Biotechnology
The Value of Inquiry–Based Learning for Undergraduate Training
"Each pair of students in the class performed sequencing reactions for one of their plasmids. In order to facilitate the sequencing by the undergraduate students, I set up the reagents in the order in which they would be used along one long bench in the laboratory. Students then lined up and set up their sequencing reactions by walking down the assembly line and performing the appropriate manipulation at each station.
"This appeared to be a very effective way of performing sequencing reactions in this setting, since very little reagent was wasted, and students did not have the difficulty of trying to retrieve 1 µl of a reagent out of a tube that only contained 1.25 µl of material. After the reactions were set up, students were able to load their reactions into the PCR machine. After demonstrating how the sequencer works, I loaded the sequencing gel myself, and downloaded the data for the students to analyze.
"The sequencing reactions were generally of good quality, with approximately 90% of the groups obtaining data that they were able to analyze. Students found that their plasmids were mutated despite the lack of a mutant phenotype, and drew the conclusion that not all mutations result in a phenotypic alteration."
Tamara L. Davis, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biology
Bryn Mawr College
"Monmouth biology majors have experienced important reinforcement of sequencing technology through the curriculum by both didactic and hands-on learning exercises. Training in automated DNA sequencing, particularly for students participating in research, has strengthened our students’ repertoire of lab skills that already make them highly competitive candidates for graduate school, and laboratory positions in industry and academia.
"When the instrument was setup in June 2004, we established a website (see http://bluehawk.monmouth.edu under “Spring Courses, BY 375L” for a link to the Monmouth site dna.monmouth.edu) for remote access of the instrument so that students could monitor real time runs without needing to work at a computer with e-Seq software.
"Because matching funds for the proposal were generated from student lab fees provided to the Biology Department, our students appreciate that the unique opportunity to work with this instrument is a direct result of their lab fees."
Michael A. Palladino, Ph.D.
Monmouth University
"With multiple genomic applications and opportunities the LI-COR system provides such as DNA sequencing, AFLP, TILLING, and SSR research, refreshing technologically out-dated courses or providing brand new courses has been extremely rewarding for both us and the students.
"Students are getting hands-on experience and attaining much needed scientific confidence while understanding and carrying out many different scientific methodologies from start to finish such as in our examples with the special topics courses explained above. Not only are they receiving invaluable laboratory experience that applies practically to the real world, they can reference that experience on a job application, which is becoming an added requirement of many top employers today.
"In addition, we are seeing a somewhat of hierarchy of teaching occurring in our classrooms and laboratories between the students. After becoming familiar with the easy-to-use LI-COR system, the more advanced students such as the postdoctoral research associate, the graduate students or the technicians are able to teach the less advanced undergraduate students or new, inexperienced users. This has proven to benefit all parties in the learning process."
Yinghua Huang
USDA-ARS Plant Science Laboratory
Oklahoma State University
"Student feedback has been positive, with several agreeing that coursework, including DNA Analyzer use, has enabled them to read conservation genetics literature with a depth of understanding that would have been impossible for them a few months ago."
