Natural Resources, School of

 

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

First Advisor

Joseph T. Dauer

Second Advisor

Brian A. Couch

Committee Members

Jenny M. Dauer

Date of this Version

8-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Citation

A thesis presented to faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science

Major: Nature Resource Sciences

Under the supervision of Professors Joseph T. Dauer and Brian A. Couch

Lincoln, Nebraska, August 2025

Comments

Copyright 2025, Anum Khushal. Used by permission

Abstract

Quantitative reasoning (QR) is the application of mathematics and statistics to real-life and scientific contexts. It is essential for understanding complex biological phenomena and analyzing large datasets in both academic and professional settings. In response to the growing demand for QR skills, biology educators and researchers have engaged in curricular reforms and education research. This qualitative study explores how undergraduate biology instructors integrate QR into their teaching using a framework informed by pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and QR. The study involved 21 biology faculty from various U.S. institutions who intentionally incorporated QR in their instruction. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews focused on participants’ instructional goals, strategies, and perceived challenges and supports. Findings reveal that instructors tailor QR instruction based on course level and student preparedness. In lower-division courses, they emphasized building foundational math skills, reducing student anxiety, and using scaffolding to build confidence. In upper-division courses, despite expecting greater fluency, instructors often encountered uneven student abilities and addressed misconceptions while deepening conceptual understanding of biology through math. Instructors’ personal and educational experiences, including their own struggles with math, influenced their empathetic and inclusive teaching approaches. Their research backgrounds shaped the integration of authentic data, statistical tools, and real-world applications into course content. Ongoing teaching experience contributed to improved lesson planning, pacing, and the use of active learning techniques. Despite these efforts, instructors faced barriers such as discomfort with teaching math, time constraints, student resistance, and institutional limitations. However, support like departmental encouragement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and curricular flexibility helped mitigate some of these challenges. This study highlights how instructors’ beliefs, experiences, and institutional contexts interact to shape QR instruction. The findings underscore the need for professional development that fosters reflective practice, interdisciplinary competence, and instructional strategies that effectively integrate biology and mathematics. Supporting biology instructors can enhance students’ development of QR skills and foster broader engagement in STEM through more inclusive, integrated teaching practices.

Advisors: Joseph T. Dauer and Brian A. Couch

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