C.R.E.A.T.E'ing shifts in first year students' science efficacy that are independent of instructor rank and experience in a large, multi-section online introductory course

Garzke, J.; Steinwand, B.

doi:10.1101/2022.11.14.516496

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2022.11.14.516496

C.R.E.A.T.E'ing shifts in first year students' science efficacy that are independent of instructor rank and experience in a large, multi-section online introductory course

Garzke, J.·Steinwand, B.

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Abstract

With a primary objective to engage students in the process of science online, we transformed a long-standing laboratory course for first-year science students into a more accessible, immersive experience of current biological research using a narrow and focused set of primary literature and the CREATE pedagogy. The efficacy of the CREATE approach has been demonstrated in a diversity of higher education settings and courses. It is, however, not yet known if CREATE can be successfully implemented online with a large, diverse team of faculty untrained in the CREATE pedagogy. Here, we present the transformation of a large-enrollment, multi-section, multi-instructor course for first-year students in which instructors follow different biological research questions but work together to reach shared goals and outcomes. We assessed students: (1) science self-efficacy and (2) epistemological beliefs about science throughout an academic year of instruction fully administered online as a result of ongoing threats posed by COVID-19. Our findings demonstrate that novice CREATE instructors with varying levels of teaching experience and ranks can achieve comparable outcomes and improvements in students science efficacy in the virtual classroom as a teaching team. This study extends the use of the CREATE strategy to large, team-taught, multi-section courses and shows its utility in the online teaching and learning environment.

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Garzke, J., Steinwand, B.. 2022-11-16. C.R.E.A.T.E'ing shifts in first year students' science efficacy that are independent of instructor rank and experience in a large, multi-section online introductory course. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.14.516496

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