We developed an advanced, year-long course sequence in eukaryotic cell and molecular biology in order to increase conceptual understanding. Three years of historical data from a one semester, traditional-lecture, senior cell and molecular biology course (n = 237) were compared with 3 years of data collected from the year-long course sequence (n = 176). There were significant content gains for the students who enrolled in the course sequence when pre- and post-assessments were compared (p < 0.0001). There was an association between earning a C or better in the course sequence and 70% or higher in the post-assessment instrument (p < 0.05). Final course grades for Bio 135A were calculated from three open ended exams and the percentage of correct answers on the clicker questions. For Bio135B, final grades were calculated from three open ended exams, clicker responses, a seven-page literature review on an environmental carcinogen and its effects on signal transduction pathways, and a formal presentation of one of the research articles they used in the literature review. The students who took the second semester of the course passed at higher rates than the students who enrolled in the traditional-lecture course (p < 0.05). Clicker answers to the research problem sets and the final course grades correlated significantly for both semesters of the course sequence (p < 0.01). We conclude that conceptually-connected learning gains can be obtained when the content is taught in a format that includes short lectures and group work to solve research questions.

中文翻译：

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真核细胞和分子生物学高级课程序列：为期一年的课程，通过主动学习和同伴主导的小组带来更高的学习收益和显着的课程通过分数

我们开发了为期一年的真核细胞和分子生物学高级课程序列，以增加概念理解。将一学期传统讲座高级细胞和分子生物学课程 ( n  = 237) 的三年历史数据与从为期一年的课程序列中收集的 3 年数据 ( n  = 176) 进行比较。比较前评估和后评估时，参加该课程序列的学生在内容上取得了显着的进步 ( p <  0.0001)。在课程顺序中获得 C 或更好成绩与在后评估工具中获得 70% 或更高成绩之间存在关联 ( p  < 0.05)。 Bio 135A 的最终课程成绩是根据三场开放式考试和答题器问题的正确答案百分比计算得出的。对于 Bio135B，最终成绩是根据三项开放式考试、答题器反应、关于环境致癌物及其对信号转导途径影响的七页文献综述以及他们在文献综述中使用的研究文章之一的正式介绍计算得出的。参加该课程第二学期的学生比参加传统讲座课程的学生通过率更高（p  < 0.05）。 Clicker 对研究问题集的回答与课程序列的两个学期的最终课程成绩显着相​​关 ( p  < 0.01)。我们的结论是，当以包括简短讲座和小组合作来解决研究问题的形式教授内容时，可以获得概念上相关的学习收益。