Biology Core Curriculum
College of Letters & Science

Biocore Publications and Products

  • Batzli, Janet M. 2005. A Unique Approach? Four Semesters of Biology Core Curriculum. CBE Life Sciences Education 4: 123–137. pdf

  • Batzli, Janet M., Harris, M.A., McGee, S.A. 2018. It Takes Time: Learning process of science through an integrative, multi-semester lab curriculum. Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching. Proceedings of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education 39(21). pdf

  • Batzli, J.M., M.A. Harris, D. Lee and H.A. Horn (2022). Feedback and discourse as critical skills for the development of experimentation competencies. In N.J. Pelaez, S.M. Gardner, and T.R. Anderson editors. Trends in Teaching Experimentation in the Life Sciences: Putting research into practice to drive institutional change. Springer Nature Switzerland. pp 243-262. Link

  • Batzli, Janet M., Knight, J. K., Hartley, L.M., Maskiewicz, A.C., Desy, E.A. 2016. Crossing the Threshold:Bringing Biological Variation to the Foreground. CBE-Life Science Education 15. pdf 

  • Batzli, Janet M., Smith, A. R., Williams, P.H., McGee, S.A., Dosa, K., and Pfammatter, J. 2014. Beyond Punnett squares: Student word association and explanations of phenotypic variation through an integrative quantitative genetics unit investigating anthocyanin inheritance and expression in Brassica rapa Fast Plants. CBE-Life Science Education 13:410-424. pdf

  • Burgess, Ann B. 2002. Cooperative Learning: Moving from Theory to Practice in a Class of 80 Students Biocene 28(3): 3-8. pdf

  • Burgess, Ann B., Howell, E., Caslavka, C. 1999. Connecting student learning with real problems: the Biocore Prairie Project. Bioscene 25(3):3-5. pdf

  • Cox-Paulson, E.A., Grana, T.M., Harris, M.A., Batzli, J.M. 2012. Studying Human Disease Genes in C. elegans: A Molecular Genetics Laboratory Project CBE Life Sciences Education 11(2): 165-179. pdf

  • Daoud, A., E.V. Nordheim, S.A.McGee and M.A. Harris (2022). Environmental conditions and husbandry approach affect the survival and physiology of the California Blackworm (Lumbriculus variegatus).

  • Forbes-Lorman, R., Harris, M.A., Chang, W.S., Dent, E.W., Nordheim, E.V., Franzen, M.A. 2016. Physical models have gender-specific effects on student understanding of protein structure-function relationships. Biochem & Molecular Biology Education 44:326-335. doi:10.1002/bmb.20956. pdf

  • Forbes-Lorman, R.M, M.A. Korb, A.R. Moser, M.A.Franzen, and M.A. Harris (2022) Interactive, physical course materials as formative assessment opportunities to improve student learning of molecular structure-function relationships. Journal of College Science Teaching. 52(2):54-67.

  • Harris, Michelle A., McGee, S. A., Batzli, J.M. 2018. Uncooking Yeast: Cells signaling a rise to inquiry. Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching. Proceedings of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education 38(9). pdf

  • Harris, Michelle A., Peck, R. F., Colton, S., Morris, J. Neto, E. C. and Kallio, J. 2009. A Combination of Hand-held Models and Computer Imaging Programs Helps Students Answer Oral Questions about Molecular Structure and Function: A Controlled Investigation of Student Learning CBE Life Sciences Education 8: 29–43. pdf

  • Harris, Michelle A., Grange, S.J., Feeney, A.K., Odorico, S.K. 2018. Undergraduate students are the key to community science outreach partnerships. Tested Studies for Laboratory Teaching. Proceedings of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education 39(30). pdf

  • McGee, Seth and Gagnon, D. 2014. Biocore Prairie Plant ID App for mobile devices

  • Myers, Marcella J. and Burgess, A. B. 2003. Inquiry-based laboratory course improves students’ ability to design experiments and interpret data. Advances in Physiology Education 27 (1): 26–33, 2003. pdf

  • Phillips, Allison R., Robertson, A. L., Batzli, J. M., Harris, M. A. and Miller, S. 2008.Aligning Goals, Assessments, and Activities: An Approach to Teaching PCR and Gel Electrophoresis CBE—Life Sciences Education 7: 96–106. pdf

  • Process of Science Companion – PressBook

  • Prunuske, A. J., Batzli, J.M., Howell, E. A., Miller S. 2012. Using online lectures to make time for active learning. Genetics 192:67-72.pdf

  • Remsburg, A.J., Harris, M.A., Batzli, J.M.2014. Statistics across the curriculum using an interactive approach in an inquiry-based lab sequence. J College Science Teaching 44(2):72-81. pdf

  • Robertson, Amber L. and Phillips, Allison R. 2008. Integrating PCR Theory and Bioinformatics into a research-oriented primer design exercise CBE—Life Sciences Education Vol. 7, 89–95. pdf

  • Walck-Shannon, Batzli, J.M., Pultorak, J., Boehmer, H. 2019. Biological Variation as a Threshold Concept: Can we measure threshold crossing? CBE- Life Sciences Education 18 (3) link