Meeting the Needs of Underrepresented Female Students Using Innovative Molecular Models

The underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields is of national concern. Research shows that females begin to lose confidence in their math and science abilities in middle school and it worsens in high school. Developing and leveraging young women’s interest in these topics via active learning activities and hands on models can encourage pursuit of STEM degrees in college. The MIT Edgerton Center Models and Curriculum was incorporated into the EMPOWER Program, a four-week program engaging female research scholars in 10th-12th grade in a summer fellowship that provided hands-on research experience focused on in-depth understanding of how exposures to toxic environmental insults in the urban environment impact health and alter biologic processes. The models were used to teach about DNA/RNA and protein synthesis. The models are designed to teach processes, in addition to structure. They are made to be manipulated so learners can perform cellular functions with their own hands. We hypothesized that using a hands on activity would increase engagement and learning about the Central Dogma of Life. Methods: Participants were guided through exercises using the models. Students (n=5) and teachers (n=2) utilized the MIT Edgerton Center Models of DNA/RNA and protein synthesis. Results/Discussion: Surveys were completed at the end of the program to determine student’s perceived impact on their learning and overall experience using the hands-on models. A Likert scale was used to assess student learning. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 representing strongly agree, all participants strongly agreed the models helped them learn more about DNA/RNA and proteins. Conclusion: Innovative molecular models increased student engagement and learning creating an environment for student centered learning. NIEHS Project Number: 5R25ES030240-03. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.