Investigative Process & Technology in Introductory Physiology

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A computerized physiology laboratory is supporting investigative, inquiry-based learning in a required, sophomore-level introductory core biology course, Physiological Dynamics in Animals and Plants (PDAP). The course provides students with an understanding of how divergent animal and plant physiological systems with similar adaptive functions possess a unity of form and function at the cellular level. It is adapted from an existing lab course that was developed at Harvey Mudd College. Signal transduction is used as a paradigm to unify plant and animal physiology. The laboratory is the first in a three-year sequence of experiences to develop students' scientific process skills in preparation for a capstone senior research thesis and introduces students to important data acquisition and communication technologies. For the first six weeks, students employ Biopac and Qubit systems in a series of animal and plant laboratory exercises of increasing technical sophistication. In a weekly recitation session, students learn to use web-based course management software for peer review and develop proposals for a research project. Two-student teams then carry out experimental investigations of their own design, reporting weekly to professors and peer review teams through an "electronic lab notebook. " In the final two weeks students participate in a "mini-symposia." Expected student learning outcomes are being assessed longitudinally with the help of a professional consultant. Results and course materials are being disseminated through presentations at professional meetings, articles in pedagogical journals, and through the course web site. It is expected that students will acquire the ability to design and interpret physiological studies, that they will develop an appreciation for parallels between animal and plant systems, and that the program will increase student participation in physiology. Broader impacts: The grant is serving a diverse K-12 population and enhance teacher preparation by providing equipment to outreach programs that train teachers in technology or employ biology majors as mentors in K-12 programs.