Ripped from the Headlines: Using Current Events and Deliberative Democracy to Improve Student Performance in and Perceptions of Nonmajors Biology Courses

Abstract

Despite the importance of scientific literacy, many foundational science courses are plagued by low student engagement and performance. In an attempt to improve student outcomes, an introductory biology course for nonscience majors was redesigned to present the course content within the framework of current events and deliberative democratic exercises. During each instructional unit of the redesigned course, students were presented with a highly publicized policy question rooted in biological principles and currently facing lawmakers. Working in diverse groups, students sought out the information that was needed to reach an educated, rationalized decision. This approach models civic engagement and demonstrates the real-life importance of science to nonscience majors. The outcomes from two semesters in which the redesign were taught were compared with sections of the course taught using traditional pedagogies. When compared with other versions of the same course, presenting the course content within a deliberative democratic framework proved to be superior for increasing students’ knowledge gains and improving students’ perceptions of biology and its relevance to their everyday lives. These findings establish deliberative democracy as an effective pedagogical strategy for nonmajors biology.

Encouraging Science Communication through Deliberative Pedagogy: A Study of a Gene Editing Deliberation in a Nonmajors Biology Course

“…This research focused on the science communication impacts of a shorter deliberation activity, unlike previous studies with a semester-long deliberation focus (18, 19), where students also showed elevated scientific content learning gains. To see whether deliberation enhanced comprehension beyond the lecture, we did test for student understanding of the mechanics of gene editing techniques before and after the deliberation, but no significant improvements were found (data not shown).…”

“…Deliberation over SSI encourages science communication to focus on collaborative exchange rather than dissemination (17). In science classrooms, small-group deliberation activities have been shown to encourage participation of all students and to promote skills like interaction with scientific public issues, critical thinking, application, and problem solving (18–20). …”

“…Such strategies are consistent with influential recommendations for biology curricula (29) and may be achieved by giving students practice with participatory forms of science communication. Two previous studies explored reorienting nonmajors’ science courses entirely around deliberative pedagogies and reported strong gains in student knowledge and in positive perceptions of biology (18, 19). Recognizing that not all instructors may feel confident enough or be able to alter their entire course focus, this study furthers research on deliberation in the biology classroom by investigating a deliberation module.…”

Preparing Millennials as Digital Citizens and Socially and Environmentally Responsible Business Professionals in a Socially Irresponsible Climate

“…Syllabi should not be revised to include units on current events if the teaching strategy is merely to chat with students about news stories without contextualization with relevant scholarly work (Rooks, 2014). In social work and biology, research on the integration of current events into the learning experience have reported positive findings on the impact on student performance (Grise-Owens, 2010; Tinsley, 2016).…”

Student Use of Self-Data for Out-of-Class Graphing Activities Increases Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes

“…Course-based research experiences increase student engagement, scientific and critical thinking, data interpretation, and student retention ( 4 – 8 ). Small-group debates also correlate with greater participation, changed attitudes, and higher grades ( 9 ), while current events discussions can increase learning gains and change student perception of biology ( 10 ).…”