Open textbooks are free, online resources that can replace traditional textbooks and save students money. The costs of traditional textbooks continue to increase, and this can particularly affect at-risk, low-income students. Few studies have analyzed student perceptions of open textbooks and how they influence academic achievement, but the emerging trend is positive. In the present study, I assessed student perceptions of an open textbook and calculated the subsequent cost savings. Although there were some limitations to my study, such as a low sample size, my results closely mirror previous studies in that most students had favorable opinions of the open textbook and would prefer to use them over traditional textbooks. The average cost savings per student was $81 for one course, determined using a novel method that does not assume all students buy new textbooks. These savings were likely important to the students, the majority of whom worked five hours or more and have received Pell Grants or other tuition waivers.

What is the role of wonder in a classroom? And how does a teacher activate this most human of emotions? This paper investigates the role wonder—and the subjects most closely associated with it, art and science—should play in our students' school lives. The work connects my lived experiences as a high school teacher and college professor with the philosophy of John Dewey and contemporary literature on pedagogical practices. My findings suggest that it is a moral imperative to encourage wonder in our classrooms and to do so in an authentic way.

Scientific literacy is a complex topic that is often cited, but rarely fully defined. Teaching scientific literacy often focuses solely on scientific reading and writing. However, to be scientifically literate, one must also be able to distinguish between credible and non-credible sources of information. Such ability involves a thorough knowledge of referencing and the peer-review process. To incorporate such issues into the teaching of a specific aspect of scientific literacy, a two-part module was developed with one module focusing on each of the aforementioned topics. Pre-tests and post-tests assessed the efficacy of within-module assignments in terms of increasing student knowledge and confidence in understanding scientific literacy. Following completion of the modules, students were involved in a project that required the writing a scientific paper. Statistically significant gains were observed in student confidence after student completion of the module-specific assignments. Similar findings occurred in knowledge of basic formatting and peer-review after completion of the written paper. The timing in which gains occurred suggests that procedural learning occurred prior to declarative learning. Thus, a multistep process appears effective in explaining a complex topic such as scientific literacy to undergraduate students.

Bionics by definition combines science and technology, with nature acting as a model for technical applications. Bionics is expected to lead to a better understanding of the Nature of Science (NOS). We applied a hands-on inquiry-based module about bionics with sixth graders during a public bionics exhibition in a zoological garden that allowed students to act as researchers, i.e., to understand the problem-solving process and to search for methods to overcome problems. The practice of science and engineering was at the center of this intervention; for example, students were asked to provide explanations and design solutions in the bionics field (NGSS, 2017). From this complex field we showed examples using living animals in the zoo. Our students learned bionics topics directly on the living animal by transferring them later to bionics topics. The streamlined shape of the dolphin snout, the communication system of dolphins, and other examples, each with its technical and bionics application, were examined. Bionics can serve as a complement to other biology topics. An increase in cognitive knowledge was observed both immediately after intervention and after a complete school year. Male participants showed more interest in technology than females.

Solving conservation problems requires students to apply their knowledge of ecology and evolution. We present the Endangered Species Conservation through Habitat Suitability Analysis Laboratory Activity, in which students perform habitat suitability analyses for endangered freshwater species, compelling application of ecological and evolutionary principles. Students gather natural history information for endangered species native to Illinois, synthesize publicly available GIS/map data and habitat requirements for an endangered species, and present evidence-based proposals identifying geographical regions that should be set aside for protection. Students discuss current freshwater conservation issues and develop conceptual understanding of evolution, ecology, and conservation principles and processes. Students are prompted to consider human inclusion in freshwater ecosystems and its consequences. This laboratory investigation is effective in highlighting naïve conceptions of ecology, evolution, and conservation because students are prompted to provide rationale for their management decisions and engage in scientific discourse as they conduct their habitat suitability analyses.

Science education as it is taught in the twenty-first century primarily focuses on scientific literacy, specifically on the process of science and how it can be applied. Most process-driven pedagogical tools are based on hypothesisdriven science, in which the hypothesis is the focal point. In descriptive science, the focal point is the organization of data, leading ultimately to the formation of questions and hypotheses. This technique helps students through the process of data collection, organization, and application without the use of scientific terminology. The students are led through the process using common objects, and then required, as a homework assignment, to collect, organize, and apply their own data. By using this simple, repetitive technique, students will see how a classical scientific field (taxonomy) can be applied to modern life situations.

The centrifuge is an important piece of equipment for any biology lab, necessary for a wide variety of experiments. Cost, however, often prevents the use of centrifuges in many teaching labs, greatly limiting educational experiences for students. As a result, we describe how to construct a “homemade” single-speed mini-centrifuge using inexpensive parts easily acquired online or at hardware or other stores (e.g., a 4.7-quart plastic bowl and lid, standard computer cooling fan, AC/DC adapter, electrical wire, etc.). We further used this design and a commercial mini-centrifuge to pellet 1-mL samples of Tetrahymena thermophila, and we found that the two performed comparably. Finally, because our plans and the materials needed to build this device are all open source, we call our design the OPN Minifuge, and we hope that it will help to expand the scope of experiments that students can run in introductory and upper-level biology teaching labs.

Open-source data are information provided free online. It is gaining popularity in science research, especially for modeling species distribution. MaxEnt is an open-source software that models using presence-only data and environmental variables. These variables can also be found online and are generally free. Using all of these open-source data and tools makes species distribution modeling (SDM) more accessible. With the rapid changes our planet is undergoing, SDM helps understand future habitat suitability for species. Due to increasing interest in biogeographic research, SDM has increased for marine species, which were previously not commonly found in this modeling. Here we provide examples of where to obtain the data and how the modeling can be performed and taught.