research in the teaching laboratory: comparison of 1 st and 4 th year projects
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Research in the Teaching Laboratory: Comparison of 1 st and 4 th year projects. Quinn Vega and Sandra Adams. What is a Research Based Project?. A q uestion that does NOT have a previously determined answer. Students have input into the question/experimental technique used. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Research in the Teaching Laboratory: Comparison of 1st and 4th year projects
Quinn Vega and Sandra Adams
A question that does NOT have a previously
determined answer. Students have input into the
question/experimental technique used. Results can be transmitted to the wider
scientific community.
What is a Research Based Project?
Focus on experimental question and pedagogy
instead of just pedagogy not learning just for the sake of learning Lab sections don’t necessarily coincide with
lecture Generally more time consuming Requires increased student input before,
during and after lab course.
How do these courses differ from traditional labs?
Increased student engagement (in lab and lecture) Increased understanding of scientific research
Not individual labs (research is a continuum) Results aren’t pre-determined Sometimes experiments don’t work
(Definition of RE-search) Increased laboratory skills/experimental design
skills/data analysis skills Research results Potentially, link labs between years
Goals
Goal of this project is to isolate, purify, and
characterize a novel mycobacteriophage (virus that infects a bacterium, Mycobacterium smegmatis).
BIOL 112 First Year Project
Students complete a project that is built
around a national experiment; Students engage in authentic scientific
research with standardized protocols; Students do not work at the same pace as
they complete the project; Students make decisions regarding when and
how to proceed to the next step.
Level of Independence
Discover new scientific information; Engage in experimental design, data analysis
and interpretation; Apply mathematics in problem solving; Engage in laboratory experiences in
microbiology, molecular biology, electron microscopy;
Acquire a sense of ownership of a scientific problem.
Expected Learning Achievements
Volunteers versus required enrollment? Expectation of work in addition to scheduled
lab times; Motivation to conduct research is essential.
Challenges of Enrolling Students
Additional resources (reagents and
consumable supplies); Additional time in lab; Additional personnel? Preparation of reagents and materials; Prior experiences of students
Challenges of Organizing Such a Project
Increased motivation; Excitement about research; Dissemination of research
findings including co-authorship on submission to genomic databases.
Benefits
Discover new scientific information; Engage in experimental design, data analysis
and interpretation; Engage in laboratory experiences in
microbiology, molecular biology, electron microscopy;
Acquire a sense of ownership of a scientific problem.
Benefits
Students are asked to isolate and characterize
a gene from a bacteriophage originally isolated in BIOL 112. Students must select the gene based on its scientific interest.
Senior Project-BIOL 435
All groups perform the same experiments but
not always at the same time They don’t get to decide what to do but they
get to decide, within reason, when to do it. Students do get to decide which gene they
study They must provide arguments for their decision
Students need to decide HOW to perform the experiment (necessary controls, appropriate experimental setup, etc.)
Level of Independence?
Molecular biology techniques
How and why experiments are performed Experimental Design
Controls, appropriate experimental variables Data interpretation Math! Presentation of scientific results
Specific Learning Goals
Monitoring numerous projects simultaneously
Allowing for groups to repeat experiments Allowing students to adjust experiments based on
project requirements Why didn’t it work? (Remember, this is research) Monitoring Data/Sample Collection Fitting the project into a defined lab schedule Difficulty expanding project beyond faculty lead
course Some students don’t like research.
Challenges
Interest (student and instructor) Student understanding of research Making connections between experiments Potential results for dissemination Provide opportunity for more students to
experience research Potential springboard for a masters thesis
Project Benefits
Provide interconnected laboratory research
projects (allow students to continue from year to year)
Expand program to allow for more students to participate GA training programs Preparation of laboratory training modules Strengthen assessment component
Long Term Goals