identify the course of action proponents of each theory would see as morally justified
- Identify the range of morally justifiable actions that might be available to a health professional in a particular setting
- Choose from among a range of possible actions in a particular health situation and articulate the ethical principles that would justify that choice.
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Visits to the writing center and office hours provide students structured reflection and low-stakes feedback on...
Learning Objectives- Students will be able to write a lab report that contains a descriptive title, complete and concise abstract, substantive and relevant introduction that includes a testable hypothesis, descriptive methods, description and comparison of results of various testable groups, biological explanation of the results that reflect the testable hypothesis, a conclusion that contains societal implications or scientific impact, and references cited in the document.
- Students will be able to self-identify weaknesses and strengths of their writing.
- Students will understand how to utilize office hours and the writing center to receive feedback on their lab reports.
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The Comics Project: Synthesizing and Communicating Science with Comics
Learning Objectives- Students will be able to use the CRAAP Test to evaluate the quality of various sources of scientific information.
- Students will be able to discuss the relationship between science and society.
- Students will be able to draw simple comics to communicate scientific information.
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Assessing Urban Biodiversity With the eBird Citizen Science Project: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (...
Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to- Apply technology and field-based skills (such as bird identification and use of binoculars) to contribute to a citizen science database.
- Collaborate as part of a group in the design and implementation of a field study.
- Analyze and interpret original data.
- Communicate their results in the form of a written or oral report.
- Define species diversity and describe correlates of species diversity based on original data and the scientific literature.
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Exploring the Broader Impacts of Science and Society in an Active Learning Environment
Learning Objectives- Students will be able to define the phrase ‘broader impacts of science.’
- Students will be able to describe current and historical relationships between science and society.
- Students will be able to identify methods by and contexts in which scientific research is applied in the public sphere.
- Students will be able to map complex interactions between science and society.
- Students will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of different public engagement strategies.
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![SNP model by David Eccles (gringer) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://www.coursesource.org/sites/default/files/styles/course_thumb/public/course_images/Dna-SNP.svg_.png?itok=X_4XOjr6 "SNP model by David Eccles (gringer) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons")
Exploration of the Human Genome by Investigation of Personalized SNPs
Learning ObjectivesStudents successfully completing this lesson will be able to:- Effectively use the bioinformatics databases (SNPedia, the UCSC Genome Browser, and NCBI) to explore SNPs of interest within the human genome.
- Identify three health-related SNPs of personal interest and use the UCSC Genome Browser to define their precise chromosomal locations and determine whether they lie within a gene or are intergenic.
- Establish a list of all genome-wide association studies correlated with a particular health-related SNP.
- Predict which model organism would be most appropriate for conducting further research on a human disease.
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From Cre/LoxP to Fate Maps: Inclusive and Equitable Approaches for Engaging Developmental Biology Students in...
Learning Objectives- Create genetic methods to determine the fate map of cardiac muscle cells during mouse and zebrafish development.
- Distinguish between gene knockout and fate mapping experimental approaches using Cre/LoxP technology.
- Grasp the significance of how fate mapping methods are applied to answer important questions in developmental biology.
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Promoting Climate Change Literacy for Non-majors: Implementation of an atmospheric carbon dioxide modeling activity as...
Learning Objectives- Students will be able to manipulate and produce data and graphs.
- Students will be able to design a simple mathematical model of atmospheric CO2 that can be used to make predictions.
- Students will be able to conduct simulations, analyze, interpret, and draw conclusions about atmospheric CO2 levels from their own computer generated simulated data.
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Interactive Video Vignettes (IVVs) to Help Students Learn Genetics Concepts
Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives that align with the Marfamily IVV- Define the term "trait" in terms of genetic and environmental influences.
- Recognize that negative traits/disorders can be encoded by dominant alleles.
- Correctly interpret a pedigree.
- Determine the probability of inheritance of a single gene, autosomal trait.
- Use both phenotype and relationship data to assign genotypes within a family.
- Describe the relationships between a gene and its alleles.
- Describe potential relationships between alleles of the same gene.
- Explain how each allele for a gene contributes to the organism's phenotype.
- Describe dominance purely as the allele whose associated phenotype is observed regardless of the sequence of the second allele.
- Calculate allele frequency using the Hardy-Weinberg equations.
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Learning About Protein Localization: A Lesson for Analyzing Figures in a Scientific Publication
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this activity students will be able to:- Explain how eukaryotic cells "know" where a particular protein should be located.
- Analyze immunofluorescence data to determine protein localization within a cell.
- Analyze a western blot with subcellular fractions to determine protein localization within a cell.
- Describe an experiment that can be used to analyze the subcellular localization of a specific protein.
- Describe an experiment that can be used to determine the signal sequence of a protein.
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Sequence Similarity: An inquiry based and "under the hood" approach for incorporating molecular sequence...
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this lesson, students will be able to:- Define similarity in a non-biological and biological sense when provided with two strings of letters.
- Quantify the similarity between two gene/protein sequences.
- Explain how a substitution matrix is used to quantify similarity.
- Calculate amino acid similarity scores using a scoring matrix.
- Demonstrate how to access genomic data (e.g., from NCBI nucleotide and protein databases).
- Demonstrate how to use bioinformatics tools to analyze genomic data (e.g., BLASTP), explain a simplified BLAST search algorithm including how similarity is used to perform a BLAST search, and how to evaluate the results of a BLAST search.
- Create a nearest-neighbor distance matrix.
- Create a multiple sequence alignment using a nearest-neighbor distance matrix and a phylogram based on similarity of amino acid sequences.
- Use appropriate bioinformatics sequence alignment tools to investigate a biological question.
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Using a Sequential Interpretation of Data in Envelopes (SIDE) approach to identify a mystery TRP channel
Learning Objectives- Students will be able to analyze data from multiple experimental methodologies to determine the identity of their "mystery" TRP channel.
- Students will be able to interpret the results of individual experiments and from multiple experiments simultaneously to identify their "mystery" TRP channel.
- Students will be able to evaluate the advantages and limitations of experimental methodologies presented in this lesson.
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Air Quality Data Mining: Mining the US EPA AirData website for student-led evaluation of air quality issues
Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:- Describe various parameters of air quality that can negatively impact human health, list priority air pollutants, and interpret the EPA Air Quality Index as it relates to human health.
- Identify an air quality problem that varies on spatial and/or temporal scales that can be addressed using publicly available U.S. EPA air data.
- Collect appropriate U.S. EPA Airdata information needed to answer that/those questions, using the U.S. EPA Airdata website data mining tools.
- Analyze the data as needed to address or answer their question(s).
- Interpret data and draw conclusions regarding air quality levels and/or impacts on human and public health.
- Communicate results in the form of a scientific paper.
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Cutthroat trout in Colorado: A case study connecting evolution and conservation
Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:- interpret figures such as maps, phylogenies, STRUCTURE plots, and networks for species delimitation
- identify sources of uncertainty and disagreement in real data sets
- propose research to address or remedy uncertainty
- construct an evidence-based argument for the management of a rare taxon
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A CURE-based approach to teaching genomics using mitochondrial genomes
Learning Objectives- Install the appropriate programs such as Putty and WinSCP.
- Navigate NCBI's website including their different BLAST programs (e.g., blastn, tblastx, blastp and blastx)
- Use command-line BLAST to identify mitochondrial contigs within a whole genome assembly
- Filter the desired sequence (using grep) and move the assembled mitochondrial genome onto your own computer (using FTP or SCP)
- Error-correct contigs (bwa mem, samtools tview), connect and circularize organellar contigs (extending from filtered reads)
- Transform assembled sequences into annotated genomes
- Orient to canonical start locations in the mitochondrial genome (cox1)
- Identify the boundaries of all coding components of the mitochondrial genome using BLAST, including: Protein coding genes (BLASTx and tBLASTX), tRNAs (proprietary programs such as tRNAscan), rRNAs (BLASTn, Chlorobox), ORFs (NCBI's ORFFinder)
- Deposit annotation onto genome repository (NCBI)
- Update CV/resume to reflect bioinformatics skills learned in this lesson
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Starting Conversations About Discrimination Against Women in STEM
Learning ObjectivesAfter the discussion, each attendee will be able to:- identify common forms of discrimination that women in academic STEM positions experience.
- begin supporting women while and after they experience discrimination.
- implement institutional change at a scale that is appropriate for them.
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Inexpensive Cell Migration Inquiry Lab using Zebrafish
Learning ObjectivesStudents will:- formulate a hypothesis and design an experiment with the proper controls.
- describe the steps involved in the zebrafish wounding assay (treating zebrafish embryos with drugs or control substances, wounding the embryo, staining the embryo, and counting neutrophils near the wound).
- summarize results into a figure and write a descriptive figure legend.
- perform appropriate statistical analysis.
- interpret results in a discussion that draws connections between the cytoskeleton and cell migration.
- put data into context by appropriately using information from journal articles in the introduction and discussion of a lab report.
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Translating Co-Translational Translocation
Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:- list the steps of co-translational translocation in the correct order.
- describe the key functions of molecules involved in co-translational translocation.
- predict the outcome of co-translational translocation if one of the components is missing.
- identify the characteristics of N-terminal ER signal sequences and internal ER signal sequences.
- predict or interpret the results of a protease protection assay used to assess co-translational translocation or transmembrane protein topology.
- predict the topology of a co-translationally translocated protein when given a description of the ER signal sequence or predict the type of ER signal sequence encoded by the mRNA-based protein topology.
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BioMap Degree Plan: A project to guide students in exploring, defining, and building a plan to achieve career goals
Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to...- Identify their values and interests.
- Identify careers that align with their values and interests.
- Identify academic programs and co-curricular experiences that will prepare them for a career.
- Create the first draft of a BioMap Degree Plan to support achievement of their career goals.
- Articulate how their undergraduate academic experience will prepare them for their future career.
- Use professional communication skills
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It's a bird! It's a plane! It's biomechanics!
Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:- identify and define forces that act on an object in flight.
- understand the definition of Newton’s third law of motion, which states that with every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and apply this principle to explain pressure differences and lift generation.
- generate hypotheses about animal flight efficiency based on examining morphology (anatomy).
- generate hypotheses correlating wing size and performance during flight.
- apply their understanding of wing designs and wing relationships to total mass.
- compare flight principles among animals to understand the co-evolution in several animal groups.
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Does it pose a threat? Investigating the impact of Bt corn on monarch butterflies
Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:- Apply genetics concepts to a relevant case study of Bt corn and monarch butterflies
- Read figures and text from primary literature
- Identify claims presented in scientific studies
- Evaluate data presented in scientific studies
- Critically reason using data
- Evaluate the consequences of GM technology on non-target organisms
- Communicate scientific data orally
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Investigating Gene Expression and Cell Specialization in Axolotl Embryos
Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:- identify characteristics of each stage of axolotl embryonic development.
- understand the importance of model organisms in the study of biological processes.
- compare strengths and limitations of axolotls as model organisms.
- understand the concepts related to differential gene expression and cell specialization.
- integrate their understanding of differential expression and cell specialization.
- explain the process and purpose of PCR, qPCR, and reverse transcriptase.
- calculate expression levels from raw qPCR results.
- analyze gene expression levels in embryos at different stages of development.
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Casting a Wide Net via Case Studies: Educating across the undergraduate to medical school continuum in the biological...
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:- Consider the potential advantages and disadvantages of widespread use of whole genome sequencing and direct-to-consumer genetic testing.
- Explore the critical need to maintain privacy of individual genetic test results to protect patient interests.
- Dissect the nuances of reporting whole genome sequencing results.
- Recognize the economic ramifications of precision medicine strategies.
- Formulate a deeper understanding of the ethical dimensions of emerging genetic testing technologies.
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Tying it All Together: An Activity to Help Students Connect Course Experiences to Posted Learning Outcomes
Learning ObjectivesFollowing this activity, students will be able to- reflect on their experiences in the course.
- recognize alignment between course experiences and the course learning goals and CLOs.
- identify and describe specific examples of course experiences supportive of their achievement of each of the posted course learning goals and CLOs.
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Using Immunocytochemistry and Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging to Explore the Mechanism of Action of Anti-Cancer Drugs...
Learning ObjectivesStudents will:- name and describe the changes to chromosomes and cytoskeleton during each stage of mitosis.
- compare the usefulness and limitations of information obtained by light microscopy and fluorescence microscopy.
- quantify, analyze and summarize their data on the prevalence of cells at different stages of cell division in randomly sampled cell populations.
- describe how cell imaging is used to collect and analyze data on dynamic cellular events.
- present their scientific data in an appropriate and accurate way to an audience.
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Linking Genotype to Phenotype: The Effect of a Mutation in Gibberellic Acid Production on Plant Germination
Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:- identify when germination occurs.
- score germination in the presence and absence of GA to construct graphs of collated class data of wild-type and mutant specimens.
- identify the genotype of an unknown sample based on the analysis of their graphical data.
- organize data and perform quantitative data analysis.
- explain the importance of GA for plant germination.
- connect the inheritance of a mutation with the observed phenotype.
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Squirrels in Space: Using Radio Telemetry to Explore the Space Use and Movement of Sciurid Rodents
Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:- Use VHF (Very High Frequency) radio telemetry to track the space use of a sciurid (squirrel) species in a study area.
- Explain why VHF radio telemetry is the most appropriate and widely used method for tracking the space use of sciurids.
- Discuss potential applications of data collected in class for wildlife management and conservation.
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Using Yeast to Make Scientists: A Six-Week Student-Driven Research Project for the Cell Biology Laboratory
Learning Objectives- Learn about basic S. cerevisiae biology
- Use sterile technique
- Perform a yeast viability assay
- Use a spectrophotometer to measure growth of S. cerevisiae
- Perform a literature search
- Calculate concentrations of chemicals appropriate for S. cerevisiae
- Generate S. cerevisiae growth curves
- Troubleshoot experimental difficulties
- Perform statistical analysis
- Present findings to an audience
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Follow the Sulfur: Using Yeast Mutants to Study a Metabolic Pathway
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of this lesson, students will be able to:- use spot plating techniques to compare the growth of yeast strains on solid culture media.
- predict the ability of specific met deletion strains to grow on media containing various sulfur sources.
- predict how mutations in specific genes will affect the concentrations of metabolites in the pathways involved in methionine biosynthesis.
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What do Bone and Silly Putty® have in Common?: A Lesson on Bone Viscoelasticity
Learning Objectives- Students will be able to explain how the anatomical structure of long bones relates to their function.
- Students will be able to define viscoelasticity, hysteresis, anisotropy, stiffness, strength, ductility, and toughness.
- Students will be able to identify the elastic and plastic regions of a stress-strain curve. They will be able to correlate each phase of the stress-strain curve with physical changes to bone.
- Students will be able to predict how a bone would respond to changes in the magnitude of an applied force, and to variations in the speed or angle at which a force is applied.
- Students will be able to determine the reason(s) why bone injuries occur more frequently during athletic events than during normal everyday use.
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Training future faculty in 30 minutes a week: A modular framework to provide just-in-time professional development to...
Learning ObjectivesTAs will be able to:- design small classroom activities
- design fair quiz and exam questions
- use rubrics to grade assignments fairly and in a timely manner
- offer constructive, actionable feedback on student written work
- compare and contrast context-specific strategies for dealing with student problems
- compare and contrast context-specific time management strategies
- discuss the importance of diversity, evaluate their own implicit biases, and discuss how these could impact their teaching
- compare and contrast different methods of summarizing teaching experience on job application materials
- evaluate their teaching in a reflective manner to develop future teaching goals
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An Introduction to Eukaryotic Genome Analysis in Non-model Species for Undergraduates: A tutorial from the Genome...
Learning ObjectivesAt the end of the activity, students will be able to:- Explain the steps involved in genome assembly, annotation, and variant detection to other students and instructors.
- Create meaningful visualizations of their data using the integrated genome viewer.
- Use the Linux command line and web-based tools to answer research questions.
- Produce annotated genomes and call variants from raw sequencing reads in non-model species.
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Predicting and classifying effects of insertion and deletion mutations on protein coding regions
Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:- accurately predict effects of frameshift mutations in protein coding regions
- conduct statistical analysis to compare expected and observed values
- become familiar with accessing and using DNA sequence databases and analysis tools