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Bad AI-generated images can be good for teaching visual literacy in biology
Uminski, C. (2026). Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, e00321-25. https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00321-25
Key takeaway from this paper: Asking students to critically evaluate the errors in AI-generated biology diagrams can help them to develop a better understanding of the ways that shapes and symbols communicate meaning about biological structures and processes.
Non-human questions are underutilized tools in assessing higher-order cognitive skills in human physiology
Sankar, U., Silldorff, E. P., Uminski, C., & Crowther, G. J. (2026). Advances in Physiology Education, 50, 545-554. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00110.2025
Key takeaway from this paper: Questions that use novel scenarios with animals, plants or fictional aliens present opportunities to assess higher-order cognitive skills in human physiology courses yet these non-human questions are rarely found in published assessments.
The impact of external resource use on the validity of score interpretation for a biology concept assessment administered out-of-class
Burgess, T., Uminski, C., Alicea, G., & Couch, B. A. (2026). Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 27(1), e00198-25. https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00198-25
Key takeaway from this paper: About half of students who completed an out-of-class concept assessment reported using resources (e.g., internet searches, textbook) when taking the assessment, and those who used resources tended to have significantly higher assessment scores.
The illusion of clarity in familiar genetics diagrams
Uminski, C., Newman, D. L., & Wright, L. K. (2025). Trends in Genetics, 42(3), 207-209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2025.10.010
Key takeaway from this paper: The simplicity of many diagrams of DNA, genes, and chromosomes make them appear intuitive and clear yet this simplicity often conceals how these diagrams can pose conceptual challenges for learners.
Misshaped chromosomes, mismatched chromatids, and missized genes: Easy edits may help mitigate misconceptions commonly represented in published scientific figures
Uminski, C., Newman, D. L., & Wright, L. K. (2025). Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, 26(2), e00083-25.
https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00083-25
Key takeaway from this paper: Biology instructors should carefully consider which published diagrams they are using as teaching tools because many diagrams mispresent the size and shape of genes and chromosomes.
Biology exams rarely use visual models to engage higher-order cognitive skills
Uminski, C., Cammarota, C., Couch, B. A., Wright, L. K. & Newman, D. L. (2025). PLoS ONE, 20(7), e0317077.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317077
Key takeaway from this paper: Despite molecular biology courses relying on visual models as a teaching tool, students are rarely assessed on their ability to use or interpret visual models on exams.
Showing the bonds—A subtle but important difference in figure design that may alleviate student confusion about ATP hydrolysis
Uminski, C., Sujith, S., Nallani, A., Armpriest, B., Wright, L. K., Newman, D. L. & Yang, M. (2025). microPublication Biology.
https://doi.org/10.17912/micropub.biology.001540
Key takeaway from this paper: Showing bond formation in representations of the ATP hydrolysis reaction may help students to use chemically-sound reasoning when describing the reaction.
Sketchy understandings: Drawings reveal where students may need additional support to understand scale and abstraction in common representations of DNA
Uminski, C., Wright, L. K., & Newman, D. L. (2025). Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, 26(2), e00070-25.
https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00070-25
Key takeaway from this paper: Instructors may want to explicitly discuss how shapes and symbols in diagrams of DNA, genes, and chromosomes convey meaning because the abstract nature of common models can be challenging for learners.
Probing visual literacy skills reveals unexpected student conceptions of chromosomes
Uminski, C., Newman, D. L. & Wright, L. K. (2025). CBE—Life Sciences Education, 24(1), ar17. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.24-07-0176
Key takeaway from this paper: Drawings revealed a surprisingly wide variety of ways in which students think about the shape, structure, and function of chromosomes.
Identifying factors associated with instructor implementation of three-dimensional assessments in undergraduate biology courses
Uminski, C. & Couch, B. A. (2024). PLoS ONE, 19(10), e0312252. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0312252
Key takeaway from this paper: The degree to which a biology instructor's exam was three-dimensionally aligned was associated with the amount of constructed response (open-ended) items on the exam.
Student-generated analogies for learning about information flow
Newman, D. L., Uminski, C., & Wright, L. K. (2024). CourseSource, 11. https://doi.org/10.24918/cs.2024.14
Key takeaway from this paper: Analogies are a powerful pedagogial tool that can help students bridge connections between central dogma concepts.
Undergraduate biology lecture courses predominantly test facts about science rather than scientific practices
Uminski, C., Burbach, S. M., & Couch, B. A. (2024). CBE—Life Sciences Education, 23(2), ar19. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.23-12-0244
Key takeaway from this paper: The majority of assessments in undergraduate introductory biology courses focus on memorized facts rather than assessing students' ability to engage in scientific practices.
How administration stakes and settings affect student behavior and performance on a biology concept assessment
Uminski, C., Hubbard, J. K., & Couch, B. A. (2023). CBE—Life Sciences Education, 22(2), ar27. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.22-09-0181
Key takeaway from this paper: We suggest that concept assessments be administered in class settings or be used with participation-based credit for scores that best reflect student understanding.
GenBio-MAPS as a case study to understand and address the effects of test-taking motivation in low-stakes program assessments
Uminski, C. & Couch, B. A. (2021). CBE—Life Sciences Education, 20(2), ar20. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-10-0243
Key takeaway from this paper: We suggest those using data from programmatic assessments like GenBio-MAPS filter low-effort responses (e.g., rushed responses, self reports of low effort) out of their dataset before using the data to make program-level decisions.
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