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

为了提高就读细胞入门课程或普通生物学课程的本科生的科学素养技能，科罗拉多州立大学（一所研究密集型大学）、明尼苏达州立大学穆尔黑德分校（一所四年制教学大学）和白土部落与社区学院（一所两年制学院）正在将边写边学 (WTL) 活动纳入各自机构的这些课程中。在写作学习模式中，学生被分配写三篇相关论文的任务，以回应社会相关主题的阅读作业。两个不同的电子平台（Writing@CSU 和电子黑板）用于支持写作活动。 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，通过对学生写作的分析来衡量，发现该模型在提高学生的科学素养以及在面临 STEM 相关挑战时利用科学数据的倾向方面是成功的。 当前项目的目标是确定是否以及如何：1）细胞生物学课程中的 WTL 活动帮助学生提高科学素养，并增加科学内容知识；2）使用两个可访问的在线学习平台提供更大的灵活性和利用潜力，使教师更容易将 STEM 相关的写作活动（例如 WTL）引入到他们的课程中，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 名学生）细胞和普通生物学课程中的影响，这项研究将增加有关发展高阶思维技能（例如解决问题和决策）以及大型基础生物学课程中学生学习成果和决策技能的知识库。 该研究还在探索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正在用于确定教学干预对分子化学、细胞代谢和蛋白质合成等学科整体知识获取的影响。更广泛的影响：该项目总共涉及 700 多名本科生，其中大约有 30 名参与部落学院的美国原住民学生，来自三个非常不同的机构。两所相关大学都采取了增加写作课程数量的举措。科罗拉多州立大学设有跨课程写作 (WAC)，每年来自美国各地的用户访问超过一百万次。该网站的编辑担任顾问委员会的负责人，并通过此在线资源帮助传播项目发现和产品（写作提示、评分标准和修改后的概念清单评估工具）。研究结果正在通过大学专业发展机构、期刊文章、会议演示以及与 WAC 信息交换所网站链接的教学维基进行传播。

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.