Amanda L. Molder, PhD (@amandalmolder.bsky.social)

New paper! We examined the power of short films in the classroom and found that they impacted content knowledge, students’ perceptions of scientists, self-identification as scientists, and understanding of the nature of science. Fun collaboration w/ @scicommlab.bsky.social. Check it out 👉 #scicomm

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Engaging short film activity that supports learning, science identity, and nature of science comprehension | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education Improving students’ science identity and nature of science (NOS) comprehension are two major goals of reform efforts to enhance student learning and persistence in undergraduate biology education (1). Yet both are hard to achieve. Science identity refers to how a person perceives themself as a “science person” and how they are recognized as a “science person” in social contexts (2, 3). Science identity is dynamic and often influenced by students’ lived experiences and social interactions with others (4, 5). Students from groups STEM has historically excluded, such as underrepresented minorities, women, and people with disabilities, are more likely to persist in STEM if they have a strong science identity (6, 7). Therefore, cultivating science identity in undergraduate biology students can have great implications for motivating a diversity of students to choose science careers. https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00227-24