Inoculation theory, which applies the biological concept of vaccination to misinformation, provides a range of ways to effectively build resilience against misinformation. In this article, we define and organize the various types of inoculation, which includes three delivery mechanisms that can be useful in the classroom--passive, active, and…

Hurricane and galaxy tidal effect are routine teaching topics in community college first year science courses, but there is a knowledge gap without a quantitative discussion of the physics of non-inertia frame. A survey of YouTube videos posted by Education Centers and professors showed that the hand-waving conceptual explanation is the most…

Writing Intensive (WR) High Impact Practice (HIP), which incorporates Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT), was applied to written assignments in Human Biology and Anatomy and Physiology II (A&P II) courses. As part of our study sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), certified AAC&U Valid…

The purpose of this Executive Position Paper project was to develop educational resources to support the teaching of nature of science topics to undergraduate students at Delaware Technical Community College. The investigation was driven by two exploratory projects and a review of the literature. The first exploratory project examined the…

Faculty development is often under-emphasized in community colleges (or 2-year colleges; 2YCs). This research reports on data collected from a National Science Foundation (NSF) project involving 2YC geoscience faculty as "change agents." We studied 22 geoscience faculty involved in a NSF funded longitudinal project that focused on three…

This small-scale design study describes disciplinary learning in mathematical modeling and science from an authentic engineeringthemed module. Current research in tissue engineering served as source material for the module, including science content for readings and a mathematical modeling activity in which students work in small teams to design a…

Research has shown that a moderate to high level of Active Learning (AL) is helpful for all students, especially for disadvantaged students. In this study we measured student perceptions of case-based learning (CBL), a type of AL, in anatomy and physiology courses at a four-year university and a community college. We compared perceptions of CBL to…

Active instructional approaches have been demonstrated to result in greater student achievement, prompting institutions to transition to more active learning environments. However, little work has been conducted to specifically measure the retention of knowledge gained. The purpose of the research presented here was to test assumptions regarding…

This study explored whether gender and active learning and student-centered pedagogies such as project-based and peer-led in introductory science "gatekeeper" major courses; BIOL 1306 and CHEM 1311 had an impact on student success rates, student perceptions, and student persistence in STEM fields at a community college in South Texas…

Active learning methodologies (ALM) are associated with student success, but little research on this topic has been pursued at the community college level. At a local community college, students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses exhibited lower than average grades. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the use…

Research into science identity, stereotype threat, and possible selves suggests a lack of diverse representations of scientists could impede traditionally underserved students from persisting and succeeding in science. We evaluated a series of metacognitive homework assignments ("Scientist Spotlights") that featured counterstereotypical…

There is a need for science education research that explores community college student, instructor, and course characteristics that influence student interest and motivation to study science. Increasing student enrollment and persistence in STEM is a national concern. Nearly half of all college graduates have passed through a community college at…

CREATE (Consider, Read, Elucidate the hypotheses, Analyze and interpret the data, and Think of the next Experiment) is an innovative pedagogy for teaching science through the intensive analysis of scientific literature. Initiated at the City College of New York, a minority-serving institution, and regionally expanded in the New York/New…

Understandings of nature of science (NOS) are a core component of scientific literacy, and a scientifically literate populace is expected to be able to critically evaluate science in the media. While evidence has remained inconclusive on whether better NOS understandings will lead to critical evaluation of science in the media, this study aimed at…

Institutions of higher education are feeling the pressure to offer a greater number of courses through alternative methods of instructional delivery including hybrid and online courses in an attempt to meet the needs of their students. Among institutions of higher education, community colleges have become a forerunner in online education, in many…