Posters were on display Wednesday, June 26th, through Friday, June 28th. On Friday, June 28th, presenters were asked to be available to discuss their topics with visitors.
Abstracts of posters are below.
Utilizing the software package “R” to integrate graphical and statistical analysis in undergraduate laboratory courses (Michael S. Berger)
Broad student learning goals in undergraduate courses include graphical and statistical analysis of data. Students engaged in field and laboratory courses frequently generate large data sets that are graphically and statistically analyzed. The majority of graphical and statistical software packages are proprietary, which limits student access. Additionally, most software is “point and click,” which is very functional, but results in a “black-box” perspective that limits conceptual understanding of the processes being explored. The open source software package “R” is a very versatile program that can generate publication quality graphics and perform various statistical analyses. By understanding how the software works, students gain a broader understanding of elements involved in graphing and underlying statistical procedures. The software “R” was incorporated into field-based labs that were part of a marine ecology course and used by students to generate graphs, such as bar plots or X-Y-Z plots, and perform statistical analyses, such as a t-test or an ANOVA. Students were introduced to “R” and provided with step-by-step tutorials that guided them through the process of generating graphs and performing statistical analyses. “R Commander,” which is a graphical user interface for “R” that displays underlying “R” programing, was initially used to help students learn appropriate commands and gain a broader understanding of graph construction and statistical analysis. Future work will integrate “R” into large introductory biology labs as a mechanism to increase competency in graphical and statistical analysis.
Amylase — from molecules to systems (Dawn Carter)
A 7- week discovery-based laboratory project that enables students to investigate the enzyme alpha amylase (which breaks down the complex carbohydrate starch into simple sugars) at the molecular, macromolecular, bioinformatics, evolutionary and systems levels. Students explore reaction conditions for alpha amylases from plants, humans, bacteria and fungi. Exploration of the similarities and differences between these enzymes at the amino acid and nucleotide level provide a basic introduction to bioinformatics. Finally, students investigate either the use of amylase enzymes in industry or the evolution of amylase enzymes, and present a 3 minute video report to their peers.
Necessary vs. sufficient reasoning as an instructional tool to improve student data analysis skills (Aaron Coleman)
The learning of scientific reasoning skills, including the abilities to think critically, interpret data presented in figures and tables, and form hypotheses, are critical to an undergraduate education in the biological sciences. Data interpretation skills are particularly critical; as students advance through their courses they are required to analyze and draw conclusions from increasingly complex data representations. It is clear that students benefit from instruction in how to interpret complex representations in cell and molecular biology, and much of this benefit comes from understanding the experimental design. As students continually encounter experimental designs that are new to them, it would be useful to identify teachable analytical skills that would benefit students in interpreting a variety of different data representations. To address this, we are assessing how instruction in necessary vs. sufficient reasoning affects students’ abilities to interpret data representations from different experimental designs. This reasoning skill, based on the role an intermediate factor in question plays in facilitating a defined effect from a defined stimulus, is applicable to interpreting data sets from many fields of biology. Students in an upper division biochemistry lab class were assessed for their ability to interpret data representations of increasing complexity, before and after completing an instructional module that focuses on necessary vs. sufficient reasoning. The average student score increased from 68.6% to 75.3% following completion of the module (p < 0.01). More importantly, the largest gains were found for interpreting more complex data representations, and for experiments that were not designed to determine necessary vs. sufficient. This suggests that instruction in necessary vs. sufficient reasoning could increase students’ analytical skills across a range of data representation categories.
Using the Innocence Project to engage non-majors in DNA analysis (Taria Crenshaw)
The Innocence Project is an agency that primarily uses DNA analysis to exonerate people wrongly convicted of crimes. Students in a non-majors biology lab have a hard time relating to and understanding the rather technical aspects of DNA analysis. A lab using the Innocence Project was designed to engage and motivate the students to learn about DNA structure, DNA function and DNA analysis techniques. The students work in groups of 4 as reviewers of a client application. The client is a person convicted of a crime who is proclaiming to be innocent. The client application includes information about the original conviction and a list of DNA evidence that was not previously analyzed. The students review the client’s application and analyze the DNA evidence to make a recommendation to the Innocence Project review board (the other students in the class). The recommendation is made in the form of a group presentation. The lab activities are divided between 2 weeks. In the first week the students use gel electrophoresis to separate fragments of DNA in a DNA sample. The students develop a DNA profile for that DNA sample and learn to calculate a DNA fingerprint frequency. Also in this first week, students determine their own genetic profile for 7 genetic traits and calculate their genetic frequencies for these traits in an effort to better help them understand DNA fingerprint frequencies. The second week students evaluate the DNA evidence from the case of their client. The students analyze one STR locus to make a recommendation about their client. Students have to explain the meaning of matches between DNA samples and relate it to the DNA fingerprint frequency of their client. The students also have to explain how the DNA evidence fits with the other evidence used in the original conviction. The students find this set of activities to be an enjoyable to way to learn about DNA. Students in this class are engaged and consistently report this lab to be one of their favorites in all the semesters that we have used it.
Measuring microevolution in an experimental population of Drosophila (David Dansereau)
Developing students’ understanding of microevolution is an essential step to a wider discussion of the origin and divergence of species. In an effort to breathe life into the topics of microevolution and the Hardy-Weinberg model, I ask students to set up, maintain, and observe fruit fly populations consisting of different body color mutants. Within a single term, students measure clear changes in allele frequencies in their population cage. As they collect population data, students perform shorter experiments that illustrate which of the Hardy-Weinberg assumptions have been violated in their population cage. Students rate the quality of male mating dances, observe nonrandom female mate choice, and assess the relative fitness of the body color mutants in competition experiments. This poster describes the lab project, presents sample student data, and discusses potential problems with this approach.
A theme-based experimental methods course provides research experience for biology majors (Diane Dorsett)
Providing biology majors with a laboratory research experience is a goal of all colleges. However, at four year teaching institutions, where the emphasis for faculty is teaching and not research, the student population desiring a research experience may outstrip the personnel and space available for research opportunities. In order to provide our upper level biology students with a more comprehensive research experience, a course was designed that enabled students to investigate a problem from literature to the bench, within the limits of a fifteen week semester. The objective of the course was to provide students with direct, hands-on experience that would be relevant in most biological career fields. Although biological disciplines vary widely, all require the mastery of a basic set of skills that are essential to scientific inquiry. By using an experimental approach, this course allowed students to follow their own scientific inquiry from conception to “publication,: giving them an integrated understanding of how basic research is performed. By use of their own collected data, students more readily understood data analysis and the conclusions to which it leads. This course was taught as a project-focused course with the instructors selecting a research theme as a scaffold for the assignments and activities involved in developing student research, analytical, and presentation skills. Although experimental design was unique to each student, experiments were of simple design and appropriate to the theme of the course. As an example of this methodology, I will be presenting the module created for students to investigate antimicrobial compounds found in plants.
A multi-faceted enzyme lab: Looking at the effect of an organophosphate insecticide on acetylcholinesterase activity in the bean beetle (Hector Fermin, Gurcharan Singh, Rahat Gul, Min Gyu Noh, Violeta Contreras Ramirez, and Fardad Firooznia)
Here we describe lab exercises using an enzyme assay to look at the effect of the organophosphate insecticide malaoxon on the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the bean beetle, a pest of legume seeds. These lab exercises go beyond a simple enzyme lab as they introduce the students to the basic biology of the bean beetles, their importance as agricultural pests, and the application of biology to the agrochemical industry. The insecticide works by inhibiting the activity of AChE and thus interfering with the normal neuronal activity in the animals as AChE is important in the termination stage of the synaptic signal. The assay involves a simple crude protein extraction followed by a colorimetric assay to determine the activity level of the enzyme in the presence and absence of the insecticide. The assay can easily be performed in a regular 3 hour lab period with time to discuss the biology of the organism and the physiological processes involved, and could lead to discussions of the ecological consequences of agrochemical use. A second lab period is used to allow the students to investigate whether the inhibition by the insecticide is competitive or non-competitive. These lab exercises tie in several important topics together: data processing and presentation, enzymatic reactions and different types of enzyme inhibitors, cell-cell signaling including the various stages of the signaling process, organismal biology, and biological applications to industry and their potential ecological consequences.
Proteins and clades: A lab exercise using molecular methods to illustrate phylogenetic relationships among fish (Kimberley Harcombe* and Mrinal Das)
In traditional academic programs, students typically focus either on molecular biology and genetics or on the study of organisms and ecosystems. Current research bridges the gap between these two areas, using molecular methods to investigate evolutionary relationships, and educators must therefore model interdisciplinary approaches to scientific problems to adequately prepare students for the future. This lab exercise, developed for a senior-level zoology course that is taken by students with little experience in molecular biology, uses protein electrophoresis to examine phylogenetic relationships among fish species. Students prepare SDS-polyacrylamide gels and use them to separate the proteins in muscle tissue extracts from a variety of fish species, analyze the electrophoresis results for similarity in protein profiles, and use this information to create a phylogenetic tree. This method effectively distinguishes between related groups of fish, allowing students to relate molecular properties of the fish to evolutionary relationships. Some relationships, however, are predicted incorrectly by the protein profiles. Rather than being a problem, these discrepancies provide an opportunity for critical thinking, requiring students to apply their understanding of molecular principles and evolutionary relationships to explain the experimental data. This exercise provides students with an interdisciplinary lab experience that enables them to integrate biological principles into a ‘big picture’ of fish biology.
Research techniques in molecular biology (Kimberley Harcombe and Melissa Hills)
The acquisition of fundamental competencies in their discipline of focus is essential for undergraduates. In the biological sciences these would include a foundation of knowledge, exposure to common methodologies, well-developed communication and information literacy skills and the ability to critically examine scientific data. In addition, the opportunity to evaluate, integrate, and apply information to the design and management of experiments, troubleshoot experimental difficulties and discuss experimental outcomes, is valuable, particularly for students interested in pursuing opportunities in research. “Research Techniques in Molecular Biology” is a new fourth-year laboratory course that couples the acquisition of fundamental competencies with the opportunity to develop critical research skills. In the fall semester project “Cloning, mutagenesis and expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP),” students construct an expression plasmid, design and create site-directed mutations, and purify and characterize the mutated protein. In the winter project, “?-globin expression in a human chronic myelogeneous leukemia (CML) cell line,” students culture a cell line under conditions that trigger differentiation and then observe changes in morphology and gene expression using western, northern, and real-time PCR analyses. This course combines traditional and inquiry-based opportunities in a small class setting enabling faculty to effectively train and mentor students. Student autonomy is promoted and approaches such as scaffolding written assignments and providing additional opportunities for formative assessment are employed to enhance student learning.
Student satisfaction with the studio format method of teaching introductory biology (Beth E Leuck and Greg Q Butcher*)
In 2000, the Department of Biology of Centenary College of Louisiana converted its traditional introductory biology course, which consisted of separate lecture and laboratory components, into a studio format course, in which the two components were integrated into a single learning unit. The course fulfills a foundations core requirement in the natural sciences and is taken by both science and non-science majors. In 2002, we began assessing student satisfaction with the course to determine what students subjectively thought about the studio format method of learning. The assessment has continued every other year since 2003, generating a set of responses with which we have tracked changes in students’ perception of this method of instruction. Midway through the semester, students are asked to rate different course characteristics on a scale of 1-4, with one indicating poor and 4 indicating excellent. Questions have changed as we have added or deleted components, but six questions have remained constant through the years. The “meta-average” of satisfaction for the six questions is 3.5, with no statistical increase or decrease over time. Of the six questions asked, students rated “integration of lecture material with laboratory exercises” the highest, but no question elicited a score average lower than 3.35. Typical responses from students on the comments section of the survey included, “I chose this course because it was a combined lecture/lab. More science courses should be taught this way.” Overall, these data indicate that learning in a studio format setting has consistently been viewed positively by students enrolled in the course.
Assessing students’ understanding of the scientific process (Amy Marion)
The primary goal of the introductory biology laboratory courses at NMSU is to assist students as they develop a critical understanding of scientific process. A multi-year study is being conducted to determine the effectiveness of inquiry-based lab exercises in achieving this goal. Assessments are given at four times during the semester to determine whether students can identify or interpret various aspects of scientific process. Preliminary data analysis from this study will be presented.
Photosynthesis: The whereabouts (Catarina Mata)
When teaching photosynthesis labs I have had good results connecting leaf physiology with anatomy. I propose that the teaching of gas exchange and light capture be paired with basic leaf anatomy, using live leaves. I start the lab with one potted plant and the question “How does this plant obtain food?” We then move on to the basic equation of photosynthesis, and how to measure the output. We follow up by a measure of gas exchange (when possible) and extraction of pigments from a leaf to measure light absorption. The students are asked how the gases get in and out of the leaves, why terrestrial plants need an epidermis, and where exactly inside the leaf photosynthesis takes place. To answer these questions, we make fresh epidermal peel slides for the microscope, to see stomata among the epidermal cells, and also leaf transversal sections cut with a razor blade to observe cells with chloroplasts in the parenchyma, and the phloem where the sugars are loaded for transport to other parts of the plant.
Intuitive interactive software applications for enzymology (Kenneth Ng)
Some concepts in enzymology can be difficult for students, in part because a deep understanding requires some mathematical sophistication. In many cases, a deeper appreciation of both basic and advanced concepts can be gained by providing intuitive simulations of the dynamic processes occurring in enzyme systems. I will describe the development and application of interactive software intended to provide students with a more intuitive feel for concepts in enzymology.
Science writing, Wikis, and collaborative learning in the laboratory (Michael O’Donnell)
Pedagogical research shows that inquiry-driven, collaborative learning in science works best in attracting and retaining science students. As laboratory educators, we hope to model real-world research experiences for our students. However, though we may have students work in teams during an experiment, we often have them go their separate ways to write individual reports. But writing is an important part of the collaborative process of science, and that is why I had students use wikis to collaboratively write laboratory reports. Using peer reviews and group discussion, the focus is not only on the content of the finished lab report, but also on science writing as a creative and iterative process. Collaborative writing with wikis plays to the strengths of today’s students while helping improve their ability to reflect on their own learning and on the process of science.
Four strategies for implementing the Genomics Education Partnership Resources (Donald Paetkau)
The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP) is a consortium of colleges and universities (mostly primarily undergraduate institutions), led by Sarah Elgin at Washington University at St. Louis, working with the Wash. U. Genomics Center, and dedicated to bringing genomics research into the undergraduate biology lab setting. The GEP supports a wide range of implementation strategies from a single laboratory activity to a dedicated lecture/lab course. Four implementation strategies have been used at Saint Mary’s College: 1) a single molecular cell biology lab activity; 2) an eight week section of a Biotechnology course; 3) an entire lecture/lab course and 4) a group independent research project. Advantages and disadvantages of these implementation strategies will be presented.
Purposeful integration of laboratory and lecture in an advanced cellular biology course (Lisa Prichard)
Although the intent of biological sciences courses is for the laboratory activities and lecture content to be integrative and mutually supportive, students and instructors often treat these as separate and non-related entities through both their attitudes and actions. Students fail to see the connections and relevance between the two components and are unable to apply information learned in one setting to the other. Curriculum is also often designed so that each portion can be delivered independently and by different instructors, negating the value of presenting the relevant concepts in an authentic and cohesive manner. An opportunity arose to more purposefully integrate these components during the development and presentation of a new third year advanced cellular biology course. In it, content and assessments are specifically designed to dovetail between all course components using ‘cellular differentiation’ as the overall theme. Each laboratory activity is directed towards examining differentiation in the PC12 cell line and utilizes modern and authentic cellular biology techniques including mammalian tissue culture, cellular staining and fluorescence microscopy, enzymatic and protein assays, SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. Lecture content supports these activities through development and explanation of the techniques used in laboratory. In addition, specific lecture topics such as cellular signal transduction, intracellular protein trafficking, extracellular matrix, and synaptic signaling are directly related to understanding the mechanisms of cellular differentiation examined in lab. For lecture assignments, students describe cellular differentiation processes and prepare and present a formal poster based on their analysis of primary literature within this topic. A major summative report summarizing laboratory activities is used to encapsulate the findings of the entire term. Examination questions are based on both lecture and laboratory content. Overall, this course provides students with a complete and authentic learning experience where lecture content and laboratory activities are designed to specifically connect and build towards the goals of understanding, examining, and presenting information on cellular differentiation processes.
The nitrogen cycle: An integrated laboratory project (Andrew Rhyne)
Undergraduates majoring in biology and marine biology often have difficulties integrating the fundamentals of chemistry, physics, and biology into a working knowledge base. This is evident when students are asked to demonstrate competence in the complex interactions of nitrogen and carbon in the marine nitrogen cycle. I have developed a fun, engaging, and extremely tangible laboratory project that reinforces the basic skills experienced in general chemistry and physics. Students first construct aquarium bioreactors, learning basic plumbing techniques, and then cycle these bioreactors while monitoring nitrification rates and alkalinity. These bioreactors can then be use to test the effects of temperature, salinity, carbon, nitrogen, hydraulic loading, surface area and/or other parameters on nitrification rates.
A comparison of methods for enumeration of bacteria from natural water samples: A multi-week laboratory project (Kathleen M. Verville)
A common laboratory exercise in microbiology courses is enumeration of bacteria. The process of counting bacteria is often performed by serial dilution of a sample (often a pure culture) followed by spread plating on a nonspecific, generally supportive medium and incubation. Students then perform calculations from colony numbers to determine the viable count. In my microbial ecology class, bacterial enumeration is expanded to a multi-week investigative laboratory project. Students work in teams to enumerate bacteria from two types of natural waters: groundwater and water from a river that is characterized by high nutrients and suspended sediments to which bacteria attach. Students devise their enumeration plans using procedures broadly described in Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. In addition to gaining experience with natural samples, students come to realize that for samples with low bacterial concentrations, such as groundwater, concentration by membrane filtration must be used for the viable count. They gain an appreciation for the roles that media choice and incubation conditions can play in the results. As we discuss their data, they come to understand that a typical viable count (here, a heterotrophic plate count) is based on a definition of viability as the ability to reproduce. To better understand that only some viable bacteria divide to form colonies under given conditions, teams next compare the heterotrophic plate count to a direct total bacterial count. The latter involves sample filtration onto black polycarbonate 0.2 micron membranes, staining with acridine orange, visualization by epifluorescence microscopy, and enumeration of the cells in fields of known size. Although there are other methods that students can use to obtain a direct total bacterial count, the high concentration of particulate matter in our river samples makes epifluorescence microscopy essential. For our river samples, the difference between the heterotrophic plate count and the direct total microbial count is often several orders of magnitude. Students then use these data as the basis for another question: How can the viability of bacterial cells that do not divide on a nutrient medium be determined? They attempt to determine viability of individual cells through tools such as respiratory indicator dyes. Through these experiments, students gain laboratory skills and grow in their ability to design experiments, adapt lab procedures, and evaluate methodology and data in a way that is truly analytical.
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