Molecular Biology Education Research Group (MBER)

The Molecular Biology Education Research (MBER) Group is a collaborative research lab co-led by Dr. Dina Newman and Dr. Kate Wright, faculty in the Gosnell School of Life Sciences at RIT.  The team studies how students think about molecular biology concepts and develops tools for improving biology education.

Dina Newman headshot

Dina Newman

Professor
Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences
College of Science
dlwsbi@rit.edu
585-475-4482

Co-Director of MBER

L. Kate Wright headshot

L. Kate Wright

School Head
Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences
College of Science
lkwsbi@rit.edu
585-475-4669

Co-Director of MBER

Areas of Interest

  1. Student mental models of molecular processes that involve DNA, and how novices differ from experts. Much of our work has focused on student understanding of meiosis, which led to the development of a new framework, The DNA Triangle.

  2. How visual representations of molecular processes impact student understanding. Work thus far has focused on the use of arrow symbols by experts and the interpretation of these symbols by learners.  We are currently developing a framework that combines elements of visual communication with evidence-based pedagogy.

  3. How physical models can be used to improve student learning about molecular processes. This work is done in collaboration with the Center for Biomolecular Modeling at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, where many 3-D models have been developed. These models provide the basis for activities that promote deep conceptual learning of processes that are not easy to observe directly.

  4. Development of assessments and activities for undergraduate instructors teaching molecular biology concepts. Based on our investigations of student thinking about biology, we have developed numerous activities that demonstrably improve learning for undergraduates at all levels.  We have also created the Central Dogma Concept Inventory (CDCI), which can be used to assess student understanding of Central Dogma processes.

  5. Interactive video vignettes for teaching key ideas that are difficult for students. Together with Dr. Robert Teese (School of Physics and Astronomy at RIT) and Dr. Jean Cardinale (Alfred University), we have developed a suite of interactive, web-based activities that can be used to introduce or clarify key concepts and big ideas in biology (https://www.rit.edu/cos/interactive/).  This project is funded by NSF (DUE-1432286, DUE-1432303).

  6. Undergraduate research. In addition to mentoring RIT undergraduates on research projects during the academic year in the MBER lab, Drs. Wright and Newman lead an NSF-funded summer REU program (DUE-1359262) that brings students from all over the U.S. to learn about Discipline-Based Undergraduate Research and undertake cutting edge projects in the field (https://www.rit.edu/science/smerc/reu).

Papers

Newman, DL, Spector*, H, Neuenschwander A*, Miller A*, Trumpore L, Wright, LK. Visual Literacy of Molecular Biology Revealed through a Card Sorting Task (2023). Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education. https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00198-22

L. Kate Wright, Emily Wrightstone*, Lauren Trumpore*, Julia Steele *, Deanna M. Abid* and Dina L. Newman. The DNA Landscape: Development and application of a new framework for visual communication about DNA (2022). CBE Life Sciences Education. Vol. 21(3). https://www.lifescied.org/doi/epdf/10.1187/cbe.22-01-0007

Newman, Dina L, Coakley, Aeowynn*, Link, Aidan*, Mills, Korrine*, Wright, L. Kate.  Punnett squares or protein production? The expert-novice divide for conceptions of genes and gene expression. (2021). CBE Life Sciences Education. Vol. 20(4). https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.21-01-0004

Wright, L. Kate, Cortez, Paulina*, Franzen, Margaret A. and Newman, Dina L. Teaching Meiosis with the DNA Triangle Framework: A Classroom Activity that Changes How Students Think about Chromosomes. (2021). Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 1-11.  https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21583

Cardinale, Jean A., Newman, Dina, L. and Wright, L. Kate.  An Online Interactive Video Vignette that Helps Students Learn Key Concepts of Fermentation and Respiration. (2020). Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education.  Vol 21(2). doi:10.1128/jmbe.v21i2.1895

Newman DL, Cardinale JA, Wright LK (2020). Interactive Video Vignettes (IVVs) to help students learn genetics concepts. CourseSource Vol 7. doi: 10.24918/cs.2020.27

Wright LK, Dy GEC, Newman DL (2020). Undergraduate Textbook Representations of Meiosis Neglect Essential Elements.  Am. Biol. Teacher 82(5):296-305. doi: 10.1525/abt.2020.82.5.296

Terrell CR, Franzen MA, Herman T, Malapati S, Newman DL, Wright LK (2019). “Physical Models Support Active Learning as Effective Thinking Tools.” Bussey T, Cortes K, Austin R, eds. Biochemistry Education: From Theory to Practice. ACS Symposium Series Vol. 1337. ACS Publications: Washington DC.

Donahue CJ*, Adair AA*, Wright LK and Newman DL (2019).  A Close-up Look at PCR. CourseSource.  Vol(6),1-8. https://doi.org/10.24918/cs.2019.3.

Terrell CR, Franzen MA, Herman T, Malapati S, Newman DL, Wright LK (2019). Physical Models Support Active Learning as Effective Thinking Tools. Bussey T, Cortes K, Austin R, eds. Biochemistry Education: Discussions of the Classroom and Laboratory Environments. ACS Books, in press.

Wright LK, Dy GEC*, Newman DL (2019). Undergraduate Textbook Representations of Meiosis Neglect Essential Elements. Am. Biol. Teacher, in revision.

Newman DL, Stefkovich M, Clasen C, Franzen M, and Wright LK (2018). Physical Models can provide superior learning opportunities beyond the benefits of active engagement. Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 46(5): 435-444. doi: 10.1002/bmb.21159

Wright LK, Cardenas JJ*, Liang P*, Newman DL (2018). Arrows in Biology: Lack of Clarity and Consistency Points to Confusion for Learners. CBE-Life Sci Educ. 17 (1):ar6, 1-13. Doi:10.1187/cbe.17-04-0069.

Wright LK, Cardenas JJ, Liang P, Newman DL (2018). Arrows in Biology: Lack of Clarity and Consistency Points to Confusion for Learners. CBE-Life Sci Educ. 17(1):ar6. doi: 10.1187/cbe.17-04-0069.

Presentations

Newman DL, Spector H, Trumpore L, Neuenschwander A, Wright LK. Observing Growth in Students’ Recognition of DNA-Associated Concepts with a Card-Sorting Task. Talk given at the 2020 Virtual SABER National Meeting. (July 10, 2020)

Newman DL. Models for Teaching and Learning about DNA. Invited talk at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Annual Meeting. Houston, TX. (October, 2019)

Newman DL, Spector H*, Steele J*, Wrightstone E*, Wright LK. The DNA Illustration Spectrum: The Variety of Ways in which DNA is Represented to Biology Learners. Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research 8th Annual Meeting. Minneapolis, MN. (July, 2019)

Newman D, Wright K. Meiosis: A Play in Three Acts. Center for Biomolecular Modeling, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, WI. (July, 2018)

Newman DL, Wright LK. How to Get More Out of Conceptual Assessments. Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research 8th Annual Meeting. Minneapolis, MN. (July, 2018)

Wright LK, Newman DL. High school teacher conceptions and lessons about meiosis reveal a critical gap in the biology curriculum.  Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research 8th Annual Meeting. Minneapolis, MN. (July, 2018)

Posters

Coakley AJ, Link AP, Wright LK, Newman DL. Communicating Ideas in Molecular Biology: Novice vs. Expert Representations. Poster presented at the 2020 Virtual SABER National Meeting. (July 31, 2020)

Cortez P, Newman DL, Wright LK. Developing and testing a new method to teach meiosis with 3D models. Poster presented at SABER West. Irvine, CA. (January 18, 2020)

Hernandez A*, Wright LK, Newman DL. Improving Teacher Understanding and Classroom Practice about Meiosis. Poster presented at the RIT Undergraduate Research Symposium, Rochester, NY. (August 2019)

Trumpore L*, Hernandez A*, Newman DL, Wright LK. Using the DNA Triangle to Uncover Gaps in High School Teaching of Meiosis. Poster presented at the RIT Undergraduate Research Symposium, Rochester, NY. (August, 2019)

Wright LK, Newman DL, Dy GE. High school teacher conceptions and lessons about meiosis reveal a gap in the biology curriculum. Poster presented at the Gordon UBER Conference. Lewiston, ME (June, 2019)

Wright LK, Newman DL, Dy GE*. A Critical Gap: High school teacher conceptions and lessons about meiosis reveal a gap in the biology curriculum. Poster presented at the Gordon Research Conference on Undergraduate Biology Education Research. Lewiston, ME. (June, 2019)

Newman DL, Dy GEC*, Jan M*, Wright LK.  How is Meiosis Taught in High School?  A Critical Gap for Students.  Poster presented at the American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting.  San Diego, CA. (October, 2018)

Newman DL, Dy GEC, Jan M, Wright LK.  How is Meiosis Taught in High School?  A Critical Gap for Students. American Society of Human Genetics Annual Meeting.  San Diego, CA. (October, 2018)

Dy GEC, Wright LK, and Newman DL. Visual Representations of Meiosis in Biology Textbooks Fail to Provide Important Conceptual Information. Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research 8th Annual Meeting. Minneapolis, MN. (July, 2018)

Howard J, Wright LK and Newman DL. Conceptualizing Information Flow: from Concrete to Abstract.  26th Annual C-STEP Statewide Student Conference.  Bolton Landing, NY. (April, 2018)