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What Do You Find Beautiful about Viruses? A Post-COVID Assessment Strategy
1Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
|April 24, 2023
Summary
Instructors are exploring new assessment methods, like asking students about the beauty of viruses. This approach revealed diverse student perspectives and fostered engagement beyond traditional scientific understanding.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Biotechnology Education
- Assessment Methods
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic and ungrading movement prompt re-evaluation of science assessment.
- Traditional science assessments prioritize factual recall over emotional connection.
- Virus biotechnology courses often focus on technical knowledge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore student perceptions of beauty in viruses.
- To assess the impact of incorporating aesthetic appreciation into scientific evaluation.
- To investigate alternative assessment strategies in higher education.
Main Methods:
- An additional assessment question was added to a senior-level virus biotechnology final exam.
- Students were asked to describe what they found beautiful about viruses.
- Responses were collected over three academic terms (Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022).
Main Results:
- Students identified a wide array of concepts they found beautiful in viruses.
- All students received full marks for their detailed descriptions.
- Grading these responses was a positive and engaging experience for the instructor.
Conclusions:
- Incorporating questions about beauty can reveal diverse student connections to scientific material.
- This assessment method offers a joyful and insightful alternative to traditional evaluations.
- Such approaches may enhance student engagement and emotional connection in science.
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