The LSE Editorial Board is featuring articles published in LSE that have been annotated to represent various aspects of design, conduct, interpretation, and presentation. This feature aims to help biologists and other scholars who are interested in education research but are unfamiliar with some of the field’s approaches and methods. The articles have been annotated by Board members and vetted by the original authors to ensure that the annotations are technically accurate.
Our annotations comment on background information, provide definitions, emphasize applications for instruction, explicate research design, and notes key elements of writing. In the annotations about background, we provide a historical perspective that situates an article into its larger context within the field, so readers better understand the justification and rationale for a particular study. The definitions lens offers succinct definitions of sometimes complex and debated concepts. These annotations also include links to open-source citations where readers can learn more about the terms. Some of the papers include discussion about how the research could impact instruction, and we highlight these when possible. Readers will notice that they can infer instructional uses even when the impact of teaching method is not the specific focus of the research being presented. Many of the annotations emphasize research design, because the way biology education research draws on methods from both natural and social sciences is complex, and can be challenging for people new to the field. A number of the articles we have annotated emphasize qualitative research methods, because these are often unfamiliar to many biologists. Lastly, we offer writing tips for people who seek advice about how to prepare manuscripts about their biology education research.
View our annotated articles here:
The Project Ownership Survey: Measuring Differences in Scientific Inquiry Experiences
Scientific Teaching: Defining a Taxonomy of Observable Practices
Spotlighting Diversity: An example of a well-tested and effective classroom intervention
Recognizing potential among diverse undergraduates
Mixed Methods: Comparing Modes of Instruction with Instructor Beliefs
Testing a model: Identifying supports that influence science identity and intent to persist
Optimizing the Efficacy of Learning Objectives through Pretests
Generating empirical evidence that teacher knowledge of student misconceptions is important
Capturing instructor complexity with persona methodology
Open-ended methodologies give voice to student experiences with accommodations during the pandemic-related transitions to online learning
Feedback about this feature and specific annotations is welcome.
Annotated primary literature using a Learning Lens was pioneered by AAAS Science in the Classroom (www.scienceintheclassroom.org), a collection of freely available annotated STEM research papers and accompanying teaching materials. We encourage you to pay them a visit, and consider using their papers in your classroom.