Motivating First-Year Biology Students to Use Microscopes and the Scientific Method

 

Edmond Alkaslassy

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 1998, Volume 19

Abstract

Two of the most fundamental skills that biology students need to acquire are: 1) the ability to use microscopes effectively, and 2) an ability to use the scientific method. The first lab exercise in our General Biology sequence provides students with both the opportunity and (more importantly) the motivation to begin developing these skills. Parts 1 and 2 of the exercise are fairly traditional. Part 1 introduces students to the parts and proper use of the compound microscope and Part 2 is a description of the scientific method. Part 3, however, requires that students actively engage themselves with both microscopes and the scientific method in order to answer the question: Does Euglena (a unicellular photoautotrophic protist that can be heterotrophic) prefer to be in a light or dark environment?

Keywords:  microscope, animal behavior, Euglena

University of Calgary (1997)