Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Biology
Date of Award
12-2017
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Anna C Hiatt
Committee Members
Rebecca Pyles, Thomas Jones
Abstract
As technology continues to advance, many instructors are incorporating online activities into their courses. While online learning has several benefits, there is still debate on how instructors can best develop and utilize these resources in their classroom. This study is split into two smaller projects that both aim to provide further insights on how to develop online activities that target undergraduate biology students. The first project revealed that elaborative feedback in a phylogenetic activity was more useful for students who had some exposure to phylogenetics prior to completing the activity. The results of the second project revealed that the appearance of two simulations’ user interfaces does not have a significant effect on learning outcomes. However, many students responded that these simulations did increase their understanding of the concepts, indicating simulations can play an important role in the biology classroom.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Ford, William, "Online Learning in Biology: An Investigation into Designing Online Learning Resources" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 3330. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/3330
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.