Organized by: Stacey Smith?
Note: this minisymposia has multiple sessions. The other session is MS04-EDUC-1.

• Glenn Ledder University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Mathematics)
  "Using NetLogo for Modeling of Virtual Worlds"
We learn modeling by creating models for physical settings. Whereas real world settings have confounding factors that make modeling difficult, virtual world settings are governed by a limited set of individual-based rules, an example being the zombie-vs-human games whose modeling has become a popular area for undergraduate research. In addition to virtual worlds based on human activities, we can also create in silico virtual worlds using agent-based models that can be conveniently implemented in NetLogo. Students watch a NetLogo simulation and use their observations to build a mechanistic model; an example of this is my BUGBOX-predator program, which implements C.S. Holling's forager experiment. Additional challenges occur when we want to study the effect of a parameter on a system. Standard NetLogo includes the BehaviorSpace facility, which automates the choice of experiments but not the data analysis. In this talk, we illustrate how to write NetLogo code that automates the data analysis as well as the choice of experiments.
• Dmitry Kondrashov University of Chicago (Biological Sciences Collegiate Division)
  "Comparison of assessment and teaching modalities for a quantitative biology course"
Teaching quantitative skills for biology majors presents a set of challenges, in particular related to the perceived relevance of the material to their own educational goals, as well as the confidence of students in their own efficacy in learning these skills. The course Introduction to Quantitative Modeling for Biology is integrated into the biological sciences curriculum at University of Chicago and serves around two hundred students every year. Over the past three years, the pandemic disruption has prompted changes both in mode of delivery and course assessments, as the course moved to remote learning for two years and then back to in-person instruction in spring of 2022. In particular, I abolished all timed exams, allowed students opportunities to revise and resubmit assignments, and introduced open-ended projects involving data analysis or modeling in lieu of final exams. I will report the results of pre- and post-course surveys of student perceptions and satisfaction of the course, as well as measures of their performance and learning. My general conclusions from this experience are that replacing timed exams with revisable assignments and projects a) does not seem to have a negative impact on student learning; b) increases student satisfaction and self-efficacy; and that student engagement appeared to diminish after an extended period of remote instruction.
• Stacey Smith? The University of Ottawa (Mathematics)
  "How getting cheaters to reflect on their actions turned my worst course into my best course"
I had a high cheating ratio in my Summer 2022 online course. At least 50% of the class used materials they should not have or consulted with other students. The chair and the dean were reluctant to prosecute, so I decided to switch tactics and use the carrot instead of the stick. I offered them the chance to admit what they're done wrong in exchange for potential extra marks. The results were outstanding: students who had failed and/or cheated stepped up in ways I had not expected. We can learn lessons from approaching this situation with kindness.

Organized by: Stacey Smith?
Note: this minisymposia has multiple sessions. The other session is MS03-EDUC-1.

• Reginald McGee College of the Holy Cross (Mathematics and Computer Science)
  "Teaching reflections after five years on the tenure track"
Here's a little story all about how over the last five years my teaching got flipped-turned upside down. This talk is a sequel to my 2019 talk on reflections from my first year teaching full-time at a private liberal arts college. We will discuss some ongoing explorations into shifting course values towards intangibles like creativity and numeracy; innovations and desperations catalyzed by a once-a-century pandemic; attempts at injecting computation, biology, and other applications into a traditional math curriculum; and strategies for those who might be considering or are entering teaching at a liberal arts environment.
• Suzanne Lenhart University of Tennessee, Knoxville (Mathematics)
  "Teaching Discrete Time Modeling in Mathematics for the Life Sciences course"
In our Mathematics for the Life Sciences course, we use the Rule of Five for different learning styles to meet needs of diverse students: Symbolically, Graphically, Numerically, Verbally, Data-driven. The concepts and skills in our course help students to appreciate the components of the modeling process, including assessing hypotheses based on data, formulating a mathematical description of a system based on assumptions, and by analyzing the resulting model. We begin our course with discrete mathematics involving analyzing data and discrete time modeling, instead of starting with calculus. We have incorporated MATLAB to introduce basic computer coding and the concepts of algorithms that are applied throughout computational methods in science. Some adaptations have been made to adjust to students in post-covid times. We have also developed an assessment tool to begin to evaluate the impact of biological examples on mathematics comprehension in courses for life sciences majors.
• Elissa Schwartz Washington State University (Math/Biol Sci)
  "Creating a watershed for mathematical biology education: Recent outreach in Nepal"
The infrastructure for advanced mathematics and science degrees in Nepal is in its infancy and connections with research groups outside the country are minimal. To address disparities in educational opportunities, recent efforts have been made to develop programs on science, mathematics, and specifically, mathematical biology in Kathmandu. These include short courses, summer schools, workshops, and the formation of working groups that focus on research in mathematical epidemiology, infectious disease dynamics, and immunological modeling. Currently, these outreach efforts are establishing international collaborations as well as creating paths for professional development in mathematical biology in Nepal. Future goals aim to extend these efforts to set up mentorships and support higher education of women and other historically underserved populations.
• Kathleen Hoffman UMBC (Department of Mathematics and Statistics)
  "Integrating Quantitative Skills into Biology Courses"
As a response to calls for changes in Biology education to include more quantitative reasoning skills, teams of instructors from University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), Howard Community College (HCC), Montgomery College (MC), and Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) through the National Science Foundation Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (NSF IUSE) project designed novel group work modules for four core Biology courses that incorporate the application of mathematical skills in biological contexts. The modules focus on helping students improve quantitative competencies like demonstrating quantitative numeracy, interpreting data/graphs, demonstrating proficiency in statistical analyses, using mathematical models in biological systems, applying logic to problem solving, and using quantitative language to describe biological phenomena. Each module includes pre- and post-assessment questions to assess student learning gains in the quantitative competencies. Validity, reliability, and learning gains relative to the summative assessment will be presented across modules implemented in cell biology courses over several semesters and institutions, including over 600 students.