The Metamorphosing Professor: Adapting Teaching to Fulfill the Promise of Biology Education

Abstract

Teaching students at all levels of education has undergone extensive changes, particularly in the past decade. Our present student population has transformed dramatically in the 21st century due to the changing demographics of the nation, an increasing use of technology both inside and outside the classroom, along with an expectation to have information instantaneously available to peruse and utilize as a source of material. Today's instructors also need to adapt to these changes by assessing how well students are learning new concepts, as well as how much material students retain for future coursework. Here, we explore the recent history of science education, and the progress that has been made to overcome multiple learning obstacles, particularly relevant to PEERs (persons excluded because of their ethnicity or race) in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). We hope to provide insight into how educators are restructuring the way they design their teaching portfolios to provide better outcomes for the students of today's educational system.