Alyssa McDonough, graduate student, presented at Synergy in Science conference

Alyssa McDonough, graduate student, presented at Synergy in Science conference

Alyssa McDonough, graduate student in School Psychology, presented at Synergy in Science conference. Alyssa McDonough presented a talk titled “Using an inquiry-based, constructivist learning approach for an introductory Entomology class” at the Synergy in Science: Partnering for Solutions ASA, CSSA, SSSA, ESA 2015 Meeting in Minneapolis, MN last week. Ms. McDonough’s talk was based on a project in collaboration with James Kopco and Deirdre Prischmann-Voldseth from North Dakota State University. The project examined the outcomes of using a Inquiry-based teaching techniques, in which students conduct experiments to answer questions and learn concepts, to encourage students to test their initial assumptions and intuitions with real data. They developed an inquiry-based lab exercise that focused on using aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages as bioindicators of river health and examined the learning and motivation outcomes for General Entomology class students