Laboratory courses can serve as important avenues to equitably support introductory biology students to develop foundational scientific literacy skills while experiencing the authentic research process. We present a model for an equity-focused redesign of an introductory organismal biology laboratory course at a teaching institution with limited…

Due to resource limitations at predominantly undergraduate institutions, research opportunities for non-senior students can be limited. To provide opportunities for a variety of students to gain exposure to research, a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) was designed and conducted. Coupled inquiry was used to allow underclassmen…

The term 'experiment' is used in different ways to mean different things in school science. This study examines the meanings of 'experiment' and how they have changed in the intended chemistry curriculum (ICC) in China since the early 1950s. A mixed methodology was adopted to analyse the 11 ICC documents from a socio-historical perspective. The…

The article deals with interdisciplinary aspects of learning in the case of physics and psychology. It describes the lab-based academic course focused on: observation and experimentation; discovery of new scientific facts; measurement; identification of errors; the study of psychological characteristics of people (time perception, the reaction…

It has been noted that undergraduate project-based laboratories lead to increased interest in scientific research and student understanding of biological concepts. We created a novel, inquiry-based, multiweek genetics research project studying Ptpmeg, for the Introductory Biology Laboratory course at Brandeis University. Ptpmeg is a protein…

This paper describes recent developments in Ireland to promote a greater interest in science among students in the 12-15 age group by means of practical work involving Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE). The tasks, know as Investigations, are a component of the assessment of the subject Science which is studied as part of the Junior…

A successful laboratory experience provides the foundation for student success, creating active participation in the learning process. Here, we describe a new approach that emphasizes research, inquiry and problem solving in a year-long biochemistry experience. The first semester centers on the purification, characterization, and analysis of a…

We have designed a laboratory curriculum using the green and red fluorescent proteins (GFP and RFP) to visualize the cloning, expression, chromatography purification, crystallization, and protease-cleavage experiments of protein science. The EGFP and DsRed monomer (mDsRed)-coding sequences were amplified by PCR and cloned into pMAL (MBP-EGFP) or…

Describes a course at Michigan State University in which students carry out self-experiments in nutrition. Self-experiments help to impress students with importance of human nutrition and offer insights into problems associated with altered dietary patterns. A number of possible self-experiments in nutrition are listed. (JR)

Provided are 10 papers presented during a symposium on teaching cardiovascular physiology outside the lecture hall. Topics addressed include a mechanical model of the cardiovascular system for effective teaching, separate course for experiments in cardiovascular physiology, selective laboratory (alternative to cookbook experiments), cardiovascular…

Outlines how a course in robotics can be taught at the undergraduate level with specific experiments that can be used for incremental learning in programming a mobile robot or by simulating the actions of a robot. Contains 14 references. (Author/ASK)

Describes a computer-based prelaboratory lecture to replace traditional lecture. Discusses how the CUPLE method was developed, the course structure, and a typical course day. (MVL)

Describes problems with teaching embryology in the traditional manner. Presents a new approach where students prepare presentations, questions, and discussion topics. During laboratory periods, students conducted their own long-term research projects. (PR)

Discusses how "live" experiments were combined with media packages and recorded lectures to allow coverage of more material and foster greater student/teacher interactions. Notes were distributed at the beginning of the semester which allow students to record experimental data from class demonstrations. Problems and suggestions for course…

A physics program within which students design their own experiments and construct the needed equipment is described. Different projects and equipment designed and built by the students are detailed as examples of the success of this program. (JP)