Publications by authors named "Lisa Elfring"
The effective implementation of evidence-based teaching (EBT) in large college courses benefits from the successful use of instructional teams. An instructional team's feedback allows instructors to act based on evidence of student learning, addressing students' needs. This feedback may be particularly important for novice instructors or experienced instructors teaching a class for the first time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProviding opportunities for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics undergraduates to engage in authentic scientific practices is likely to influence their view of science and may impact their decision to persist through graduation. Laboratory courses provide a natural place to introduce students to scientific practices, but existing curricula often miss this opportunity by focusing on confirming science content rather than exploring authentic questions. Integrating authentic science within laboratory courses is particularly challenging at high-enrollment institutions and community colleges, where access to research-active faculty may be limiting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Recent educational initiatives in undergraduate biology stress the need for students to utilize quantitative skills in understanding biological concepts, as many struggle to apply these skills effectively.
- The authors designed an introductory molecular and cell biology course that combined mathematics with biology instruction throughout the curriculum, providing practical examples of how to integrate these subjects.
- Assessment results indicated that students in the experimental course significantly improved their ability to apply math in biological contexts compared to their peers, while also maintaining their understanding of biology concepts.