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This study explores the impact of integrating popular media on student outcomes in introductory majors biology. With around 500 students enrolled each year, I aim to address the challenge of STEM retention, as many students fail to see the relevance of biology to their lives, leading to a lack of motivation. By incorporating contemporary media that connects biological concepts to everyday experiences—such as eating and cooking, crime scene investigations, and social justice—I assess its effects on retention, content knowledge, grades, and student attitudes toward biology.
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Background Context Intro to majors biology, cell and molecular 500 students a year I teach one semester in fall Pre-professional, secondary ed Challenge STEM retention Students do not see why biology class relates to their lives –> no motivation until too late to recover
Research Question Does providing popular media of biological concepts improve student outcomes in introductory majors biology? Outcomes Retention Content knowledge Grades Attitudes Interest
Why is it Interesting?(to anyone other than me) STEM Retention Method anecdotally works, but little hard research in biology Contemporary format/media to engage students where science meets their lives (me meeting them where they are, not the other way around) Eating, Cooking (Alton Brown), CSI mystery, Science career,Human Interest/Justice, Agriculture/Plant, Animal
Research Design 6 units of material Unit 2 - Introduce pop. media to whole class (no assn.) Units 3, 4 - Random ½ gets intervention, other ½ normal, switch Quantitative Pre, Post, Embed MC (factual knowledge, comprehension, concept familiarity) Grades, decreased dropping of class Qualitative Interview random 7 (?) of each half 1 page, open-ended, self-reporting paper