Abstract:

Recent studies have found that undergraduate STEM courses in which students are taught using inquiry-based approaches exhibit greater learning gains than do students in traditional courses and that undergraduate education can be enhanced significantly when students are involved in authentic research. However, implementing unique scientific inquiry experiences can be difficult, and while there are many examples of its benefits in the literature, there are much fewer examples that guide the set up and structure of such a project. Here we offer a practical, highly flexible, and cost-effective method to teach a genetics laboratory. Starting in Fall 2013, our genetics laboratory course was modified so that students were taught lab skills in the context of conducting a research project. We used the DNA barcoding technique on orchids to generate novel molecular data that students then analyzed to produce phylogenetic trees. In order to judge the effect of this modified laboratory, an anonymous post-lab survey was given to investigate student’s perception regarding the impact of conducting an embedded research project within a course.. The survey asked questions about the student’s confidence in applying various aspects of the scientific method and their likelihood to pursue future scientific endeavors after taking the lab. Overall, our data indicated that students improved their understanding of the scientific method, the process of conducting research, and exhibited an overall positive impression of the experience.

Keywords:

Inquiry-based teaching, undergraduate genetics laboratory, undergraduate research, active learning, DNA-barcoding, authentic research in the classroom, orchids.