CourseSource: Resources

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2025

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Interactive Video Vignettes (IVVs) to Help Students Learn Genetics Concepts

Many video resources exist to teach Mendelian genetics, but most consist of passive delivery of information rather than active construction of knowledge by users. We have created two interactive video vignettes (IVVs) that can be used together or...

Courses: Genetics Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

genotypephenotypeallelespedigreedominanceHardy-Weinberg equilibriumInheritance

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374

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60

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Environmental Injustice: When the Grass is Greener on the Other Side

Environmental pollution is a global threat that is especially prevalent in heavily industrialized and urbanized areas. Pollution can be found in many forms, such as natural and synthetic pollutants from natural and anthropogenic processes. These...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills Toxicology

human healthenvironmental injusticeEnvironmental PollutionSystemic BiasesIdeological AwarenessUrban Ecology and Development

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1691

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494

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0

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Sex-specific differences in Meiosis: Real-world applications

In traditional classrooms, students are typically presented with facts that they are asked to memorize and recall during an exam. The rapid explosion of available scientific facts in recent years has made this model of teaching...

Courses: Cell Biology Genetics Science Process Skills

meiosisReproductionAneuploidyGameteNon-disjunctionOocyteSpermTrisomy

Teaching Tools and Strategies

2003

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331

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0

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"Reading groups" in an undergraduate biology course: A peer-based model to help students develop skills to evaluate primary literature

Undergraduates who learn to evaluate primary literature demonstrate an enhanced ability to understand the process of science, weigh scientific evidence, and think critically (e.g. 6,8). Studies show that students who learn how to dissect primary...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Science Process Skills

primary literaturecritical thinkingSelf-EfficacyDiscussionPeer-based Learning

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1842

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424

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0

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Teaching epidemiology and principles of infectious disease using popular media and the case of Typhoid Mary

Allied health students often struggle to understand how particular content, such as epidemiology, connects to their future careers. This activity uses the case of Typhoid Mary as a foundation for exploring epidemiology and infectious disease...

Courses: Microbiology Science Process Skills

epidemiologycase studyinfectous diseasepopular mediaTyphoid Mary

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773

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257

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A Kinesthetic and Collaborative Activity to Improve Conceptual Understanding of Chemical Equilibrium

While teaching in large lecture halls, it is challenging even for experienced teachers to hold their students’ attention for the entire class period. Owing to the large enrollment in STEM introductory courses, it is especially crucial to...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Science Process Skills

collaborationdemonstrationchemistrykinesthetic learningequilibriumhands-on learning

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2260

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480

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0

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Air Quality Data Mining: Mining the US EPA AirData website for student-led evaluation of air quality issues

Air pollution directly affects human health endpoints including growth, respiratory processes, cardiovascular health, fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and cancer. Therefore, the distribution of air pollution is a topic that is relevant to all, and...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

data miningenvironmental justiceair qualityairpollutionspatial reasoning

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5095

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348

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Learning to Pipet Correctly by Pipetting Incorrectly?

Beginning undergraduate students in biology need basic laboratory, data analysis, and science process skills to pursue more complex questions in course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). To this end, we designed an introductory...

Courses: Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

statisticslaboratorypipetting

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4060

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482

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A Classroom Intervention to Reduce Confirmation Bias

STEM students are often unable to recognize cognitive bias in their own disciplines, and simply describing cognitive bias to students has shown to be insufficient to improve critical thinking. However, habitual metacognitive techniques show...

Courses: Science Process Skills

biasprocess of sciencemetacognitionConfirmation BiasCognitive Bias

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1880

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636

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A Close-Up Look at PCR

The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a fundamental laboratory technique that allows for the amplification of many copies of a desired DNA target sequence. Despite its prevalence, undergraduate students often have poor comprehension about the...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Genetics Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

PCRDNA replication

Lesson

1691

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518

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A Remote Introductory Biology Lab Using Backyard Birdwatching to Teach Data Analysis and Communication

Asking questions, designing experiments, collecting data and interpreting those data, and communicating the results are some of the most important concepts an undergraduate biology lab can teach students. When the SARS-CoV2 pandemic forced our...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

ecologydata analysisdata collection

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3041

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516

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A Kinesthetic Modeling Activity to Teach PCR Fundamentals

Most molecular biology and biological sciences students understand that the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to amplify DNA. However, we have found that some students experience conceptual misunderstandings, a lack of detailed comprehension...

Courses: Genetics Science Process Skills

PCR

Lesson

526

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105

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0

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An Interrupted Case Study on Urban Prairie Restoration

Engaging students in meaningful discussions can be a challenging task for science instructors, especially in introductory courses. The story-telling approach used in case studies can increase student participation by demonstrating the relevance of...

Courses: Ecology Ecology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

urban ecologyPrescribed fireEcosystem Servicesecological restorationwoody encroachmentrangeland ecology

Teaching Tools and Strategies

3636

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1718

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0

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A 360˚ View of COVID-19

In March 2020, institutions underwent a massive transition to distance learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With so little time to devise new materials to maximize learning in the new virtual environment, instructors devised a variety of...

Courses: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Bioinformatics Cell Biology Evolution Genetics Immunology Introductory Biology Microbiology Science Process Skills

geneticsImmunologyBiochemistrybioinformaticsmolecular evolutionpublic healthvirusCOVID19

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1529

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304

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Promoting Climate Change Literacy for Non-majors: Implementation of an atmospheric carbon dioxide modeling activity as an inquiry-based classroom activity

Students who are directly involved in scientific activities develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of both scientific knowledge and the scientific process. This understanding is critically important in scientific areas like climate change...

Courses: Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

modelingExcelquantitativeclimate changeEnvironmental Biologyatmospheric carbon dioxide

Essay

1704

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369

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Online Adaptation of the Cell Engineer/Detective Lesson

One of the most fundamental themes of biology is the relationship between structure and function, which is particularly evident when it comes to cells; however, the traditional cartoon depictions of cells that are often used to help teach the...

Courses: Cell Biology Introductory Biology Science Process Skills

cell functionCell StructureOrganelles

Lesson

1751

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286

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Using Gamification to Teach Undergraduate Students about Scientific Writing

Despite its importance, scientific writing is often deprioritized in undergraduate biology classes. Reasons include assumed prior knowledge, lack of class time, tedious grading, and the complexity and challenges associated with quality writing. To...

Courses: Science Process Skills

gamificationscientific writingE-LearningInstant FeedbackInteractive LearningReading Scientific PapersVIdeo/computer game

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1481

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158

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Infectious Chocolate Joy with a Side of Poissonian Statistics: An activity connecting life science students with subtle physics concepts

Introductory physics courses are required for many programs in the life sciences, yet traditional curricula fail to help students meaningfully connect physical concepts with biological systems. In this lesson, we describe an activity taught...

Courses: Bioinformatics Microbiology Science Process Skills

quantitative biologyHIVmultiplicity of infectionPoisson DistributionPhysics for biologists

Lesson

4857

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1858

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Teaching Genetic Linkage and Recombination through Mapping with Molecular Markers

Most introductory genetics courses cover genetic linkage, a core concept in the CourseSource genetics learning outcome framework. Although it is a classical genetics topic, genetic linkage remains an important concept to understand in order to...

Courses: Genetics Plant Biology Science Process Skills

meiosisphenotypegel electrophoresismicrosatellitesBanding PatternGenetic linkageInheritanceMolecular MarkersPhysical Linkage

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9293

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1205

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Why Meiosis Matters: The case of the fatherless snake

A compelling reason to learn something can make all the difference in students’ motivation to learn it. Motivation, in turn, is one of the key attitudes that drives learning. This story presents students with a compelling puzzle of a...

Courses: Genetics Science Process Skills