Sequence Similarity: An inquiry based and "under the hood" approach for incorporating molecular sequence alignment in introductory undergraduate biology courses

Kleinschmit, Adam J.; Brink, Benita; Roof, Steven; Goller, Carlos C.; Robertson, Sabrina D.

doi:10.24918/cs.2019.5

Cited by 5 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Here we review the development, implementation, and assessment of an introductory bioinformatics learning resource [17,18] that explores the concept of sequence similarity and its biological implications. The resource is designed to capture students' interest by enabling them to work on a short independent project.…”

Section: The Sequence Similarity Learning Resourcementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This 'under-thehood' knowledge is essential for properly interpreting the output of the programs that implement the algorithms. Several adaptations of the learning resource are available that allow its easy insertion into a variety of different classes (e.g., plant physiology, developmental biology, virology; [17,[19][20][21]).…”

Section: The Sequence Similarity Learning Resourcementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The sequence similarity learning resource is composed of four modules (Table 1) that can be used independently or together depending on course learning goals [17]. The first three modules explore how biologists quantify nucleotide and protein sequence similarity, compare a sequence to those in a public database (e.g., GenBank), and create phylograms that convey evolutionary relationships.…”

Section: The Sequence Similarity Learning Resourcementioning

confidence: 99%

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Community development, implementation, and assessment of a NIBLSE bioinformatics sequence similarity learning resource

et al. 2021

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As powerful computational tools and ‘big data’ transform the biological sciences, bioinformatics training is becoming necessary to prepare the next generation of life scientists. Furthermore, because the tools and resources employed in bioinformatics are constantly evolving, bioinformatics learning materials must be continuously improved. In addition, these learning materials need to move beyond today’s typical step-by-step guides to promote deeper conceptual understanding by students. One of the goals of the Network for Integrating Bioinformatics into Life Sciences Education (NIBSLE) is to create, curate, disseminate, and assess appropriate open-access bioinformatics learning resources. Here we describe the evolution, integration, and assessment of a learning resource that explores essential concepts of biological sequence similarity. Pre/post student assessment data from diverse life science courses show significant learning gains. These results indicate that the learning resource is a beneficial educational product for the integration of bioinformatics across curricula.

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Section: The Sequence Similarity Learning Resourcementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Sequence Similarity Learning Resourcementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Sequence Similarity Learning Resourcementioning

confidence: 99%

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Community development, implementation, and assessment of a NIBLSE bioinformatics sequence similarity learning resource

et al. 2021

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“…While a completed incubator serves as a standalone published activity, incubators can also serve as stepping stones to further professional activities. For example, two incubated resources 19,20 have gone on to be accepted for publication in CourseSource, 24,25 a peer-reviewed journal of teaching and learning materials. Resources can also serve as the basis of professional developmental opportunities, furthering their dissemination and implementation.…”

Section: Step 5: Dissemination Of Final Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Resources can also serve as the basis of professional developmental opportunities, furthering their dissemination and implementation. For example, one incubated resource 19 served as the foundation of a QUBES Faculty Mentoring Network (FMN), where 12 faculty members from a variety of institutions worked together online to adapt and integrate the resource into their classrooms. To support and guide this process, the initial author of the resource in concert with NIBLSE leadership and QUBES support collaborated with the FMN participants throughout the semester as they implemented the activity in their courses.…”

Section: Step 5: Dissemination Of Final Productsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Incubators: Building community networks and developing open educational resources to integrate bioinformatics into life science education

Ryder

Morgan

Sierk

et al. 2020

Biochem Molecular Bio Educ

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While it is essential for life science students to be trained in modern techniques and approaches, rapidly developing, interdisciplinary fields such as bioinformatics present distinct challenges to undergraduate educators. In particular, many educators lack training in new fields, and high-quality teaching and learning materials may be sparse. To address this challenge with respect to bioinformatics, the Network for the Integration of Bioinformatics into Life Science Education (NIBLSE), in partnership with Quantitative Undergraduate Biology Education and Synthesis (QUBES), developed incubators, a novel collaborative process for the development of open educational resources (OER). Incubators are short-term, online communities that refine unpublished teaching lessons into more polished and widely usable learning resources. The resulting products are published and made freely available in the NIBLSE Resource Collection, providing recognition of scholarly work by incubator participants. In

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An online research immersion program to increase introductory science student confidence and science identity

Zheng,

Oakes,

Roden

2023

Biochem Molecular Bio Educ

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The number of undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds enrolled in science and technology‐related courses has increased over the past 20 years, but these students' persistence in STEM majors until graduation still lags behind the overall college population. Interventions like exposure to independent research, instruction using active learning, and connection within a scientific community have been shown to increase persistence and the development of science identity, especially for underrepresented minority students (URM), students with high financial need, and first‐generation college students. However, exposure to research for introductory students can be expensive or challenging for an institution to provide and for some students to access. We designed Wintersession Research Week as a remotely taught, collaborative introduction to independent research for beginning undergraduate students, prioritizing those traditionally underrepresented in STEM (low income, first generation, and URM students). Because this program utilized graduate students as research mentors, we also provided training and mentoring to develop the next generation of science faculty. We found that the program helped undergraduate student participants to develop a scientific identity and increase confidence in their skills, and that graduate students found the experience valuable for their future teaching. We believe that elements of this program are adaptable to both virtual and in‐person settings as an introduction to research, mentorship, and teaching for students and mentors.

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Sequence Similarity: An inquiry based and "under the hood" approach for incorporating molecular sequence alignment in introductory undergraduate biology courses

Cited by 5 publications

References 31 publications

Community development, implementation, and assessment of a NIBLSE bioinformatics sequence similarity learning resource

Community development, implementation, and assessment of a NIBLSE bioinformatics sequence similarity learning resource

Incubators: Building community networks and developing open educational resources to integrate bioinformatics into life science education

An online research immersion program to increase introductory science student confidence and science identity

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