Biohorizons: An eConference to assess human biology in large, first-year classes

Area of Science:

• Human Biology education
• eLearning in higher education
• Scientific literacy development

Background:

• Large first-year Human Biology classes require innovative teaching methods.
• Integrating authentic scientific practices into undergraduate curricula is essential.
• eLearning communities can support collaborative learning in science.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design, implement, and evaluate an eConference (Biohorizons) for first-year Human Biology students.
• To assess the effectiveness of an eLearning community in fostering scientific practices.
• To introduce students to the work of professional scientists through summative assessment.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a presage-process-product model for eLearning community development.
• Students collaborated in online clusters to produce scientific papers and presentations.
• Asynchronous eTutor support and standards-referenced rubrics were employed for assessment.
• Evaluation involved analyzing student achievement data, surveys, and focus group interviews.

Main Results:

• High academic achievement observed, with mean scores ranging from 81-96% across semesters.
• Successful integration of eLearning into large Human Biology courses was confirmed.
• First-year students demonstrated engagement through collaborative learning activities.
• Challenging assessments effectively fostered learning relevant to professional scientific practices.

Conclusions:

• eLearning, exemplified by the Biohorizons eConference, is a viable and effective strategy for large undergraduate science classes.
• Collaborative learning and authentic scientific tasks enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
• The Biohorizons model provides a framework for developing eLearning communities that promote scientific literacy.