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All Journal Integrated Science Education Journal International Journal of Educational Innovation and Research
Unger, Shem
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Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Mathematics Social Sciences Other

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Find a Fossil and “Choose your own Adventure”: Fostering undergraduate discovery of evolution using short presentations Unger, Shem; Rollins, Mark
International Journal of Educational Innovation and Research Vol. 3 No. 1 (2024)
Publisher : Universitas Majalengka

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.31949/ijeir.v3i1.7253

Abstract

Science education university curriculum should foster transformative methods of teaching and learning for science majors, including science communication. Pedagogical methods for increasing student awareness of paleontological fossils present challenges as fossils are often presented as preserved remains with little visualizations or reconstructions of fossils. As part of increasing scientific literacy and increasing confidence in professional development skills, student presentations can provide an avenue for promoting these necessary skills for biology majors. This study reports on a short multi-week activity whereby students A) selected a fossil to investigate, B) completed a one to two slide presentation on their fossil of choice, and C) presented their fossil overview to their peers in a lecture classroom. Post-activity surveys and reflections indicate that students found this activity engaging, a fun method for learning about a large diversity of fossils important to evolution, and finally, enjoyed selecting their own fossil. Therefore, allowing students to present on fossils and the evolutionary story they each tell may have increased engagement, piqued interest, and enabled students to both learn and focus on taxa of interest to them personally. We recommend science educators incorporate short, low risk presentations as a learning tool in biology courses to “bring fossils alive” and increase engagement among biology students by promoting student science communication.
Podcasts and Papers: Using AI to Engage Undergraduates in Scientific Literacy in Biology Unger, Shem; Rollins, Mark
Integrated Science Education Journal Vol 7 No 2 (2026): March
Publisher : Cahaya Ilmu Cendekia Publisher

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.37251/isej.v7i2.2421

Abstract

Purpose of the study: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a valuable tool for science education, for both students and instructors. This study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of using AI-generated podcasts to introduce undergraduates to primary scientific literature as a teaching pedagogy. Methodology: Google NotebookLM was used to generate audio podcasts on ten different scientific journal articles for an undergraduate ecology course. Students were surveyed on how engaging, informative, and helpful podcasts were, and whether they helped introduce them to the research article. Data were collected from Likert-scale questionnaires and short responses and analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Main Findings: The majority of students found AI-generated audio podcasts an engaging and effective learning method for increasing science literacy and understanding. No change was noted across the class in student perceptions of podcasts, indicating that the majority of students found AI podcasts helped them learn about scientific research, with ~35% not realizing the podcast was AI. These findings reveal the potential to increase science literacy through our methodology if incorporated across various fields of science education. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study provides evidence that AI-generated podcasts can be used as a new method to introduce biology students to peer-reviewed scientific articles. Other educators can use similar free audio podcasts across subjects to engage undergraduate students in science. The findings add to our body of knowledge on AI and on how educators can utilize podcasts as a powerful pedagogical tool for teaching science.
Co-Authors Rollins, Mark