Undergraduate Researchers Present Education Studies at the 2026 UC Davis Undergraduate Research Conference

Two Engaging Education Lab undergraduate researchers, Maisey Higgins and Geneva Penalosa, presented their work at the 2026 UC Davis Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Conference, held April 24 and 25 at the University Credit Union Center. Both students were mentored by Devin Romines, a graduate student in the Integrative Genetics and Genomics (IGG) program, who guided them through their research this year.

Comparing Online and In-Person Genetics Instruction

Maisey Higgins presented “A Tale of Two Classes: Structure, Engagement, and Outcomes in an Online versus In-Person Large-Enrollment Course.” Her study compared two Summer Session 2025 versions of BIS 101, our large-enrollment genetics course, one taught online (BIS 101V) and one in person. Both sections shared the same schedule, resources, layout, content, and exams, allowing for a direct comparison of student preference, engagement, and learning across the two formats.

Using genetics literacy questions drawn from an established assessment along with open-ended preference questions, Maisey found no significant difference in exam performance, overall course performance, or learning gains between the two formats. Online students tended to live farther from campus and continued to prefer the online format, while in-person preference increased significantly after students completed the course. Across both groups, students favored having access to a mix of online and in-person options.

Evaluating Student Use of Question Forum Platforms

Geneva Penalosa presented “Evaluation of Student Use of Question Forum Platforms,” examining how students engaged with two different online discussion tools in a Fall 2025 upper-division genetics course (BIS 101). Students had access to Discord, a primarily social platform, and Piazza, a strictly school-oriented platform. Geneva combined pre- and post-course surveys with usage data extracted from both platforms, analyzing message counts and unique participation using RStudio and the ggplot2 package.

Her findings showed that while students valued both platforms, they preferred and used Discord more frequently than Piazza, especially around exam times. Engagement followed a similar pattern on both platforms, with a majority of students sending only a few messages and a small minority contributing the bulk of the activity. Geneva’s work recommends that instructors provide a student-preferred question forum to encourage peer engagement with course material. Her presentation was recognized with a certificate at the conference.

Congratulations to Maisey and Geneva on sharing their research, and thank you to Devin Romines for his mentorship.