Developing Inquiry Skills
Developing students' critical thinking skills is a key objective of the HHMI-funded Project SCICOMP, which models Xavier's pre-med curriculum. With an emphasis on reading, comprehension and data analysis/interpretation, several of our lab courses now contain more open-ended exercises, some of which continue beyond a week. For some experiments, students work in small groups, and—using their knowledge of the scientific method—set up the experiments, record data and analyze it. In lab courses with large enrollments (for example, general biology labs), they are able to compare their (sample) data with that of the population (results from several sections) and conduct statistical analysis.
Representative examples
1. The "termite" experiment in General Biology 1230L: This is a freshmen-level introductory course with an annual enrollment of 450–500 students. Students are given a short introduction to characteristics of termites. They learn the basics of chemotaxis and the role of the chemicals (pheromones) secreted by the termites in attracting and following each other. Then the students are divided in groups of four and the class as a whole (with some input from the instructor) spends some time planning experiments to test the effect of four "unknowns" on termite movement using a sheet of paper with four "shapes/patterns" which are drawn lightly to see the outline. The four patterns are to be traced in equal intensity using four writing instruments, one for each shape. The writing instruments can be, for example, a blue ball-pen, blue marker, blue pencil, and blue crayon; students decide which utensil to use for which pattern. They only know that one (or more) of these utensils may contain a chemical that mimics the natural pheromone produced by the termites in wild. If this is the case, then the termites should be attracted to that particular pattern and also follow each other (if the experiment contains more than one termite). Since the introduction of this exercise, we have noticed students actively participating in the discussion and agreeing or disagreeing with each other before coming to a consensus of their experimental design (true to real life!). The instructors only remind the students to keep track of the dependent, independent and the standardized variables along with the concepts of randomization, reproducibility and experimental controls. Much to their delight, students see biochemistry and insect behavior in action when they realize that one of the writing instruments actually does contain the pheromone-like chemical and the termites move toward that shape from the center (the origin of their placement) and then go around and around the same shape. Some even have taken videos to capture the results, which last for about two minutes. Interestingly, some groups, on their own, decide to conduct the experiment the first time with only one termite and the second time with three termites (keeping everything else unchanged) to compare if the results vary whether one termite is used or more. It is really rewarding to see the students so involved and happy to work with each other. This exercise, simple as it may sound, actually goes a long way toward developing inquiry skills and equally important, learning about troubleshooting and understanding possible reasons for unexpected results.
2. Intro to Phage and Genomics: Originally funded by HHMI as part of a national program, (P.I. Dr. Joseph Ross), this two-semester course serves as a Biology elective. It immerses students from day one into authentic research and as such, falls under the Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience or CURE category. The goal for the students is to isolate and characterize their own phage (bacterial virus) in the fall semester and conduct bioinformatics-based analysis on their phage DNA in the following spring semester. Dr. Ross continues to be the lead instructor of this course.
3. Introduction to Mammalian Tissue Culture: Here is another example of a Biology elective which can be considered a hybrid course in that students learn both theoretical aspects of tissue culture while also getting proficient in basic and advanced cell culture techniques. What is most exciting is that embedded in this course are mini-research projects with a particular research theme. For example, this semester's theme is "Alternative treatments for cancer." Their research projects are based on published recent literature in which certain phytochemicals (natural products from fruits and vegetables) are proving to have inhibitory effects on a range of cancer cells while causing no harm to the normal (non-cancer cells). Importantly, the doses used are in bioavailable levels and the results can be quantified using cell proliferation (Alamar Blue) assays. Students are also expected to conduct standard microscopic observations using inverted scopes. The instructor gives each one a "cocktail" or a single compound test-mixture. They are also informed of the components of their test materials. Beyond this, they are responsible for planning all aspects of their project, including making sure they have the appropriate controls and that before the end of the semester, they are able to repeat the experiments at least three times, leaving time for analyzing and plotting the data. Per anonymous student evaluations and internal surveys, such courses have become highly sought-after, and students greatly appreciate the opportunity to build their own project despite the time and effort involved. In the process, per their input, they see the value of reading primary literature and expanding their knowledge in the field. This course was developed and is being taught by Dr. Shubha K. Ireland.
4. Undergraduate Research: This too is an elective that students can enroll in and receive academic credits. Here, the enrollment is on an individual basis as opposed to 14–18 students per section in Phage Genomics or Intro to Mammalian Tissue Culture. In this class, the student works under the guidance of a faculty mentor and conducts a semester-long research project. Assessment is based on the student's contributions to the project, term paper and/or presentation to the lab group. The student has the option for signing up for this course again (maximum twice) for credits, with the same or another mentor. Various faculty members (mostly Biology and Chemistry) with active research programs have, over time, served as instructors/mentors for this course.