Culturing Mammalian Tissues for Cytogenetic Investigations

Biologists often tend to assume that natural selection acts fundamentally on individuals or on species. It is now appreciated that this is an oversimplification. Present understanding of the unit of natural selection, with its pivotal importance in evolution, largely derives from a consideration of the problem of why altruism exists. This paper reviews evidence for and against the theories that evolution acts essentially on genes, on individuals, on kin, or on larger groups.     

An Inquiry Safari: What Can We Learn From Skulls?

In this article, we describe an 8- to 10-day inquiry safari designed for middle/high school students to investigate hominid evolution using replica skulls of extant and extinct vertebrates. Students begin the unit using their own skulls and proceed to use the replica skulls of extant vertebrates to construct an understanding of how skulls can be used to interpret and infer diets, dentition, dental formulae, bipedal or quadrupedal locomotion, and the social structure of animals. They are then able to use this knowledge to construct similar inferences for extinct fossil hominids. Using radiometric dating data, the students develop possible phylogenetic pathways for hominid evolution. The lessons promote the use of inquiry skills including journaling, observing, drawing, puzzle-making, using taxonomic keys, and investigating into deep geological time.     

以问题为中心的学习方法在高职社区问诊技能教学中的应用

目的:探讨以问题为中心的教学方法(problem-based learning,PBL)在高职社区问诊教学中的效果,寻求更有效的现代医学教育方法。方法:在高职社区问诊技能学习中开展以问题为中心的教学方法(PBL),分析问诊中存在的问题,以提高知识应用与沟通能力。结果:通过对62名高职医学生进行问诊技能和见习报告评分显示,成绩优良比率为89%,满意度调查显示83.87%的高职医学生对PBL教学方法满意。PBL教学可以让高职医学生灵活的利用自已的时间,进行比较主动的学习,可以更好的发现高职医学生在问诊见习中存在的问题,有利于提高高职医学生的问诊技能及医患沟通能力,但实施中所需时间较长,占用课时多。结论:PBL教学对高职医学生的主动学习能力、问诊技能及医患沟通能力的提高有利,医学生对PBL教学方法满意度高。在医学教育中可以将PBL教学和传统教学方法结合起来,以在有效的时间里达到更好的教学效果。     

Diffusion activities in college laboratory manuals

Many have called for reform of the science curriculum to incorporate the process of inquiry: this has been shown to improve student understanding of biological concepts. Laboratory activities provide excellent opportunities to incorporate inquiry in to the curriculum. This study used a modified version of the Laboratory Task Analysis Instrument (LAI) to analyse diffusion activities in 10 manuals available to two-year and four-year colleges in the United States. The analyses revealed that most manuals did not include much inquiry, similar to previous studies of high school laboratory manuals. Furthermore, they often failed to engage students in the planning and design of the activity, and they did not encourage students to apply what they learned in a broader context — two essential components of inquiry. This study showed the need for educators to review the materials that are available and implement changes that would promote the use of inquiry.     

Teaching Evolution Concepts to Early Elementary School Students

State and national standards call for teaching evolution concepts as early as kindergarten, which provides motivation to continue developing science instruction and curriculum for young learners. The importance of addressing students’ folk theories regarding science justifies teaching evolution early in K-12 education. In this project, we developed, implemented, and researched standards-based lessons to teach elements of evolution (speciation and adaption) to kindergarteners and second graders. Our lessons attended to the students’ prior knowledge, and utilized inquiry and modeling to teach and assess their ability to recognize patterns of similarity and differences among organisms. Using their products and comments as evidence, it was apparent the students were able to communicate recognition of patterns and effectively apply their knowledge in near transfer activities, indicating they achieved our learning objectives. This provides support for teaching evolution concepts in the early grades and evidence of the ability for young children to effectively engage in supported inquiry and modeling for learning science.     

“食品卫生与检验”教学改革与食品安全复合型人才培养

介绍“食品卫生与检验”课程双语教学经验。课程教学以培养复合型食品安全检测、管理人才为目标,注重培养学生的综合能力;建立“与时俱进、复合培养、实践+双语”的教学模式,提高了学生的自主学习能力和实践能力,培养了学生的服务意识和国际视野。     

Metacognitive inquiry activities for instructing the central dogma concept: ‘button code’ and ‘beaded bracelet making’

ABSTRACT

The central dogma of biology is difficult to learn because its microscopic processes cannot be visualized. This study aimed to devise two inquiry activities: ‘Button Code’ and ‘Beaded Bracelet Making,’ involving the concepts of DNA replication and protein synthesis based on the Metacognitive Learning Cycle (MLC) for students, and to explore the effectiveness of concept learning of the central dogma, how students’ metacognition may be expressed, and students’ perceptions of their inquiry performance. We developed a ‘Concept journal’ including metacognitive scaffolds, and employed the ‘Central Dogma Achievement Test’ as a tool for the above purpose. A total of 18 junior high school students participated in this inquiry course instructed by two of the authors. The results showed that students’ achievement performance was significantly improved on the whole, the students’ metacognition was expressed during the process of inquiry with scaffolding, and most students gave positive responses about their learning performance. According to the results, this inquiry course could develop students’ comprehension of the central dogma concept, and give students opportunities to practice metacognition that might lead to effective learning in inquiry activities. The implications and expandability of this course are discussed.     

The House Building of Caddis Larvae: A Source of Projects for Schools

Protoplasmic streaming (cyclosis) in plant cells has long been presented as a purely qualitative exercise in microscopy. Using simple formulae, it is possible to determine the energetics of this process (in terms of ATP hydrolysis) and its relation to the total energy expenditure of the plant cell. This exercise can provide a valuable integration of physicochemical principles and microscopical observation.