Increasing Undergraduate Cell Biology Literacy through Writing-to-Learn Activities Administered through On-line Educational Platforms

为了提高参加细胞或普通生物学入门课程的本科生的科学素养技能，科罗拉多州立大学（一所研究型大学）、明尼苏达州立大学穆尔黑德分校（一所4年制教学大学）和白土部落社区学院（一所2年制大学）正在各自的机构将写作学习（WTL）活动整合到这些课程中。在“从写作到学习”的模式中，学生的任务是根据社会相关主题的阅读作业，写三篇相关的文章。两个不同的电子平台（Writing@CSU和电子黑板）被用来支持写作活动。WTL模型最初是通过CCLI项目0930978开发的，在小型（10-30名学生）大学课程中进行了测试，并通过对学生写作的分析发现，在提高学生的科学素养和面对STEM相关挑战时利用科学数据的倾向方面取得了成功。当前项目的目标是确定：1)细胞生物学课程中的WTL活动是否以及如何帮助学生提高科学素养，以及增加科学内容知识；2)使用两个可访问的在线学习平台所提供的更大的灵活性和利用潜力，使教师更容易将WTL等与stem相关的写作活动引入他们的课程，帮助克服出现的管理和评估挑战。智力优势：通过记录WTL活动在大型（150+学生）细胞和普通生物学课程中的作用，本研究将增加有关高级思维技能发展的知识库，如解决问题和决策能力，以及学生在大型基础生物学课程中的学习成果和决策能力。该研究还探讨了教师如何利用现有的在线教育平台有效地实施WTL活动并评估其效果。科罗拉多州立大学开发和测试的概念清单被用来确定教学干预对分子化学、细胞代谢和蛋白质合成等学科的整体知识获取的影响。更广泛的影响：该项目共涉及700多名本科生，其中约30人是部落学院的美国原住民学生，他们来自三个非常不同的机构。这两所大学都主动增加了写作课程的数量。科罗拉多州立大学设有“跨课程写作”（WAC）网站，每年有来自美国各地的用户访问该网站超过100万次。该网站的编辑领导咨询委员会，并通过该在线资源帮助传播项目发现和产品（写作提示、规则和修改概念清单评估工具）。研究结果正在通过大学专业发展研究所、期刊文章、会议报告和与WAC信息中心网站链接的指导性wiki进行传播。

In order to increase the scientific literacy skills of undergraduate students enrolled in introductory cell or general biology courses, Colorado State University (a research-intensive university), Minnesota State University Moorhead (a 4-year teaching university), and White Earth Tribal & Community College (a 2-year college) are integrating writing-to-learn (WTL) activities into these courses at their respective institutions. In the writing-to-learn model students are assigned the task of writing three related essays in response to reading assignments on socially relevant topics. Two different electronic platforms (Writing@CSU and Electronic Blackboard) are being used to support the writing activities. The WTL model was originally developed through CCLI project 0930978, tested in small (10-30 students) college courses and found to be successful, as measured by analysis of student writing, in increasing students' scientific literacy and tendency to draw on scientific data when faced with STEM related challenges. The goals of the current project are to determine if and how: 1) WTL activities in cell biology courses help students achieve greater science literacy, as well as, increased science content knowledge and 2) the greater flexibility and leveraging potential offered by the use of two accessible Online learning platforms makes it easier for faculty to introduce STEM-related writing activities such as WTL into their courses by helping overcome the management and assessment challenges that arise. Intellectual Merit: By documenting the effect of WTL activities in large (150+ students) cell and general biology courses this study will add to the knowledge base concerning the development of higher order thinking skills, such as problem-solving and decision-making, as well as on student learning outcomes and decision-making skills in large foundational biology courses. The study is also exploring how faculty members can efficiently implement WTL activities and assess their efficacy using existing online educational platforms. Concept inventories, developed and tested at Colorado State University are being used to determine the impact of the instructional intervention on overall knowledge gains in such subjects as molecular chemistry, cellular metabolism, and protein synthesis. Broader Impacts: This project involves a total of over 700 undergraduates, about thirty of them Native American students at the tribal college involved, from three very diverse institutions. Both of the universities involved have initiatives to increase the number of courses with writing components. Colorado State University houses Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC), which is visited over a million times a year by users from around the U.S. The Editor of this website heads the Advisory Board and helps disseminate project findings and products (writing prompts, rubrics, and modified concept inventory assessment tools) through this Online resource. Findings are being disseminated through university Professional Development institutes, journal articles, conference presentations, and an instructional wiki linked to the WAC Clearinghouse Website.