Faculty Advisors

Connect with faculty advisors who have successfully integrated MasteringBiology into their course. Using the proven effectiveness of peer-to-peer advising, Faculty Advisors are available to relate success stories, share best practices, and provide tips for successfully integrating MasteringBiology into your curriculum.

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  Eileen Gregory
  Rollins College
  Winter Park, FL

  Courses Taught:General Biology I (majors); Non-majors Biology
  Course Format:Traditional
  "To insure that students come to class prepared I assign MasteringBiology homework on material that will be covered in the next class session. Using this pre-lecture format for assignments requires students to complete the assigned reading and test their understanding of the concepts before coming to class. This strategy has led to increased participation in class activities and has improved the quality of student questions. Student scores on the final exam have increased 4 points from when MasteringBiology was used in a post-lecture format and 13 points over scores from when MasteringBiology was not used."
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  Tom Owens
  Cornell University
  Ithaca, NY

  Courses Taught:Introductory Biology (majors); Intro to Comparative Physiology (majors)
  Course Format:Traditional
  "I have worked on developing materials for MasteringBiology for several years and also use Mastering in my freshmen-level biology classes. I use Mastering largely for formative assessment, both for the students and for myself. My students have found the BioFlix animations and tutorials to be extremely helpful."
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  Sandi Connelly
  Rochester Institute of Technology
  Rochester, NY

  Courses Taught:Majors and Non-majors Biology
  Course Format:Traditional
  "I have seen an average increase in test scores of ∼12% from the year prior to Mastering use (2008) to now. Students are more engaged in the learning process and are more likely to ask questions, even in the large lecture hall (∼320 students). I often start class answering a question from a student ... "So, on Mastering last night ... can you explain ... ?" Wonderful!"
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  Andrea Aspbury
  Texas State University
  San Marcos, TX

  Courses Taught:Majors Biology II
  Course Format:Traditional
  "Students who complete their MasteringBiology homework (20% of course grade) are much more prepared to succeed on exams. By incorporating pre-lecture reading quizzes and post-lecture tutorial assignments in MasteringBiology, I have seen improvement in student preparedness. The incorporation of the tutorials in lecture also helps teach the difficult topics, as well."
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  Suzanne Long
  Monroe Community College
  Rochester, NY

  Courses Taught:Majors Biology I; Non-majors Biology; Microbiology (allied health)
  Course Format:Traditional
  "One of the most effective ways that I can provide practice opportunities for my students is to assign meaningful homework. Developing and evaluating homework and providing effective feedback had become a very onerous task. Mastering has greatly simplified this process and has become an integral component of my General Biology and Microbiology classes, enabling more efficient use of class time. Anecdotally, my students' exam scores have improved 10% - 15%."
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  Craig Lending
  The College at Brockport, State University of New York
  Brockport, NY

  Courses Taught:Biology I & II (majors); Non-majors Biology; Microbiology
  Course Format:Traditional
  "I use the Mastering portal as 10% of the total course grade, and have weekly assignments due that cover content similar to the lecture material. I encourage students to read in advance of lectures, and hope to eventually require the completion of the Mastering assignments prior to lecture. Virtually all of the students, at all the different levels I teach, find the assignments helpful, especially the animations and the varied formats used for assessing knowledge."
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  William Hanna
  Massasoit Community College
  Brockton, MA

  Courses Taught:Biological Principles I & II
  Course Format:Traditional
  "I've found Mastering to be a great replacement for my paper assignments. I'm especially happy that I've been able to incorporate hints into questions that have historically given my students a hard time. I've also found that it helps my students to be more responsible about meeting deadlines and more technologically literate."
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  Christopher Hess
  Florida State College at Jacksonville
  Jacksonville, FL

  Courses Taught:Anatomy and Physiology, Animal Behavior, Intro Bio, Vertebrate Zoology
  Course Format:Traditional; Online
  Student Success Stat:I am currently assessing success stats; I did not fail a single student this term.
  "I have seen increased test scores on exams, even in the face of asking questions at elevated levels of Bloom's taxonomy. Moreover, I have found that office hours are much more efficient and focused, rather than having students unable to articulate problem areas for help."
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  Patricia Walsh
  University of Delaware
  Newark, DE

  Courses Taught:Non-majors Biology
  Course Format:Traditional
  "Since I incorporated MasteringBiology into my course, students are more prepared for class and much more engaged in the material. The variety of questions, animations, and coaching activities appeal to the different learning styles of my diverse student population. I initially expected complaints about homework, but instead student comments have been very positive. Students reported on course evaluations that Mastering assignments encouraged them to read the textbook, keep up with course material, and prepare for exams."
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  Karen Curto
  University of Pittsburgh
  Pittsburgh, PA

  Courses Taught:Foundations of Biology I & II
  Course Format:Traditional
  "My students vary widely in the quality and quantity of prior biological knowledge exposure. MasteringBiology compensates for those differences. It refreshes knowledge for well-prepared students and offers an opportunity to establish basic concepts for those less prepared. I supplement my lectures with MasteringBiology assignments, which count toward the final grade. Students report that these assignments are helpful, especially for showing processes not well depicted in a print format. Perhaps the strongest endorsement of MasteringBiology is that my students request continued access to past assignments as a way to review for their final exam."
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  Sarah J. Krajewski
  Grand Rapids Community College
  Grand Rapids, MI

  Courses Taught:Non-majors Biology
  Course Format:Traditional; Hybrid
  "MasteringBiology has changed how I teach. I no longer discuss every point within the reading. I use MB to assess students' reading comprehension before class, and I tailor my lecture accordingly. The MB animations and activities assist students in making mental models of the biological concepts before we discuss them in class. The test bank and reading questions help students focus on the salient points and vocabulary in a multiple choice format. Lecture is now spent engaged in discussion, with cooperative and active learning opportunities. My lecture attendance has increased as a result of the more engaging environment."
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  Jennifer A. Metzler
  Ball State University
  Muncie, IN

  Courses Taught:Introductory Cellular and Molecular course for Majors
  Course Format:Traditional
  "MasteringBiology is a fantastic system for motivating your students to look at the material on a weekly basis. Plus, by using a series of questions to get them to the correct answer when they miss a question, exactly like what I do in my office hours, they will develop a better understanding of the material."
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  Jake Dechant
  University of Pittsburgh
  Pittsburgh, PA

  Courses Taught: Non-majors Biology; Anatomy & Physiology I & II
  Course Format: Traditional; Hybrid
  "My course is typically over 200 students per semester and I've always struggled with an effective way to incorporate homework / outside class assignments. The flexibility of Mastering allows me to tailor outside work as the course is ongoing. It's been well received by my students and I've seen a definite improvement in exam scores and overall grades."
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  Robert Maynard
  Pearl River Community College
  Poplarville, MS

  Courses Taught:Majors Biology I; Non-majors Biology I; Anatomy & Physiology I & II
  Course Format: Traditional; Fully online
  "Mastering helps me address a variety of learning styles through videos and animations, and helps give the students instant feedback and guidance. It takes misconceptions and wrong answers and turns them into learning opportunities. Students who use Mastering as it's intended “get it” much easier than those who don't."
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  Galen DeHay
  Tri-County Technical College
  Pendleton, SC

  Courses Taught:Introductory Biology
  Course Format:Traditional
  "Mastering is a great platform for helping my students learn course content. I use Mastering to determine what students are learning and where they are experiencing problems."
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  Carmen Hall
  Georgia Perimeter College
  Decatur, GA

  Courses Taught:Principles of Biology II (majors); Diversity(non-majors)
  Course Format:Traditional
  "I assign Mastering content with a variety of goals in mind. Some assignments are geared towards preparedness, others cover difficult content, and some are deeper looks into topics I simply cannot cover in depth given time restrictions. Since implementing Mastering content within my courses, I have found my students come to class more prepared, and they ask higher level questions. They have less trepidation in attacking difficult content and often want to explore these challenging topics more deeply. This increased confidence translates into better performance overall."
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  Clay White
  Lone Star College - CyFair
  Cypress, TX

  Courses Taught:Majors Biology I & II; Non-majors Biology
  Course Format:Traditional; Hybrid
  "MasteringBiology increased my student success (students making C or higher) by 11%. Within our department, success increased across the board by 5% when Mastering was implemented in all sections. Students come to class better prepared and not afraid to participate in an active discussion about the topics. I can't imagine teaching my courses without Mastering."
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  Mark Bland
  University of Central Arkansas
  Conway, AR

  Courses Taught:Biology for General Education (non-majors)
  Course Format:Traditional
  "I use MasteringBiology to ensure that students in my non-majors courses are regularly engaged with the course content. Giving students regular assignments with this platform means that I know - rather than hope - they are spending time outside of class working with the concepts. Diagnostic tools provide detailed information on how students are doing on specific topics, and I've found that MasteringBiology assignments can make excellent exam reviews."
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  Daniel Johnson
  Eastern Illinois University
  Charleston, IL

  Courses Taught:Non-majors Biology; Environmental Science
  Course Format:Traditional
  "Using Mastering has allowed me to present information in new and creative ways, enabling students with different learning styles to have success."
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  Rebecca Orr
  Collin College
  Plano, TX

  Courses Taught:Majors Biology I
  Course Format:Traditional
  "I use MasteringBiology to augment my teaching and provide feedback to my students as they learn the covered concepts. It allows me to focus class time on teaching students concepts they find most difficult, rather than trying to cover everything. Students enjoy the guided study format and appreciate the tutorials and BioFlix that help them to better understand the material. Mastering assignments count as 10% of students' lecture grade, and they are given the opportunity to test their knowledge through weekly chapter quizzes. Students report that it is a great way to learn the material, and the feedback it provides helps them to better prepare for their exams."
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  Michelle Zurawski
  Moraine Valley Community College
  Palos Hills, IL

  Courses Taught:Mixed-majors Biology I & II
  Course Format:Traditional; Hybrid
  "Since using MasteringBiology, I have seen my students' grades rise about 10%. Having done pre-lecture assignments, students walk into lecture with a solid prior knowledge of the material. I see lots of heads nodding along, and students are answering more clicker questions correctly. Post-lecture assignments reinforce the material and challenge the students to use their higher-order thinking skills and allow them to interact hands-on with the content. The best part of using MasteringBiology is that the students truly enjoy studying with the platform. What more can you ask for?"
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  Shannon Datwyler
  California State University, Sacramento
  Sacramento, CA

  Courses Taught:BIO I: Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology
  Course Format:Traditional
  "Using a combination of MasteringBiology and cooperative learning, I have seen a dramatic increase in grades in my own classroom. Most notably, I have seen a dramatic decrease in the number of very low grades in my courses. Students have consistently given positive feedback on the value of MasteringBiology in developing a thorough understanding of course material."
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  Michael Black
  California Polytechnic State University
  San Luis Obispo, CA

  Courses Taught:Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology, Molecular Biology Laboratory, Cell Biology, Molecular and Cellular Biology, General Virology
  Course Format:Traditional
  "MasteringBiology fits perfectly with my teaching style - the Socratic approach mimics my interactions with the students during office hours. My students love it and it has also been helpful in dealing with those who tend to complain about their grade. I have used the student activity tracking tool to show them how much time they REALLY spent in preparation for the exams!"
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  Jonathan Lochamy
  Georgia Perimeter College
  Atlanta, GA

  Courses Taught:Principles of Biology I & II (Majors), Cell Biology and Genetics (Non-majors)
  Course Format:Traditional; Hybrid
  Student Success Stat:Student results have improved, particularly results for ESL students.
  "Mastering Biology finally accomplishes the impossible - getting students to read and make deep connections with the material before I even see them in lecture. The interactive Flash animations and activities move the student's home study from passive reader to an active participant in learning. The ability to assign mandatory homework and simultaneously use low-stakes grading with available hints encourages the students to think hard about what the material means and to do their best without generating the fear of a traditional quiz or test."
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  Erin Morrey
  Georgia Perimeter College
  Dunwoody, GA

  Courses Taught:Majors Biology I; Non-majors Biology (cell biology and genetics); Anatomy & Physiology I & II
  Course Format:Traditional
  "Through the use of Mastering products for pre-class assignments, I have seen an increase in students' understanding of challenging concepts when we are in class. Mastering allows me to identify challenging concepts prior to class and therefore use class time more effectively to cover those topics."