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Broadening Participation in Biology Education Research: Engaging Community College Students and Faculty.

ABSTRACT: Nearly half of all undergraduates are enrolled at community colleges (CCs), including the majority of U.S. students who represent groups underserved in the sciences. Yet only a small minority of studies published in discipline-based education research journals address CC biology students, faculty, courses, or authors. This marked underrepresentation of CC biology education research (BER) limits the availability of evidence that could be used to increase CC student success in biology programs. To address this issue, a diverse group of stakeholders convened at the Building Capacity for Biology Education Research at Community Colleges meeting to discuss how to increase the prevalence of CC BER and foster participation of CC faculty as BER collaborators and authors. The group identified characteristics of CCs that make them excellent environments for studying biology teaching and learning, including student diversity and institutional cultures that prioritize teaching, learning, and assessment. The group also identified constraints likely to impede BER at CCs: limited time, resources, support, and incentives, as well as misalignment between doing research and CC faculty identities as teachers. The meeting culminated with proposing strategies for faculty, administrators, journal editors, scientific societies, and funding agencies to better support CC BER.

SUBMITTER: Schinske JN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5459264 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Broadening Participation in Biology Education Research: Engaging Community College Students and Faculty.

Schinske Jeffrey N JN Balke Virginia L VL Bangera M Gita MG Bonney Kevin M KM Brownell Sara E SE Carter Robert S RS Curran-Everett Douglas D Dolan Erin L EL Elliott Samantha L SL Fletcher Linnea L Gonzalez Beatriz B Gorga Joseph J JJ Hewlett James A JA Kiser Stacey L SL McFarland Jenny L JL Misra Anjali A Nenortas Apryl A Ngeve Smith M SM Pape-Lindstrom Pamela A PA Seidel Shannon B SB Tuthill Matthew C MC Yin Yue Y Corwin Lisa A LA

CBE life sciences education 20170101 2

Nearly half of all undergraduates are enrolled at community colleges (CCs), including the majority of U.S. students who represent groups underserved in the sciences. Yet only a small minority of studies published in discipline-based education research journals address CC biology students, faculty, courses, or authors. This marked underrepresentation of CC biology education research (BER) limits the availability of evidence that could be used to increase CC student success in biology programs. To ...[more]

PMID: 28450448

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Project description:ObjectiveAlzheimer disease (AD) risk factors are present throughout the lifespan. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of various online education strategies concerning AD risk reduction and brain health in younger populations.MethodHigh school and college students were recruited via social media (Facebook and Instagram) to join AlzU.org, an evidence-based education portal, and were randomized to 1 of 4 courses: highly interactive webinar lessons narrated by actor Seth Rogen (celebrity webinar) or a physician (doctor webinar), minimally interactive video lessons with Seth Rogen (celebrity video), or minimally interactive video lessons (control). Surveys were administered at baseline and postcourse. The primary outcome was change in knowledge of AD risk reduction assessed by pre vs post lesson quiz scores. Secondary outcomes included change in awareness of AD research, hopefulness about AD, interest in pursuing health care, willingness to volunteer, and likelihood of recommending AlzU.org.ResultA total of 721 participants joined. A total of 281 (38.9%) completed the course. Among college students, quiz score improvements were greater in celebrity webinar and celebrity video vs doctor webinar and control. Among high school students, no differences were found in quiz scores. In both groups, celebrity webinar, celebrity video, and doctor webinar resulted in greater improvements in awareness that nutrition and exercise may reduce AD risk vs controls. Among college students, celebrity webinar and celebrity video group participants felt more hopeful about the future of AD and more likely to recommend AlzU.org vs doctor webinar and control participants. Among college students, celebrity webinar, celebrity video, and doctor webinar participants were more willing to volunteer for AD causes and pursue health care careers vs controls.ConclusionOnline education involving a celebrity may be an effective strategy for educating college students about AD risk reduction strategies. Further studies are warranted in high school students.

Project description:IntroductionOne argument for introducing research in bachelor`s degree in health care is to ensure the quality of future health care delivery. The requirements for research-based education have increased, and research on how research-based education is experienced is limited, especially in bachelor health care education programmes. The aim of this study was to explore how occupational therapy students and faculty members experienced and perceived research-based education.MethodsThis qualitative, interpretative description consisted of three focus group interviews with occupational therapy students in their final year (n = 8, 6 and 4), and three focus group interviews with faculty members affiliated with occupational therapy programmes in Norway (n = 5, 2 and 5). Interviewing both students and faculty members enabled us to explore the differences in their experiences and perceptions.ResultsFive integrative themes emerged from the analysis: "introducing research early", "setting higher expectations", "ensuring competence in research methods", "having role models" and "providing future best practice". Research was described as an important aspect of the occupational therapy bachelor program as it helps ensure that students achieve the necessary competence for offering future best practice. Students expressed a need to be introduced to research early in the program, and they preferred to have higher expectations regarding use of research. Competence in research methods and the importance of role models were also highlighted.ConclusionsUndergraduate health care students are expected to be competent in using research. Findings from our study demonstrated that the participants perceived the use of research during training as important to ensure future best practice. Increasing the focus on research in the programme's curricula and efforts to improve students' formal training in research-specific skills could be a starting point towards increased use of research in the occupational therapy profession.

Project description:PurposeCollege-bound young people experience sexual assault, both before and after they enter college. This study examines historical risk factors (experiences and exposures that occurred prior to college) for penetrative sexual assault (PSA) victimization since entering college.MethodsA cross-sectional study, including an online population-based quantitiative survey with undergraduate students was conducted in spring 2016. Bivariate analyses and multivariable regressions examined risk and protective factors associated with ever experiencing PSA since entering college. Concurrently-collected in-depth ethnographic interviews with 151 students were reviewed for information related to factors identified in the survey.ResultsIn bivariate analyses, multiple historical factors were significantly associated with PSA in college including adverse childhood experiences and having experienced unwanted sexual contact before college (for women) and initiation of alcohol, marijuana, and sexual behaviors before age 18. Significant independent risk factors for college PSA included female gender, experiencing unwanted sexual contact before college, first oral sex before age 18, and "hooking up" (e.g., causual sex or sex outside a committed partnership) in high school. Receipt of school-based sex education promoting refusal skills before age 18 was an independent protective factor; abstinence-only instruction was not. In the ethnographic interviews, students reported variable experiences with sex education before college; many reported it was awkward and poorly delivered.ConclusionsMultiple experiences and exposures prior to college influenced the risk of penetrative sexual assault in college. Pre-college comprehensive sexuality education, including skills-based training in refusing unwanted sex, may be an effective strategy for preventing sexual assault in college. Sexual assault prevention needs to begin earlier; successful prevention before college should complement prevention efforts once students enter college.

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Broadening Participation in Biology Education Research: Engaging Community College Students and Faculty.

Publications

Broadening Participation in Biology Education Research: Engaging Community College Students and Faculty.

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