TY - CHAP A1 - Wießner, Katharina A1 - Machacek-Link, Thomas A1 - Leitner, Rita T1 - Encouraging the development of higher-order cognitive skills via applied exercises and web-based self-assessment to teach the basic principles in molecular biology. T2 - PIXEL NPSE2021, März 2021 N2 - The responsibility of a lecturer is not only to share his or her knowledge with the students in an easy to understand manner, but also to help the students to embed new knowledge and to encourage the development of higher-order cognitive skills via applied exercises. In order to meet the growing demand for blended learning approaches a new course concept was established in autumn 2018. To enhance comprehension and to provide opportunities for self-assessment, web-based training units were implemented by using the interactive learning software “Articulate Storyline”. Students had to prepare at home for the course units by completing interactive chapters. Their learning outcome was assessed by online quizzes at the end of each chapter. Online Training chapters allowed time to focus on selected topics and to repeat key messages in following presence units. Additionally, guided group exercises were performed to promote analytic skills and abstract thinking. The students had to apply and combine their knowledge to solve problem-based challenges. An optional revision course was offered to the students, which allowed for interactive repetition of the acquired knowledge with the focus on student-to-lecturer dialog. An analysis based on a written evaluation of this course resulted in a positive feedback from the students, in particular regarding the guided exercises and the offered revision course. According to the students the group exercises allowed to process the learned subjects, promoted the group climate and were a convenient diversion from the frontal lecture format. Students who attended the revision course on a regular basis showed a better performance at the final exam and exceeded especially at interdisciplinary questions. The first implementation of this master´s degree course indicated that the combination of web-based training elements with frontal lecture elements, guided exercises stimulating cognitive skills and an optional revision course can teach students the basics of biology in an understandable way. This course structure is especially applicable to teach basic subjects for groups of students with varying initial knowledge. Financial support from the City of Vienna project PBL in Molecular Life Science (21-06) is gratefully acknowledged. KW - PBL KW - Didaktik KW - Lehre Y1 - ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Simböck, Elisabeth A1 - Marksteiner, Jessica A1 - Machacek, Thomas A1 - Wiessner, Katharina A1 - Gepp, Barbara A1 - Jesenberger, Veronika A1 - Weihs, Anna A1 - Leitner, Rita T1 - The Power of Problem Based Learning beyond its Didactic Attributes JF - Journal of Problem Based Learning in Higher Education (JPBLHE) N2 - Hybrid courses with a focus on practice-orientated education and self-guided learning phases are on the rise on the higher education sector. Disciplines in Life Sciences implicate a high degree of practical laboratory expertise. The University of Applied Sciences (UAS) in Vienna, Austria, has thus been endeavoured offering students a high qualitative education integrating hybrid courses based on PBL principles, which consist of on-site (including the transmission of necessary background and practical laboratory training) and off-site (including self-study phases) sessions. As practical laboratory units are central in those courses, the restrictive measures, including the transition to a complete online teaching format due to the first Covid-19-pandemic lock-down, had severe effects on the implementation and the quality of the curriculum. According to surveys made specifically to address this problematic situation, it can be concluded that on-site practical units are fundamental for certain disciplines such as Life Sciences. KW - Problem-based Learning KW - Life Science didactics KW - Hybrid PBL-methods KW - COVID-19 KW - Life Science Education Y1 - VL - 9 IS - 1 SP - 109 EP - 130 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Wießner, Katharina A1 - Praher, Daniela A1 - Liousia, Varvara A1 - Gepp, Barbara A1 - Leitner, Rita A1 - Rünzler, Dominik T1 - Testing the acute toxicity of an alternative to Glyphosate - Pelargonic acid T2 - SETAC Europe 30th Annual Meeting - Online N2 - Glyphosate-based herbicides were used as plant protection product globally for several decades. However, glyphosate is discussed as showing genotoxicity and many other side-effects such as inhibiting the mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase, leading to a decreased ATP production. Therefore, finding alternative active substances is necessary. Pelargonic acid (nonanoic acid) and its ammonium salt (saponified form), which are used as alternatives to glyphosate-based herbicides, are biological derived substances considered as environmentally friendly herbicides. To test the effects of pelargonic acid in its acidic form (active substance in TopGun) and its saponified form (in Finalsan Plus) on the aquatic ecosystem, students of the master study program “environmental management and ecotoxicology” compared the toxicity levels of these substances using zebrafish embryos within the scope of a student research course. The project was developed by applying the 7-step problem-based learning method which allowed the students to design their experiments independently with the guidance and feedback of the lecturers. Acute toxicity was determined according to OECD test guideline 236 in D. rerio which revealed a LC50 of 1.55 mg/L of pelargonic acid, a LC50 value of 0.93 mg/L pelargonic acid in TopGun and a LC50 of 36.37 mg/L of Finalsan Plus. Neutral Red Uptake assays were performed on the rainbow trout-derived gill cell-line RTgill-W1 to determine the acute toxicity according to the OECD test guideline 129 which revealed the IC50 value of 12.4 mg/L pelargonic acid in TG. Due to solubility limits, no reliable IC50 could be obtained. The results of the tests indicate differences in the acute toxicity of the pelargonic acid-based formulations TopGun and Finalsan Plus. However, more investigations have to be done in order to analyse if the acidic form is more toxic than the saponified form. Furthermore, detailed ecotoxicological risk assessments and an evaluation of the genotoxicity of both herbicides has to be performed before any conclusion can be drawn. Financial support from the City of Vienna project PBL in Molecular Life Science (21-06) is gratefully acknowledged. KW - Environmental Chemistry KW - Ecotoxicology Y1 - 2020 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Leitner, Rita A1 - Gepp, Barbara A1 - Liousia, Varvara A1 - Rünzler, Dominik T1 - Teaching 3R principles in ecotoxicology by performing a problem-based learning project T2 - ALTEX Proceedings, LINZ 2018 – EUSAAT 2018, Volume 7, No. 2, ISSN 2194-0479 (2018) KW - Problem Based Learning KW - Teaching KW - Ecotoxicology KW - 3R Principles Y1 - ER - TY - GEN A1 - Leitner, Rita T1 - PBL-Szenario mit degressivem Support durch Lehrende im Modul "Angewandtes Forschungsprojekt in Umweltmanagement" KW - Problem Based Learning KW - Didactics KW - Environmental Management Y1 - ER - TY - GEN A1 - Gepp, Barbara A1 - Liousia, Varvara A1 - Machacek, Thomas A1 - Praher, Daniela A1 - Eisner, Katharina A1 - Limbeck, Sophie A1 - Gamper, Janine A1 - Schwarzl, Elisabeth A1 - Hazod, Till A1 - Landwehr, Renate A1 - Wenger, Charlotte A1 - Olscher, Christoph A1 - Leitner, Rita A1 - Rünzler, Dominik T1 - Pelargonic acid - an alternative to glyphosate-based herbicides? KW - Ecotoxicology KW - Herbicides Y1 - ER - TY - GEN A1 - Leitner, Rita T1 - Teaching 3R principles in ecotoxicology by performing a problem-based learning project KW - Problem Based Learning KW - Teaching KW - Ecotoxicology KW - Education KW - 3R Principles Y1 - ER - TY - GEN A1 - Leitner, Rita A1 - Sauermann, Stefan T1 - Erreichen „harmonisierter Empfehlungen“: von Studierenden generierte Fragen als Ausgangspunkt für evidenzbasierte Argumentation von Stakeholder-Sichtweisen – ein problem-based learning Ansatz KW - Problem Based Learning KW - Didactics KW - eHealth KW - Education Y1 - ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Leeb, Christine A1 - Leitner, Rita A1 - Pichler, Verena A1 - Huber-Gries, Carina A1 - Rünzler, Dominik A1 - Jesenberger, Veronika T1 - Einführung und Optimierung eines praxisorientierten PBL-Moduls im Life-Science-Bereich JF - Zeitschrift für Hochschulentwicklung (ZFHE) KW - Life Science KW - Problem Based Learning KW - Education Y1 - 2018 VL - 11 IS - 3 SP - 107 EP - 121 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Leeb, Christine A1 - Leitner, Rita A1 - Pichler, Verena A1 - Huber-Gries, Carina A1 - Rünzler, Dominik A1 - Jesenberger, Veronika T1 - Einführung und Optimierung eines praxisorientierten PBL-Moduls im Life-Science-Bereich T2 - Proceedings des Kongresses Problem-Based Learning 2016 PBL - Kompetenzen fördern, Zukunft gestalten KW - Life Science KW - Problem Based Learning KW - Education Y1 - 2018 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Leeb, Christine A1 - Leitner, Rita A1 - Pichler, Verena A1 - Huber-Gries, Carina A1 - Rünzler, Dominik A1 - Jesenberger, Veronika T1 - Einführung und Optimierung eines praxisorientierten PBL-Moduls im Life-Science-Bereich KW - Life Science KW - Problem Based Learning KW - Education Y1 - 2018 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Friedrich, Robin A1 - Lakic, Nevana A1 - Prähauser, Linda A1 - Schweitzer, Karoline A1 - Olscher, Christoph A1 - Monforte Vila, Xavier A1 - Leitner, Rita A1 - Gepp, Barbara T1 - Effects of Plastic on the Freshwater Snail Biomphalaria Glabrata T2 - SETAC Europe 32nd Annual Meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark from 15 - 19. May 2022 KW - Ecotoxicology KW - Biomphalaria Glabrata Y1 - ER -