Innovations

Lecture Innovations (BIOL 120 & BIOL 122)

lecture innovation timeline

In-Class Assignment Examples from BIOL 120 lecture.

MentiMeter Question Examples from BIOL 120.

Acadly App: Attendance/ submissions.

FlashLITE App: Gauge student understanding in real-time.

Learning by Teaching project in BIOL 120H, evidence of general effectiveness (as presented to students).

Inaugural Poster Session in BIOL 120H to present Problem Based Learning projects. This tradition has continued with three other faculty (Drs. Galindao, Smith and Srivastava), during all subsequent Honors sections, including embedded sections in F21-S22. View conference poster on this project and example posters.

Concept map linking content in BIOL 120 to the new BIOL 121 curriculum.

YouTube Channel (private) to present lectures (example lecture). Click to enlarge.

Slack app for group texting with students during COVID-19

Metacognition module to improve learning habits - most students said they would try new strategies

Research on this Innovation
WKU IRB #20-178 View Application
As a part of CITL's Gateway Initiative, Co-PI, with Dr. Kerrie McDaniel
Mountjoy N. J., & McDaniel K., Western Kentucky University, CITL Winter Workshop: Metacognition. January 2022. (View Presentation)
BIOL 399 Student Project S22: The effects of the quantity and quality of metacognitive study strategies on exam performance by Alix Cross (View Report)
View Results Report (ongoing)

See our BioCoaches (Learning Assistants) in action in BIOL 120. What's a BioCoach?

Research on this Innovation
WKU IRB # 1889425-1 View Application
Mountjoy, N. J., Using Learning Assistants to increase student engagement, achievement, and retention in large introductory biology courses. Pearson’s Biology Leadership Community Summit, invited participant, Online Conference. March 2021. (View Poster)
BIOL 399 Student Project S22: The Effects of Learning Assistants on Undergraduate Students in Introductory Biology Courses, by Macy Murphy & Taylor Boian (View Poster)
View Results Report (ongoing)

DEI is an important part of ensuring all students feel they have an opportunity to learn and achieve the goals the have set for themselves. Our current text does an excellent job of telling the story of discovery associated with the core principles of biology. However, this means students are repeatedly shown images of older, white, mostly privileged, males. I take each of these moments as opportunities to remind my students that the biologists currently leading the field are not nearly as homogenous. I am turning these vignettes into a module that highlights both how diversity has increased in STEM, but also how much work still needs to be accomplished.

BIOL 369: Cooperative Education in Biology, Learning Assistant (BioCoach) Co-Op

Syllabus for the new BIOL 369 course: Cooperative Education in Biology, Learning Assistant Co-Op. A companion course for LAs working in BIOL 120.

Learning Assistant (BioCoaches to the students) Guidebook including schedule, in-class assignments and other tips and advice.

Read over comments from the Learning Assistants' self reflections including their perception of usefulness for BIOL 120 students and how being an LA helped them grow as well.

BIOL 121 Innovations

Link to new biol 121 e-text

New BIOL 121 inquiry-based curriculum in an online e-text format (unit summary)

New course objectives for BIOL 121.

New learning outcomes (SLOs) for BIOL 121.

Comparison table: old vs. new curriculum for BIOL 121. You can also view the new. Lab Set-Up Guide for BIOL 121.

Focus group results : BIOL 120 faculty input on the most important and least important BIOL 120/121 content

Research on this Innovation: Measuring the impact of increased inquiry-based techniques introduced into the
biology curriculum across courses and cohorts. (Co-PI, with Ms. Naomi Rowland)
WKU IRB #1110796-1 View Application
*Ongoing data collection since S18. Manuscript in progress. Default Report.
*Mountjoy, N. J., McDaniel, K., Rowland, N. It Takes a Department to Shift a Paradigm: Starting in the lab. AAC&U’s Transforming STEM Higher Education conference, Chicago, IL, November 7-9, 2019.
*BIOL 399 Student Research Project F21: The impact of inquiry-based learning on the way students view science, by Emily Jones, Samantha Steward, & Shelby Robertson (view presentation)
*View Results Report (ongoing)

BIOL 123 Innovations

Link to New biol 123 etext

New BIOL 123 inquiry-based curriculum in e-text format (unit summaries)

New course objects for BIOL 123.

New learning outcomes (SLOs) for BIOL 123.

Comparison Table: The old vs. new curriculum for BIOL 123. The new Lab Set-Up guide will be created over the F22 term as the new curriculum is implemented.

Focus Group Results: BIOL 122 Faculty Input on development of the new BIOL 123 curriculum.

Research on this Innovation: Measuring the impact of increased inquiry-based techniques introduced into the
biology curriculum across courses and cohorts. (Co-PI, with Ms. Naomi Rowland)
WKU IRB #1110796-1 View Application
*Ongoing data collection since S18. Manuscript in progress. Default Report.
*Mountjoy, N. J., McDaniel, K., Rowland, N. It Takes a Department to Shift a Paradigm: Starting in the lab. AAC&U’s Transforming STEM Higher Education conference, Chicago, IL, November 7-9, 2019.
*BIOL 399 Student Research Project F21: The impact of inquiry-based learning on the way students view science, by Emily Jones, Samantha Steward, & Shelby Robertson (view presentation)
*View Results Report (ongoing)
Review student comments specific to the new BIOL 123 Curriculum

Additional Improvements to BIOL 121 & BIOL 123

Lab group contract for both BIOL 121 and BIOL 123. Click to view.

Students are now asked to complete a Group Contract at the start of the term. This contract is revisited at the start of each unit and is intended to help create group behavioral norms. Student decide what they will expect from each other in order for their group to function well and be productive. Groups also assign roles for each activity so each student can experience different aspects of each project (see below).