A clicker-based case study that untangles student thinking about the processes in the central dogma

• DOI: 10.24918/cs.2016.15
• Publication Date: 2017-04-25T18:37:43Z
• Authors: Karen Nicole Pell...; Tessa Andrews; Norris Armstrong; Mary A. Bedell; Farahad Dastoor; Neta Dean; Susan Erster; Cori Fata-Hartley; Nancy Guild; Hamish Greig; David Hall; Jennifer K. Knight; Donna Koslowsky; Paula Lemons; Jennifer Martin; Jill McCourt; John Merrill; Rosa Moscarella; Ross Nehm; Robert Northington; Brian Olsen; Luanna Prevost; Jon Stolzfus; Mark Urban-Lurain; Michelle K. Smith
• Keywords: Clicker; Transcription; Replication

The central dogma of biology is a foundational concept that provides scaffold to understand how genetic information flows in biological systems. Despite its importance, undergraduate students often poorly processes (DNA replication, transcription, and translation), encoded used each these processes, the relationships between them. To help overcome conceptual difficulties, we designed clicker-based activity focused on two brothers who have multiple nucleotide differences their dystrophin gene sequence, resulting one has Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) does not. This asks predict effects various types mutations DNA translation. determine effectiveness this activity, taught it ten large-enrollment courses at five different institutions assessed effect by evaluating student responses pre/post short answer questions, clicker multiple-choice exam questions. Students showed learning gains from pre post questions performed highly end-of-unit targeting similar concepts. can be presented points during semester (e.g., when discussing dogma, mutations, or disease) been successfully variety ranging non-majors introductory advanced upper level biology.