Biology subjects

Otto, J. L.

Publications and source records attributed to Otto, J. L..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Instructor Perspectives on Challenging Topics in Evolution Education and Their Implications for Game-Based Learning

Evolution is a foundational framework for understanding biology, yet it remains challenging to teach and learn. Game-based learning may offer one way to support evolution instruction by helping students visualize abstract, dynamic, and difficult-to-observe processes. In this study, we interviewed undergraduate biology instructors to examine how they evaluated video games as potential tools for evolution education, including which topics they perceived as most challenging for students. We found that instructors were broadly open to using video games for evolution instruction, particularly when games could support population-level reasoning, evolutionary mechanisms, speciation and phylogeny, quantitative reasoning, and long time scales. Instructors also emphasized that games must be scientifically accurate, accessible, and aligned with course learning goals. This study contributes an instructor-centered perspective to evolution education and game-based learning research by identifying how instructors connect persistent student learning challenges with potential design priorities for educational video games. Graphical Abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=113 SRC="FIGDIR/small/736808v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (24K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@d7fcd4org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@17caeforg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@c3c0aorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@139e8dd_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2025

IDENTIFYING MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PROTEIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN A NON-MAJORS BIOCHEMISTRY COURSE

Understanding the structure and function of proteins is crucial for students as it provides fundamental insights into one of the central building blocks of life. Yet, undergraduate students struggle to make sense of proteins and apply knowledge about why structure affects function. Here, we expand on an existing typology of common protein misconceptions (Robic, 2010). We recruited participants from a large, lecture-based non-major biochemistry course to participate in a series of assessments that allowed us to qualitatively examine their responses. We found that the common misconceptions included: protein stability based on orientation, confusions about the inherent dynamic properties of proteins, and protein structure related to function. We surmise that all three of these newly reported, nuanced misconceptions are the product of difficulties with visuospatial reasoning.

scientific communication and education↗

bioRxiv2022

Preprint peer review enhances undergraduate biology students' disciplinary literacy and sense of belonging in STEM

Undergraduate education on science publishing and peer review is limited compared to the focus on experimental research. Since peer review is integral to the scientific process and central to the identity of a scientist, we envision a paradigm shift that makes teaching peer review integral to undergraduate science education, and hypothesize that this may facilitate the development of students scientific literacy and identity formation. To this end, we developed a curriculum for biology undergraduates to learn about the mechanisms of peer review, then write and publish their own peer reviews as a way to authentically join the scientific community of practice. The curriculum was implemented as a semester-long intervention in one class and as a module intervention embedded into a discipline-based class on vaccines. Before and after both interventions, we measured students scientific literacy, including peer review ability, using quantitative methods. We also carried out a longitudinal qualitative assessment of students perceptions of their scientific literacy and identity using thematic analysis of students writing. Here, we present data on the improvement in peer review ability of undergraduates in both classes, and data on the curriculums interrelated impact on students development of scientific literacy, identity, and belonging in academic and professional spaces. These data suggest that undergraduates can and should be trained in peer review to foster the interrelated development of their scientific literacy, scientific identity, and sense of belonging in science.

scientific communication and education↗