Table 3.
Pre-/post-semester comparisons of students’ DN-SALG responses.
| Item | Pre-Semester M (SEM) | Post-Semester M (SEM) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Developmental Neurobiology Concepts a | |||
| −I understand the main concepts in the field of developmental neurobiology. | 2.43 (0.15) | 4.11 (0.12) | < 0.001 |
| −I understand the relationship between various concepts in the field of developmental neurobiology. | 2.52 (0.15) | 4.09 (0.10) | < 0.001 |
| −I understand how concepts in developmental neurobiology relate to ideas in other science classes. | 3.55 (0.15) | 4.48 (0.09) | < 0.001 |
| −I can think through a problem or argument related to concepts in developmental neurobiology. | 2.93 (0.17) | 3.98 (0.11) | < 0.001 |
| −I am interested in learning more about the field of developmental neurobiology. | 4.75 (0.07) | 4.48 (0.12) | 0.013 |
| −I appreciate the topic of developmental neurobiology. | 4.59 (0.09) | 4.75 (0.07) | 0.090 |
| −I am enthusiastic about studying developmental neurobiology. | 4.55 (0.12) | 4.41 (0.14) | 0.323 |
| −I am confident in my ability to understand developmental neurobiology research. | 4.07 (0.11) | 4.07 (0.11) | 1.000 |
| −I can describe one or more developmental pathways that impact neural crest cell formation. | 1.75 (0.12) | 4.32 (0.10) | < 0.001 |
| −I can describe how mutations influence developmental pathways that impact neural crest cell development. | 2.02 (0.16) | 4.36 (0.12) | < 0.001 |
| −I understand the societal impacts and implications of neurodevelopmental diseases. | 3.05 (0.20) | 4.52 (0.10) | < 0.001 |
| Experimental Design Skills b | |||
| −I am confident in my ability to develop scientific questions in the field of developmental neurobiology. | 3.34 (0.14) | 4.02 (0.11) | < 0.001 |
| −I am confident in my ability to develop hypotheses that address key questions in the field of developmental neurobiology. | 3.18 (0.15) | 3.98 (0.11) | < 0.001 |
| −I am confident in my ability to design an experimental protocol to address key questions in the field of developmental neurobiology. | 2.98 (0.15) | 3.93 (0.11) | < 0.001 |
| −I am confident in my ability to interpret experimental data. | 3.66 (0.12) | 4.27 (0.09) | < 0.001 |
| Science Communication c | |||
| −I am confident in my ability to keep a detailed research notebook. | 4.30 (0.12) | 4.43 (0.11) | 0.349 |
| −I am skilled at writing scientific text. | 3.45 (0.11) | 3.75 (0.10) | 0.026 |
| −I am confident in my ability to defend an argument when asked questions. | 3.64 (0.12) | 3.95 (0.10) | 0.025 |
| −I am confident in my ability to communicate developmental neurobiology concepts to scientists in the field of developmental neurobiology. | 2.61 (0.16) | 3.59 (0.14) | < 0.001 |
| −I am confident in my ability to communicate developmental neurobiology concepts to my peers. | 2.86 (0.16) | 4.07 (0.12) | < 0.001 |
a
Adjusted α = 0.0045 following Bonferroni correction;
b
Adjusted α = 0.0125 following Bonferroni correction;
c
Adjusted α = 0.010 following Bonferroni correction.