From trace evidence to bioinformatics: Putting bryophytes into molecular biology education

Abstract

Students benefit most from their science education when they participate fully in the process of science in the context of real-world problems. We describe a student-directed open-inquiry lab experience that has no predetermined outcomes and requires students to engage in all components of scientific inquiry from posing a question through evaluating and reporting results. Over 5 weeks, students learn how bryophytes are used in forensics and become proficient in important molecular biology lab skills including DNA isolation, polymerase chain reaction, gel electrophoresis, capillary electrophoresis, and genotyping. For this portion of the experience, there is no specialized equipment necessary outside of gel electrophoresis supplies and a thermocycler. In an optional extension of the experience, students sequence a plastid intron and use introductory bioinformatics skills to identify species related to their forensics case. Students who participated in the lab experience performed well on content-based assessment, and student attitudes toward the experience were positive and indicative of engaged learning. The lab experience is easily modified for higher or lower level courses and can be used in secondary education.

The application of project-based learning in bioinformatics training

“…Projects can often involve students working together in groups—an approach already adopted as good practice in bioinformatics training [ 9 ]—to foster collaboration and develop interpersonal competencies. While there are reports of group-based projects being used in university-level bioinformatics education [ 10 – 12 ] and there are a small number of training courses worldwide that take such an approach (e.g., Cold Spring Harbor’s “Programming for Biology” [ 13 ], SFU’s “Problem-based learning in bioinformatics” course for PhD & MSc students [ 9 ]), project-based learning is not yet embedded in mainstream bioinformatics training practice. The benefits of using such approaches are clear; however, the process of embedding a project-based approach within such a short course is not a trivial matter.…”

Who Scared the Cat? A Molecular Crime Scene Investigation Laboratory Exercise

“…Further, given the increasing popularity of bioinformatics (i.e., identifying and predicting DNA sequences) within the field of molecular biology, advancing students’ bioinformatics competencies has also been highlighted (2, 5). Numerous laboratory activities or courses have been developed to advance students’ technical laboratory and data analysis skills associated with these techniques, including a few crime scene investigations (3, 7, 10, 11). For example, a semester-long nonmajors cell biology course incorporated the following forensic laboratory techniques: forensic hair analysis, phenolphthalein blood testing, fingerprinting, and PCR (3).…”

“…For example, a semester-long nonmajors cell biology course incorporated the following forensic laboratory techniques: forensic hair analysis, phenolphthalein blood testing, fingerprinting, and PCR (3). Other advanced crime scene investigation laboratories involve the design and/or implementation of more complicated introductory techniques, such as DNA isolation, advanced PCR methods, gel extraction of DNA, and sophisticated bioinformatics analyses (7, 10, 11). These previous crime scene investigation laboratories are either the focus of an entire course or involve techniques that may be too advanced for novice students.…”

“…These previous crime scene investigation laboratories are either the focus of an entire course or involve techniques that may be too advanced for novice students. Furthermore, while student perceptions and attitudes were assessed in these activities and were shown to have grown (3, 7), assessment of students’ critical thinking or ability to analyze and interpret data was minimal.…”

Writing throughout the biochemistry curriculum: Synergistic inquiry‐based writing projects for biochemistry students

“…As a result, bioinformatics tools have been incorporated into undergraduate laboratory and computer exercises in various courses, and bioinformatics has been offered as an undergraduate course, set of courses, a program, or a degree at various institutions as reviewed in several articles . With regard to the undergraduate biochemistry and molecular biology curriculum, bioinformatics has been taught previously using inquiry‐based approaches, often in a laboratory setting . However, to our knowledge, this is the first time protein bioinformatics tools have been used as the basis for a semester long writing project for an upper level undergraduate biochemistry course that is the springboard for a grant proposal project in a second biochemistry course.…”