Improving skill competence and research outcomes in China through BIOS, an authentic research experience

Session Time and Location

Date:
Wed, 6 Jun 2018
Time:
Time:
9:15am to 10:45am
Room: Room:
Oakwood A
Session Track
  • Teaching and Learning
Session Format
  • Paper

Speaker(s)

Justin FendosLiang Cai

In STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education, a contemporary issue is the development of effective skill training. In China, the need for skill competence is accentuated by the fact that most published research is conducted by students. Applying principles from active learning and scientific teaching, this paper describes the development of the BIOS program, an authentic research experience for undergraduates we have employed with great success to improve learning gains, student satisfaction, and preparedness for independent research. The structure of BIOS is a useful model applicable to other academic disciplines requiring improvements in skill competence or student research outcome.

  • Session References +

    Armbruster, P., Patel, M., Johnson, E. and Weiss, M., 2009. Active learning and student-centered pedagogy improve student attitudes and performance in introductory biology. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 8(3), pp.203-213.

    Bishop, J.L. and Verleger, M.A., 2013, June. The flipped classroom: A survey of the research. In ASEE National Conference Proceedings, Atlanta, GA (Vol. 30, No. 9, pp. 1-18).

    Brownell, S.E., Kloser, M.J., Fukami, T. and Shavelson, R., 2012. Undergraduate biology lab courses: Comparing the impact of traditionally based" cookbook" and authentic research-based courses on student lab experiences. Journal of College Science Teaching, 41(4), p.36.

    Cuthbert, D., Arunachalam, D. and Licina, D., 2012. ‘It feels more important than other classes I have done’: an ‘authentic’undergraduate research experience in sociology. Studies in Higher Education, 37(2), pp.129-142.

    Gooding, J. and Metz, B., 2012. Folding inquiry into cookbook lab activities. Science Scope, 35(8), pp.42-47.

    Handelsman, J., Ebert-May, D., Beichner, R., Bruns, P., Chang, A., DeHaan, R., Gentile, J., Lauffer, S., Stewart, J., Tilghman, S.M. and Wood, W.B., 2004. Scientific teaching. Science, 304(5670), pp.521-522.

    Harlen, W., 1999. Purposes and procedures for assessing science process skills. Assessment in Education: principles, policy & practice, 6(1), pp.129-144.

    Pfund, C., Miller, S., Brenner, K., Bruns, P., Chang, A., Ebert-May, D., Fagen, A.P., Gentile, J., Gossens, S., Khan, I.M. and Labov, J.B., 2009. Summer institute to improve university science teaching. Science, 324(5926), pp.470-471.

    Smith, M.K., Wood, W.B., Adams, W.K., Wieman, C., Knight, J.K., Guild, N. and Su, T.T., 2009. Why peer discussion improves student performance on in-class concept questions. Science, 323(5910), pp.122-124.

    Spell, R.M., Guinan, J.A., Miller, K.R. and Beck, C.W., 2014. Redefining authentic research experiences in introductory biology laboratories and barriers to their implementation. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 13(1), pp.102-110.

Slides: 
PDF icon ICED2018FinalF.pdf