An Integrated, Instrument Intensive Project-Based Biochemistry Laboratory for Enhanced Student Learning and Research

一个基于项目的综合仪器密集型生物化学实验室，用于增强学生的学习和研究

• 批准号: 1044737
• 负责人: Todd Silverstein
• 金额: $ 19.98万
• 依托单位: Willamette University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-09-01 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1044737&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Integrated; Instrument; Intensive; Project; Based

This project is developing an innovative year-long laboratory course that integrates Instrumental Analysis with the Biochemistry Laboratory. Students are exposed to three of the four major classes of biomolecules and are introduced to many key methods in instrumental analysis. A portion of the second semester is dedicated to an extended project centered on a single biomolecule, tRNAPhe. A crucial component of this project is the multidisciplinary approach to the design; participating faculty come from all major subdisciplines of chemistry (analytical, inorganic, organic, physical, and biochemistry). Furthermore, students are taught in a progressive instructional style that allows them to develop as research scientists. From initial skill-based laboratories to the eventual design of their own experiments, students gain skills in critical thinking and scientific reasoning that allow them to solve problems encountered later in the course and prepare them for independent biochemical senior research projects. The effort is supported by the acquisition of several spectrophotometers, a fluorimeter, and an HPLC autosampler, equipment that also enriches the undergraduate research program at the institution. Within each semester, student learning is assessed through four phases: (1) skill-based learning where students are introduced to new instruments; (2) discovery-based learning where students apply instrumental methods to answer intriguing questions in biochemistry; (3) problem-based learning where students design and implement their own experiments; and (4) scientific communication where students share their knowledge of scientific concepts in the form of oral and written reports.Intellectual Merit: This project seeks to strengthen STEM education through the immersion and assessment of students in an Integrated Experimental Biochemistry Laboratory. Access to modern instrumentation, as well as training in critical thinking and project design, prepares students to fully engage in faculty-mentored undergraduate research. This program has several key assets. First, pedagogy is based on proven methods of teaching. Second, it draws on the combined expertise of the entire faculty in the chemistry department and provides students with a truly multidisciplinary approach. Third, biochemistry students are exposed to a broad range of instrumentation that reflects this multidisciplinary approach. Fourth, students are given opportunities throughout the laboratory to communicate experimental results and engage in team learning exercises to shape and focus open-ended experiments.Broader Impacts: The project is designed to serve as a model for integrated biochemistry laboratories and is adaptable at a wide range of universities that offer a biochemistry major or track. The integrated nature of this project lends itself as well to fostering collaboration with biology programs. Through this project the institution is broadening and sustaining STEM education in four areas: (1) A partnership with chemistry faculty at Chemeketa Community College provides a diverse student population access to discovery-based, instrument-rich laboratory experiments and thereby facilitates the transition of students into four year colleges like Willamette. (2) To better prepare undergraduate chemists for STEM careers and graduate programs in chemistry, biochemistry, and chemical biology, research scientists from Life Technologies/Invitrogen Corporation are serving as external consultants. These consultants are assisting in the improvement of the experimental protocols, instrument usage and data analysis. (3) To facilitate adaptation of the model and materials by other colleges and universities, a regional faculty workshop is being offered through the Willamette Valley Biological Education Network, an NSF-funded biological education network (RCN DBI-1039453). (4) Finally, the project results are being disseminated at regional and national ACS conferences and through publications in the Journal of Chemical Education and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. Web-based media are being used to further disseminate the curriculum, resources and evaluation reports.

该项目正在开发一个创新的为期一年的实验室课程，将仪器分析与生物化学实验室相结合。学生接触到生物分子的四个主要类别中的三个，并介绍了仪器分析中的许多关键方法。第二学期的一部分致力于以单一生物分子tRNAPhe为中心的扩展项目。该项目的一个重要组成部分是多学科的设计方法;参与教师来自化学的所有主要分支学科（分析，无机，有机，物理和生物化学）。此外，学生以渐进的教学风格授课，使他们能够发展成为研究科学家。从最初的基于技能的实验室到最终设计自己的实验，学生获得批判性思维和科学推理的技能，使他们能够解决课程后期遇到的问题，并为独立的生化高级研究项目做好准备。这一努力得到了几个荧光计，荧光计和HPLC自动进样器的支持，这些设备也丰富了该机构的本科研究计划。 每学期，学生的学习通过四个阶段进行评估：（1）基于技能的学习，向学生介绍新仪器;（2）基于发现的学习，学生应用仪器方法来回答生物化学中有趣的问题;（3）基于问题的学习，学生设计和实施自己的实验;及（4）科学交流，让学生以口头及书面报告的形式，分享他们对科学概念的认识。该项目旨在通过在综合实验生物化学实验室中对学生进行沉浸和评估来加强STEM教育。获得现代仪器，以及批判性思维和项目设计的培训，使学生能够充分参与教师指导的本科研究。该计划有几个关键资产。第一，教学法是基于行之有效的教学方法。其次，它利用了化学系全体教师的综合专业知识，为学生提供了一个真正的多学科方法。第三，生物化学学生接触到广泛的仪器，反映了这种多学科的方法。第四，学生有机会在整个实验室交流实验结果并参与团队学习练习，以塑造和重点关注开放式实验。更广泛的影响：该项目旨在作为综合生物化学实验室的模型，适用于提供生物化学专业或专业的广泛大学。该项目的综合性质也有助于促进与生物学项目的合作。通过这个项目，该机构在四个领域扩大和维持STEM教育：（1）与Chemeketa社区学院的化学教师合作，为多样化的学生群体提供基于发现的，仪器丰富的实验室实验，从而促进学生过渡到四年制大学，如威拉米特。(2)为了更好地为本科化学家准备STEM职业和化学，生物化学和化学生物学研究生课程，Life Technologies/Invitrogen Corporation的研究科学家担任外部顾问。这些顾问正在协助改进实验方案、仪器使用和数据分析。(3)为了促进其他学院和大学的模型和材料的适应，通过威拉米特谷生物教育网络，NSF资助的生物教育网络（RCN DBI-1039453）提供区域教师研讨会。(4)最后，该项目的成果正在区域和国家ACS会议上传播，并通过《化学教育杂志》和《生物化学和分子生物学教育》的出版物传播。正在利用网络媒体进一步传播课程、资源和评价报告。