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2:00 EFFECT OF CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES ON STUDENTS' ATTITUDES AND
PERFORMANCE, Sandra Rucker, Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA 30314.
We will discuss the implementation of pedagogical strategies designed to
enhance students' performance in introductory college mathematics
courses. Two calculus courses taught by the same instructor were used
for the study. The experimental group used structured peer tutoring
groups, and a structured homework design. The control group did not use
structured peer tutoring groups or a structured homework design. The
study employed a mixed-methods design. Qualitative data consisted of
student interviews and an instructor developed attitude survey.
Quantitative data included student quizzes. Our results indicate that
students' perceptions and performance are enhanced by the use of
well-structured peer tutoring groups.
2:15 IS GUIDED INQUIRY A BETTER METHOD TO DEVELOP PROCESS SKILLS
AND REASONING ABILITIES? Anil C. Banerjee, Department of Chemistry,
Columbus State University, Columbus, GA 31907. A quasi-experimental
research design was used to explore whether guided inquiry is a better
instructional strategy to develop process skills and reasoning abilities
in high school chemistry students. The experimental class of 26 students
was enrolled in a year-long high school chemistry course and the class
was taught by a teacher with experience on inquiry teaching. Ten guided
inquiry labs were used to teach the concepts and develop inquiry
abilities. The control group was made of 24 students enrolled in a
similar chemistry course from another high school from the same area.
The control group was taught by an experienced chemistry teacher using
traditional lecture and cook book laboratory methods. A 15-item science
inquiry test was developed and standardized. The items measured
laboratory and process skills, and reasoning abilities. Statistical
analysis of pre-post test scores indicated both groups improved in
process skills and reasoning abilities. However, the pre-post test score
difference of the experimental group was statistically significant
compared to the control group. The inquiry class also developed better
reasoning abilities.
2:30 OPTIMIZING THE TETRAHYMENA TOXICANT ASSAY FOR USE IN THE
BIOLOGY CLASS SETTING **, Caitlin Cole *, Jesina Elliston, Rachael
Fairhurst and Nancy Eufemia Dalman, North Georgia College & State
University, Dahlonega, GA 30597. Tetrahymena pyriformis are
inexpensively grown protozoans commonly used for toxicological tests and
in college laboratory courses. Tetrahymena feed indiscriminately and
external changes, such as toxicant exposure, will alter feeding rate. We
refined a currently available Tetrahymena phagocytosis protocol and made
it more amenable for the classroom. First, Tetrahymena were starved for
24 h prior to the experiment, thus increasing feeding rate and allowing
the experiment to be completed in a single laboratory period. Second,
India ink, the typical food source in this lab exercise, causes
differences in both number and size of food vacuoles, which can confound
results. Changing the food source from ink to fluorescently coated latex
beads enables students to more accurately view the rate of feeding. A
bead concentration was established that gave each Tetrahymena ready
access to 100 beads. In our pilot study, Tetrahymena began feeding
immediately after beads were provided, and the protozoans were
subsequently fixed with Lugols solution in 15 min intervals. The number
of phagocytized beads was counted using a compound microscope, and the
feeding rate was determined by graphing the number of food vacuoles
formed as a function of time. Further assessment of the technique as an
educational tool will be conducted in the introductory biology lab
course. Funding was provided by the Center for Undergraduate Research
& Creative Activities at NGCSU.
2:45 Break
3:00 POPULATION HEATH INDICATORS OF GEORGIA'S COUNTY PRIMARY
HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREAS, Koosh Desai *, University of
Georgia, Athens, GA 30604. Georgia faces immense primary care physician
(PCP) shortages, our State currently ranks 43rd in PCP supply, and with
the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, shortages
are expected to get even worse. As part of a program to increase supply
of primary care providers, the Health Resources and Services
Administration designates geographic areas deemed to have shortages of
primary medical care as county Health Professional Shortage Areas
(HPSAs). Granting HPSA status is the Health and Human Resource's
first step to increase physician supply of high primary provider demand
areas. Therefore, it is critical to insure HPSA status is appropriately
designated to areas with the greatest need for primary care services. In
this study, cause-specific mortality and morbidity data of HPSAs were
compared to Georgia's rural areas and the State as whole. Using
vital statistics and hospital discharge data, various negative heath
outcome rates were generated for ambulatory care sensitive conditions.
These preventive health indicators, assumed to be lower in areas with
actual PCP shortages, were shown to be similar for HPSA and rural areas;
with rural areas generally showing slightly poorer health. While this
data alone cannot rebuke the current system of designation, currently
designated county HPSAs of Georgia do not seem to have a greater need
for PCP than other areas. Additional investigation is required to
further substantiate these results.
3:15 COLLEGE STUDENTS TEACHING PRE-COLLEGE STUDENTS SCIENCE AND
MATH: A PROPOSAL FOR A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL EXPERIENCE THAT PROMOTES THE
LEARNING AND TEACHING OF SCIENCE AND MATH **, Juan Mora * (1), Nastassia
Mondesir (1), Army Lester (1) and Alvin Harmon (2), [.sup.1]Kennesaw
State University. Kennesaw, GA 30144 and [.sup.2]Atlanta Metropolitan
College, Atlanta, GA 30310. The challenge of promoting excellence in
science seems to be fueled partially by a lack of quality experiences
for our learners, and a lack of trained college students to become
life-long teachers. This work proposes that college science students are
excellent candidates to teach pre-college students science and math in
an outside the classroom experience. Each semester, a group of college
students could meet to develop and present a series of hands-on
activities to help pre-college students understand science, math and
laboratory skills. The high school students would be assisted in
developing strategies to master science and math, and to understand how
such principles and skills are used to shape society and to achieve
academic success. Preliminary indicators suggest that the pre-college
students benefit by being exposed to principles and skills that they
generally do not experience until they enter college. These students
also gain from the repeated exposure to a variety of connected science
and math concepts, and by serving as a science teacher, which reinforces
what is learned in science and math courses. The greatest benefit of
this experience however, might be the impact that this experience has on
showing college students that all science students have the potential to
become engaged activists in promoting success in science. College
students can become teachers of our next generation of learners by going
into the classroom as a science teacher or by engaging in the work of
the community as a servant leader in science education. It appears that
all benefit when our college students are given an opportunity to
sharpen their knowledge and skills by teaching others.
3:30 THE EFFECT OF A NOVEL CROSS-DISCIPLINARY LABORATORY EXPERIENCE
ON SELF-REPORTED LEARNING **, Elizabeth M. Southard *, Laura M. Tamowski
*, Steven Lloyd, and Ryan Shanks. North Georgia College & State
University. Dahlonega, GA 30597. Cross-discipline laboratory experiences
create an opportunity for students to gain real-world analytical
experience with modern research tools relevant to current scientific
questions. Four freshman biology laboratory courses taught by two
different instructors were used for this study. The experimental group
consisted of two classes (n = 107) who engaged in a novel sequence of
cross-disciplinary laboratory experiences involving hypothesis-driven,
collaborative experimentation involving podcasted media. This experiment
assessed the effects of methamphetamine or saline on aggressive
behaviors in a resident-intruder paradigm. The control group (n = 118)
participated in a standard sequence of laboratory sessions designed for
undergraduate biology students using a non-hypothesis driven design.
This lab included collecting, disseminating and analyzing data on yeast
fermentation rates and potato cell osmosis. Baseline knowledge as well
as students' attitudes toward science were captured via a 21
question modified version of the commonly used self-report instrument
called the Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALG). The SALG was
also administered in the week preceding the completion of the standard
laboratory sequence (control group) or the novel laboratory sequence
(experimental group). Learning gains were assessed for control and
experimental groups by comparing pretest to posttest scores using
two-way ANOVAs in SPSS.
3:45 BEST PRACTICES FOR IMPROVING RETENTION AND INCREASING THE
NUMBER OF MINORITY STEM SCHOLARS TRANSFERRING TO FOUR YEAR INSTITUTIONS,
Abe Ojo, Bonita Flournoy, Alvin Harmon and Bryan Mitchell, Atlanta
Metropolitan College, Atlanta, GA 30310. At Atlanta Metropolitan College
(AMC) we have established the Mathematics, Engineering, Science
Achievement (MESA) and the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Program
(LSAMP) models to assist in increasing the retention of
under-represented minorities majoring in STEM areas, as well as those
that are transferring to four-year institutions in Georgia and across
the United States. One major cornerstone of these models is the Academic
Excellence Workshop (AEW). STEM majors from educationally and
financially disadvantaged minorities who otherwise have low eligibility
rates of going to four year universities are interviewed and selected as
MESA and LSAMP scholars. These students must be registered in any of the
difficult science and mathematics courses, such as college algebra,
pre-calculus, calculus I, general physics I and II and general chemistry
to attend the AEW. The AEW utilize peer facilitators or upper
level/graduate students to lead the workshops. The MESA and LSAMP
scholars must also be registered in a leadership and research course
entitled "Topics in Science" (CHEM/BIOL/PHYS 2246). In
addition, the students must sign a participatory contract to attend the
AEW and counseling sessions which are provided weekly. Between 2005 to
2010, one hundred and eight minority STEM scholars matriculated through
the combined programs. For both programs, approximately fifty-eight
percent of the scholars were retained and thirty-eight percent
transferred to four-year institutions. This presentation will discuss
the successes, challenges and areas of improvement that have been
recorded with both the AMC MESA and LSAMP programs.
4:00 "SOAP" NOTES AND CASE STUDIES IN HUMAN ANATOMY AND
PHYSIOLOGY, John V. Aliff, GPC Online, Georgia Perimeter College.
Clarkston, GA 30021. When a patient visits medical doctor, the physician
writes a SOAP note with the assistance of a nurse. Very general case
studies, e.g., "A student has passed out in the hall. How do you
aid the student? Explain the disease process involved and the necessary
treatment." The case begins with a student request for patient
information that is provided by the instructor. S = Subjective reports
from the patient (symptoms and patient history): O = Objective
observations made by the nurse and physician (vital signs, results of
medical tests and imaging that the student determines by research): A =
Assessment is a preliminary diagnosis to be confirmed by further
testing: P = Plan of treatment. The SOAP note is following by a section
describing the "Anatomy and Physiology of the case" and an
"explanation of the treatment." Depending on the patient
information given, different disease processes can be diagnosed.
References follow in GA J SCI form. I have previously reported (Aliff,
2005) that students benefit from case studies.