@article{chen_dums_hasley_2024, title={Building a valuable professional development course: instructor effort vs. perceived student value of activities in an online biotechnology course}, volume={9}, ISSN={["2504-284X"]}, DOI={10.3389/feduc.2024.1464387}, abstractNote={Providing undergraduate and graduate students with the appropriate preparation for transitioning to careers in their field after graduation is a key goal of higher education institutions, with many programs employing professional development workshops or courses to assist students and provide hands-on skills in this area. Although a wide variety of activities could benefit students, instructor and career specialist time is limited. Here, we describe an online biotechnology professional development course for undergraduate and graduate students, covering career exploration and the job search process, and the students’ perceptions of the activities offered based on survey data. Overall response to the course was positive, with students at various stages of their education indicating appreciation of most of the course assignments. Interestingly, students ranked the activities that took the most instructor time, namely review of application materials, mock interviews, and career panels, as the most valuable for their personal development. The career exploration aspects of the course influenced students to be open to new possibilities. However, students struggled to make time to complete the assignments for a fully online, largely asynchronous course. Discussion of the value of the course activities, their relevance to social cognitive career theory and cognitive information processing, and suggestions for smooth implementation are provided.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION}, author={Chen, Stefanie H. and Dums, Jacob T. and Hasley, Andrew O.}, year={2024}, month={Nov} }
 @article{harris_sikes_bergman_goller_hasley_sjogren_ramirez_gordy_2022, title={Hands-on immunology: Engaging learners of all ages through tactile teaching tools}, volume={13}, ISSN={["1664-302X"]}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.966282}, DOI={10.3389/fmicb.2022.966282}, abstractNote={Ensuring the public has a fundamental understanding of human-microbe interactions, immune responses, and vaccines is a critical challenge in the midst of a pandemic. These topics are commonly taught in undergraduate- and graduate-level microbiology and immunology courses; however, creating engaging methods of teaching these complex concepts to students of all ages is necessary to keep younger students interested when science seems hard. Building on the Tactile Teaching Tools with Guided Inquiry Learning (TTT-GIL) method we used to create an interactive lac operon molecular puzzle, we report here two TTT-GIL activities designed to engage diverse learners from middle schoolers to masters students in exploring molecular interactions within the immune system. By pairing physical models with structured activities built on the constructivist framework of Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL), TTT-GIL activities guide learners through their interaction with the model, using the Learning Cycle to facilitate construction of new concepts. Moreover, TTT-GIL activities are designed utilizing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to include all learners through multiple means of engagement, representation, and action. The TTT-GIL activities reported here include a web-enhanced activity designed to teach concepts related to antibody-epitope binding and specificity to deaf and hard-of-hearing middle and high school students in a remote setting and a team-based activity that simulates the evolution of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) haplotype of a population exposed to pathogens. These activities incorporate TTT-GIL to engage learners in the exploration of fundamental immunology concepts and can be adapted for use with learners of different levels and educational backgrounds.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY}, publisher={Frontiers Media SA}, author={Harris, Felix R. and Sikes, Michael L. and Bergman, Michael and Goller, Carlos C. and Hasley, Andrew O. and Sjogren, Caroline A. and Ramirez, Melissa V. and Gordy, Claire L.}, year={2022}, month={Aug} }