1. Research Problem Misconceptions of molecular biology concepts prevents students from understanding and retaining the correct information.

2. Research Question Can team-based learning activities improve the common misconception students have regarding the premise that, “information in a gene directs expression of a specific protein?” Note: topic is a learning goal (perceived misconception) published in Jia Shi, William B. Wood, Jennifer M. Martin, Nancy A. Guild, Quentin Vicens, and Jennifer K. Knight (2010) A Diagnostic Assessment for Introductory Molecular and Cell Biology CBE Vol. 9, 453–461

3. My primary research methods include: a.Use embedded selected multiple-choice Introductory Molecular and Cell Biology Assessment (IMCA) instrument (pre- and post-test) b.Interview random students after all of the team based activities. c.Analyze two questions from last year’s final exam on this content (no intervention) and this year’s course (with intervention). d.Compare past two years’ final grades (no intervention) to course with intervention and also compare colleague’s final course grades (no intervention) to class with intervention. How will I collect these data? a.Administer multiple choice IMCA to see what the students knew before they started the class and how they improved at the end of the course. The specific questions for this study will be embedded. b.Obtain voice recordings from interviews. c.Create a rubric to grade two final exam questions on the specific content in which I did team based learning (use the rubric for classes with and without intervention). d. Determine the average course grade in classes with and without intervention. My strategy to analyze these data will be: Consult a statistician! a.Determine if my teaching intervention resulted in a significant difference in IMCA scores between students in classes without intervention and students in the class with intervention. This is interval data. b.Transcribe the interview data and then analyze them to identify descriptive themes. c.Determine if students significantly improved on the two final exam questions in the course with intervention compared to the course without intervention. This is interval data. d.Determine if average course grade data was higher in the course with intervention compared without intervention. This is interval data.

4. Alignment of Research Question and Methods Week 1 pre Week 15 post Team-based learning regarding misconceptionLecture on same subject Final course grade Final exam on questions dealing with misconception Final exam on questions dealing with misconception All supporting data might show that: 1. The intervention fixed the misconception and led to long term retention because the post test is higher; 2. Final questions are higher; 3. Interview showed students understood the material; and 4, Final grades in class improved. Week 1 pre Week 15 post Interview after intervention