The transition to online learning was a major challenge for post-secondary instructors. Rapidly shifting biology labs to an online format was daunting, and finding relevant, appropriate content was challenging. Our team of lab instructors took this opportunity to redevelop and shift our first-year lab towards inquiry-based learning, to promote higher order thinking and build research skills in our students (Parappilly et al., 2013). Here we present four major changes we made to our first-year labs that could work for any biology lab, online or during the transition back to in-person learning. Labs were synchronous: four students video conferenced and worked together in a shared document on the cloud weekly. Teaching team members interacted with the students, providing feedback. Group work allowed students to build community, and most students reported enjoying the lab overall. During labs, we focused on experimental design and results interpretation (via data given to them on-the-fly based on their design). This gave them the chance to see an experiment through and work with quantitative data. Building on this, we developed a group project component: students designed and carried out their own experiments, doing hands-on science at home. Students then wrote their own scientific abstracts and presented their findings with slides in a conference style format. Lastly, we found using online simulations helped students understand complex processes that may be difficult to recreate in the in-person lab space, giving students a deeper understanding of specific concepts. Lab exams were held at the end of term, with the focus shifting away from memorization to data analysis and interpretation, and experimental design. In this poster, we will share student feedback, our compiled resources, course logistics, and our overall findings.
Keywords: experimental design, introductory biology, Inquiry-based learning, simulations, online learning, general biology, team projects, introductory labs, first-year biology
University of Victoria (2022)
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