Updating and Enriching an Undergraduate Physiology Laboratory Curriculum by Introducing Modern Techniques using an Inquiry-based Learning Model

本项目旨在通过在生理实验课程中引入探究式学习策略，培养和激励学生在前沿科学研究或教学领域取得成功。教育学生如何做研究的最好方法是让他们参与研究。在这个项目中，学生们1)构思假设；2)规划项目；3)开展实验；4)批判性地分析结果，5)制定研究的下一步。通过这个项目，实验室中引入的设备向学生展示了一系列当代技术和技能，这样当他们进行研究时，他们就会意识到在项目进展中引入的每种技术/设备的效用。当学生参与实验设计和发现的过程，而不是遵循提供给他们的协议时，他们对研究的兴趣就会被激发。这种方法以美国国家科学基金会资助的洛约拉学院项目为例，在该项目中，学生们使用了“目标导向的方法……小组合作，回答基本的生物学问题……”一项学生调查比较了那些参加新的生理实验室课程的学生与以前的生理专业学生的职业道路。我们正在更新和丰富四门本科生理学实验课程，在一个研究项目的背景下引入当前的研究设备和技术。我们计划整合最近开设的课程，细胞生理学和基因组学实验室，扩大一个统一的主题和研究项目，“研究细胞培养系统中凋亡基因的转染，表达和作用。”我们的动物生理学实验和组织学课程也采用了研究导向的方法。利用康奈尔大学教师的专业知识，这两门课程的学生都参与了对患有心肌病的转基因小鼠的表型分析。组织学学生检查形态学，生理学学生检查改良后的心脏与正常心脏的功能。所获得的设备也可供参加“生物学本科研究”课程的学生使用，这门课程的学生可以继续从事其他实验课程中开始的研究。

Biological Sciences (61) The aim of this project is to prepare and inspire students to embark on successful careers in cutting edge scientific research or teaching by introducing inquiry-based learning strategies into the physiology laboratory curriculum. Educating students in how to do research is best accomplished by engaging them in research. In this project students are 1) conceiving of hypotheses; 2) planning projects, 3) carrying out the experiments; 4) critically analyzing the results, and 5) formulating the next step in the research. The equipment being introduced in the laboratory through this project exposes students to an array of contemporary technologies and skills, so that as they pursue their research they become aware of the utility of each technique/equipment introduced in the progression of the project. The interest of students in research is stimulated when they participate in the process of experimental design and discovery rather than following protocols provided to them. This approach follows the example of an NSF funded project at Loyola College in which students used a "goal-oriented approach, ... working cooperatively in small groups to answer basic biological questions..." A survey of students compares the career paths of those participating in the new Physiology Laboratory curriculum as compared to previous students of the Physiology concentration. We are updating and enriching four of our Undergraduate Physiology Laboratory courses by introducing current research equipment and techniques within the context of a research project. We plan to integrate a recently established course, Cell Physiology and Genomics Laboratory, by expanding a unifying theme and research project, "Investigating the Transfection, Expression and Role of Apoptotic Genes in a Cell Culture System." The approach of introducing a research orientation is also being adopted into our courses in Animal Physiology Experimentation, and Histology. Taking advantage of faculty expertise at Cornell, students in both courses are involved in phenotyping genetically modified mice with cardiomyopathyies. Histology students examine the morphology while Physiology students examine the function of modified as compared to normal hearts. The equipment acquired is also accessible to students enrolled in "Undergraduate Research in Biology," a course in which students can continue to pursue research started in the other laboratory courses.