Implementation of an Integrative Cell Culture and Stem Cell Laboratory Course at California State University, Fullerton

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Biological Sciences (61)This new upper division STEM Cell Laboratory course (BIOL 249) is addressing two of the components of the developmental cycle of exemplary undergraduate STEM education, 1) Creating learning materials and teaching strategies and 2) developing faculty expertise. It has the following goals: 1. to test and optimize stem cell protocols for an undergraduate level laboratory course; 2. to integrate cell culture techniques into other courses in the biology curriculum; and 3. to disseminate the stem cell course materials to other CSU faculty by conducting workshops through CSUPERB.Intellectual merit of proposed activity: The experiments and protocols for BIOL 429 are designed to fit the time-limits imposed by course-scheduling at many campuses. The assessments developed for this course are identifying factors that are important for students to learn in order to successfully transfer from didactic practice to a research setting. These assessments are also being used to ascertain the portability of the course to other campuses. Broader impact of the proposed activity: The results from this pilot course are being shared with other CSU faculty-members interested in offering a similar course on their respective campuses through workshops supported by the CSUPERB, a system-wide organization that promotes development of biotechnology curriculum and student research.