STEM BUILD: An Online Community To Decrease Barriers to Implementation of Inclusive Tactile Teaching Tools

Abstract

Access to 3D printing and other "maker" technologies has opened new doors for the creation of classroom activities using physical models. Multiple strategies for implementing 3D-printed models exist, and work to define best practices is ongoing. We outline the strengths and weaknesses of common strategies for employing physical models in undergraduate biology courses and describe a novel strategy that we have developed to pair 3D-printed models with guided inquiry learning to create inclusive and interactive learning experiences. We further introduce the STEM BUILD website, a resource that we have developed to facilitate collaboration among instructors, makers, researchers, and Universal Design for Learning experts and reduce barriers to broad implementation of inclusive kinesthetic learning activities.

The Timeliness of Inclusion Efforts in Biology Education

“…Indeed, as is highlighted by many of the articles in this special issue, long-term, sustainable change in science edu-cation is developed by moving away from interventions as part of a deficit model toward an environment in which the interventions are unnecessary. Ramirez and Gordy describe how to use frameworks for universal design for learning, constructivism, and 3D modeling to build a course that intentionally creates learning materials that make accommodations less necessary, in contrast to standard approaches, where faculty design "a course with able students in mind and [retroactively create] accommodations for students with disabilities" (7). Similarly, Johnson and Elliot adopt Gloria Ladson-Billings's model on culturally relevant pedagogy and encourage faculty to develop critical consciousness for institutional change to be effective.…”

“…Ramirez and Gordy highlight a particularly accessible way to create faculty networks, share ideas, and make faculty work visible for the purposes of tenure and promotion through their STEM BUILD online community (7). STEM faculty in higher education also need the opportunity to collaborate with more experienced practitioners in the social sciences and K-12 sphere.…”

Hands-on immunology: Engaging learners of all ages through tactile teaching tools

“…Our previous work demonstrated that Tactile Teaching Tools with Guided Inquiry Learning (TTT-GIL) can provide an effective approach to teaching complex topics in microbial molecular genetics in diverse student populations. Introduction of an interactive, 3D lac operon puzzle resulted in significant learning gains in both populations in which it was implemented, with a larger effect size in a genetics class at an underfunded minority-serving institution than in a microbiology class at an R1 primarily white institution ( Gordy et al, 2020 ; Ramirez and Gordy, 2020 ). The inclusivity of TTT-GIL activities, which are created using Universal Design for Learning (UDL), along with their hands-on, game-like nature, suggest that they may be an effective way of teaching cellular and molecular immunology concepts even to younger students ( Hall et al, 2003 ; Rose and Meyer, 2006 ; Burgstahler and Cory, 2010 ; Rappolt-Schlichtmann et al, 2012 ; Meyer et al, 2014 ; Ramirez and Gordy, 2020 ).…”

“…Introduction of an interactive, 3D lac operon puzzle resulted in significant learning gains in both populations in which it was implemented, with a larger effect size in a genetics class at an underfunded minority-serving institution than in a microbiology class at an R1 primarily white institution ( Gordy et al, 2020 ; Ramirez and Gordy, 2020 ). The inclusivity of TTT-GIL activities, which are created using Universal Design for Learning (UDL), along with their hands-on, game-like nature, suggest that they may be an effective way of teaching cellular and molecular immunology concepts even to younger students ( Hall et al, 2003 ; Rose and Meyer, 2006 ; Burgstahler and Cory, 2010 ; Rappolt-Schlichtmann et al, 2012 ; Meyer et al, 2014 ; Ramirez and Gordy, 2020 ). We therefore developed and implemented two additional TTT-GIL activities focused on microbiology and immunology concepts: one targeted to middle and high school students, and one targeted to advanced undergraduates and masters students.…”

Building the lac Operon: A Guided-Inquiry Activity Using 3D-Printed Models

“…We have developed an alternate strategy in which students utilize 3D-printed tactile teaching tools (TTTs) paired with constructivist classroom activities to actively build an understanding of biological processes (2). TTTs are 3D models composed of multiple parts representing interacting components, such as proteins of a signaling pathway or monomers that compose a biological macromolecule.…”