1. Research Problem In one sentence, describe the problem that is the focus of your classroom research project about student learning: Biology undergraduates lack metacognitive knowledge, which has a deleterious effect on their performance in class. Our classes are very diverse in their composition.

2. Research Question What is your research question? Can a reflective intervention increase metacognitive knowledge in different student populations in the biology classroom?

3. Research Methods My primary research methods include: -Alignment assessment (10 cell biology + 10 general biology multiple choice questions, each with a confidence likert-like scale.) -Demographic data survey. -Intervention: -Cognitive reflection homework. -Framed biweekly journaling. How will I collect these data? Alignment assessment (in class, not graded, weeks 1 & 14). Demographic data (online survey on week 3). Homework assignment (online, for completion, weeks 1& 14). Journaling data (weekly online, for completion). My strategy to analyze these data will be: -Measure correlation between performance score & average confidence score @ weeks 1 and 14 and estimate alignment gains. -Relation between alignment gains & # of online journals completed. -Coding for the presence of metacognitive knowledge in the responses to key questions in homework and online journals. -Segregate data according to gender and/or ethnicity.

4. Research Methods My primary research methods include: -Alignment assessment (10 cell biology + 10 general biology multiple choice questions, each with a confidence likert-like scale.) -Demographic data survey. -Intervention: -Cognitive reflection homework. -Framed weekly journaling. How will I collect these data? Alignment assessment (in class, not graded, weeks 1 & 14). Demographic data. Homework assignment (online, for completion, weeks 1& 14). Journaling data (biweekly online, for completion). My strategy to analyze these data will be: -Measure correlation between performance score & average confidence score @ weeks 1 and 14 and estimate alignment gains. -Relation between alignment gains & # of online journals completed. -Coding for the presence of metacognitive knowledge in the responses to key questions in homework and online journals. -Segregate data according to gender and/or ethnicity. Consider MAI

5. Research Methods My primary research methods include: -Alignment assessment (10 cell biology + 10 general biology multiple choice questions, each with a confidence likert-like scale.) -Demographic data survey. -Intervention: -Cognitive reflection homework. -Framed weekly journaling. How will I collect these data? Alignment assessment (in class, not graded, weeks 1 & 14). Demographic data (online survey on week 3). Homework assignment (online, for completion, weeks 1& 14). Journaling data (every 2 weeks, for completion). My strategy to analyze these data will be: -Measure correlation between performance score & average confidence score @ weeks 1 and 14 and estimate alignment gains. -Relation between alignment gains & # of online journals completed. -Coding for the presence of metacognitive knowledge in the responses to key questions in homework and online journals. -Segregate data according to gender and/or ethnicity.

6. Alignment of Research Question and Methods Can a reflective intervention increase metacognitive knowledge in different student populations in the biology classroom? Alignment assessment on weeks 1 and 14. Information on relationship between student perceived and actual knowledge and how (if) it changes during the semester. Homework assignment on weeks 1 and 14. Data will be coded for the presence of metacognitive knowledge (knowing what learning strategies exist and when to use them) and look for changes. Journaling Activity Correlate number of completed journals with changes seen in (1) & (2)+ code questions to support (2). 1 2 3 Self-reported demographics Allows for segregation of data across gender and ethnicity to examine population specific effects. 4