Better understanding of homologous recombination through a 12‐week laboratory course for undergraduates majoring in biotechnology

Abstract

Homologous recombination, a central concept in biology, is defined as the exchange of DNA strands between two similar or identical nucleotide sequences. Unfortunately, undergraduate students majoring in biotechnology often experience difficulties in understanding the molecular basis of homologous recombination. In this study, we developed and implemented a 12-week laboratory course for biotechnology undergraduates in which gene targeting in Streptococcus suis was used to facilitate their understanding of the basic concept and process of homologous recombination. Students worked in teams of two to select a gene of interest to create a knockout mutant using methods that relied on homologous recombination. By integrating abstract knowledge and practice in the process of scientific research, students gained hands-on experience in molecular biology techniques while learning about the principle and process of homologous recombination. The learning outcomes and survey-based assessment demonstrated that students substantially enhanced their understanding of how homologous recombination could be used to study gene function. Overall, the course was very effective for helping biotechnology undergraduates learn the theory and application of homologous recombination, while also yielding positive effects in developing confidence and scientific skills for future work in research. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(4):329-335, 2017.

Outcome-Based Assessment in The Evaluation of Education Programs Through a Systematic Literature Review

“…Table 4 shows a list of journal articles from the SLR search process taken for review. Teaching and measuring the professional skills of information technology students using a learningoriented assessment task 10 ( Danaher et al, 2019) PDM field study in collaborative engineering education -results from 2016/17 11 (Probst et al, 2019) Comparing the old to the new: A comparison of similarities and differences of the accreditation standards of the chiropractic council on educationinternational from 2010 to 2016 12 (Innes et al, 2018) Comparing the old to the new: A comparison of similarities and differences of the accreditation standards of the chiropractic council on educationinternational from 2010 to 2016 13 (Garcia & Cantillo, 2018) Factors influencing the academic performance in standardized tests of computer science/engineering students in Colombia 14 (Isabella & McGovern, 2018) (Harmanani, 2017) An outcome-based assessment process for accrediting computing programmes 17 (Li et al, 2017) Better Understanding of Homologous Recombination through a 12-Week Laboratory Course for Undergraduates Majoring in Biotechnology…”

“…Meanwhile, assessment methods in affective measurement through case studies and group projects can determine students' ability through experimentation, expression, and exploration in applying theories into practice as well as appropriately measuring students' abilities in producing output and determining communication skills, management, professionalism, group work, critical thinking, and lifelong learning in problem-solving besides measuring values and attitudes (Li et al, 2017;MQA, 2013).…”