Utilizing Phosphomimic Mutations to Scaffold Chemistry Concepts into an Introductory Biology Course

A common issue for biology majors is a disconnect between the “what” of biology and the “why” of biology. Many attempts have been made within lab courses to allow students to apply their knowledge early, but the disconnect remains in the lecture hall, leading to poor outcomes and overall dissatisfaction. This disconnect is an issue for all learners, but it is particularly discouraging for neurodivergent students who are already geared toward creative and application-based approaches but are not given the opportunity to demonstrate these skills within the lecture hall. Recent findings suggest that leveled formative assessments instill confidence and increase retention for all students. However, these methods have not been tested in a college classroom. To investigate the effectiveness of a tiered assessment in a lecture course, entry-level biology students were given a four-tiered leveled assessment based on phosphomimic mutations. Introduction of the assessment improved student performance on higher depth of knowledge questions on exams.