Improvement of Molecular Biology Components of the Human Biology Curriculum: Incorporation of a Research-Based Learning Approach

在1998年万花筒国民大会和一个小型试点项目上，根据希望学院(建立和维持本科生研究计划)的凯瑟琳·马德和德鲁大学的路易丝·坦普尔以及威斯康星大学绿湾大学的布莱恩·默克尔(如何作为一名小型文科学院的研究人员生存)提交的材料，学生们正在使用研究项目方法学习生物学。学生们正在通过设计和进行研究实验，利用先进的基因表达技术(组织冷冻切片、免疫细胞化学、酶细胞化学和原位杂交)来磨练他们的科学推理和分析技能。许多课程都受到了影响。发展生物学专业的学生包括：设计实验以分析胚胎发育过程中基因的组织特异性表达；在胚胎切片中进行这种表达可视化的标记实验；使用图像分析站记录和分析他们的数据；以及在学期末的学生海报会议上传播他们的科学数据。细胞生物学专业的学生进行类似的涉及酶细胞化学的实验项目。分子生物学、免疫学、显微解剖学和分子遗传学课程也正在采用新的方法，并实施新设备的使用。

In an approach adapted from materials presented by Catherine Mader of Hope College (Building and Sustaining an Undergraduate Research Program) and Louise Temple of Drew University and Brian Merkle of University of Wisconsin Green Bay (How to Survive as a Researcher in a Small Liberal Arts College) at the 1998 Project Kaleidoscope National Assembly and a small pilot project, students are using a research project approach to learning biology. Students are sharpening their scientific reasoning and analytical skills by designing and conducting research experiments utilizing sophisticated techniques for gene expression (tissue cryosectioning, immunocytochemistry, enzyme cytochemistry, and in situ hybridization). A number of courses are affected. Developmental Biology students are: designing experiments to analyze the tissue-specific expressions of a gene during embryogenesis; performing labeling experiments for visualization of this expression in embryo sections; recording and analyzing their data using an image analysis station; and disseminating their scientific data at a student poster session at the end of the semester. Cell Biology students perform similar laboratory projects involving enzyme cytochemistry. Molecular Biology, Immunology, Microscopic Anatomy and Molecular Genetics courses are also adapting the new approach and implementing use of the new equipment.