Enhancing Scientific Literacy in the Undergraduate Cell Biology Laboratory Classroom

Promoting Science Literacy and Awareness across the Globe: the Role of Scientists as Science Ambassadors

Science literacy has many personal and societal benefits that allows for better informed decision-making. Although the importance of science literacy is recognized globally, there are many challenges associated with its promotion. Scientists are more frequently engaging with nonscientific audiences through public outreach activities and with increasing support from institutions and professional societies. This is especially true regarding microbiologists and other related professionals since the start of the global 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic heightened the need to convey novel and rapidly evolving scientific information to lay audiences. The means by which professionals engage with these audiences affect the efficacy of the relay of scientific information. One method of engagement is the "ambassador approach," which aims to establish dialogue among different groups of people and scientists. In this perspective article, we discuss this approach, highlighting activities for the promotion of science literacy organized by the American Society for Microbiology Ambassador Program and similar programs of other scientific societies. We discuss the benefits and challenges of implementing an ambassador approach, propose potential improvements that could be made to existing programs promoting science literacy, and ultimately advocate for increased implementation of science ambassador programs.

Using Critical Analysis of Scientific Literature to Maintain an Interactive Learning Environment for In-Person and Online Course Modalities

Every instructor has concerns about effectively balancing the amount of course content with experiences to enhance a student's skills for professional success. The COVID-19 pandemic made this process even more challenging by requiring many instructors to shift rapidly from in-person to online instruction while maintaining academic integrity. The objective of this course on tissue engineering, a multidisciplinary field that aims to repair and/or replace body damage, was to increase undergraduate students' ability to read primary scientific literature and use critical analysis to creatively solve problems. Every week, a lecture covered the necessary background information to identify the current research questions and prepare students for reading the assigned research article. Students completed an analysis worksheet prior to the subsequent class, and a summary presentation followed by a student-led critical analysis discussion occurred in class. Small student groups completed an in-class thought exercise that designed several experiments that built on the article's data. The modular course design enabled a quick and successful transition to an online asynchronous modality in less than two weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A recorded weekly lecture was posted online by the instructor, and students completed the analysis worksheet, watched a student-recorded summary presentation, and posted to a discussion board. The experimental design worksheet became an individual assignment to provide more flexibility. Pretransition and posttransition assessment showed no significant differences and provided positive proof of concept evidence. This process can be adapted to a number of topic-themed scientific courses that use in-person, online, or hybrid modalities.

The Biochemical Literacy Framework: Inviting pedagogical innovation in higher education

When developing meaningful curricula, institutions must engage with the desired disciplinary attributes of their graduates. Successfully employed in several areas, including psychology and chemistry, disciplinary literacies provide structure for the development of core competencies-pursuing progressive education. To this end, we have sought to develop a comprehensive blueprint of a graduate biochemist, providing detailed insight into the development of skills in the context of disciplinary knowledge. The Biochemical Literacy Framework (BCLF) aspires to encourage innovative course design in both the biochemical field and beyond through stimulating discussion among individuals developing undergraduate biochemistry degree courses based on pedagogical best practice. Here, we examine the concept of biochemical literacy aiming to start answering the question: What must individuals do and know to approach and transform ideas in the context of the biochemical sciences? The BCLF began with the guidance published by relevant learned societies - including the Royal Society of Biology, the Biochemical Society, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Quality Assurance Agency, before considering relevant pedagogical literature. We propose that biochemical literacy is comprised of seven key skills: critical thinking, self-management, communication, information literacy, visual literacy, practical skills and content knowledge. Together, these form a dynamic, highly interconnected and interrelated meta-literacy supporting the use of evidence-based, robust learning techniques. The BCLF is intended to form the foundation for discussion between colleagues, in addition to forming the groundwork for both pragmatic and exploratory future studies into facilitating and further defining biochemical literacy.

Design and Assessment of Online, Interactive Tutorials That Teach Science Process Skills

Explicit emphasis on teaching science process skills leads to both gains in the skills themselves and, strikingly, deeper understanding of content. Here, we created and tested a series of online, interactive tutorials with the goal of helping undergraduate students develop science process skills. We designed the tutorials in accordance with evidence-based multimedia design principles and student feedback from usability testing. We then tested the efficacy of the tutorials in an introductory undergraduate biology class. On the basis of a multivariate ordinary least-squares regression model, students who received the tutorials are predicted to score 0.82 points higher on a 15-point science process skill assessment than their peers who received traditional textbook instruction on the same topic. This moderate but significant impact indicates that well-designed online tutorials can be more effective than traditional ways of teaching science process skills to undergraduate students. We also found trends that suggest the tutorials are especially effective for nonnative English-speaking students. However, due to a limited sample size, we were unable to confirm that these trends occurred due to more than just variation in the student group sampled.