Interactive Computer Simulations as Pedagogical Tools in Biology Labs

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dc.contributorPerez, Kathryn E.
dc.contributor.authorWhitworth, Karen
dc.contributor.authorLeupen, Sarah
dc.contributor.authorRakes, Christopher
dc.contributor.authorBustos, Mauricio
dc.date.accessioned2019-02-18T14:47:49Z
dc.date.available2019-02-18T14:47:49Z
dc.date.issued2018-08-24
dc.description.abstractStudent learning in biology may be impaired by instructional environments that emphasize technical methodology over analysis. We hypothesized that time gained by experimenting with accurate computer simulations could be used to engage students in analytical, creative learning. The effects of treatments that combined a week of simulated lab instruction with a week of standard lab instruction in different order (E-to-S and S-to-E) were examined using a controlled experimental design with random assignment of lab sections and hierarchical linear modeling analysis to account for possible clustering within sections. Data from a large sample of students (N = 515) revealed a significant increase (1.59 SD) in posttest scores for both treatment groups over the control. We posit as a plausible explanation the reinforcement of psychomotor learning due to strong engagement of cognitive processes facilitated by the computer simulation. This study supports a wider use of computer simulations as learning tools in laboratory courses.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipWe acknowledge the generous financial support for this study from the Office of the Dean, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, UMBC, and the Hrabowski Academic Innovation Fund. We thank the Department of Biological Sciences for its material support toward the purchase and use of 10 laptop computers. An online version of the enzyme kinetics simulation is available on the project’s website at simlabs.umbc.edu. Copies of the compiled MATLAB code may be requested via mail or email addressed to the corresponding author.en_US
dc.description.urihttps://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.17-09-0208en_US
dc.format.extent11 pagesen_US
dc.genrejournal articlesen_US
dc.identifierdoi:10.13016/m2zy2q-tq2m
dc.identifier.citationKaren Whitworth, Sarah Leupen, Chistopher Rakes, and Mauricio Bustos, Interactive Computer Simulations as Pedagogical Tools in Biology Labs, CBE—Life Sciences Education, Vol. 17, No. 3 , 2018, https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.17-09-0208en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.17-09-0208
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11603/12808
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherThe American Society for Cell Biologyen_US
dc.relation.isAvailableAtThe University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Science Education Research Unit (SERU)
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Faculty Collection
dc.relation.ispartofUMBC Biological Sciences Department
dc.rightsThis item is likely protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Unless on a Creative Commons license, for uses protected by Copyright Law, contact the copyright holder or the author.
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)*
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/*
dc.subjectcomputer simulationsen_US
dc.subjectincreasing quantitative literacy in biologyen_US
dc.subjectcomputer simulations of an acid phosphatase–catalyzed chemical reactionen_US
dc.subjectbiology computer simulation lessonen_US
dc.subjectBIOL 300L General Biology Laboratory
dc.titleInteractive Computer Simulations as Pedagogical Tools in Biology Labsen_US
dc.typeTexten_US

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