Incorporating a collaborative web‐based virtual laboratory in an undergraduate bioinformatics course

Abstract

Face-to-face bioinformatics courses commonly include a weekly, in-person computer lab to facilitate active learning, reinforce conceptual material, and teach practical skills. Similarly, fully-online bioinformatics courses employ hands-on exercises to achieve these outcomes, although students typically perform this work offsite. Combining a face-to-face lecture course with a web-based virtual laboratory presents new opportunities for collaborative learning of the conceptual material, and for fostering peer support of technical bioinformatics questions. To explore this combination, an in-person lecture-only undergraduate bioinformatics course was augmented with a remote web-based laboratory, and tested with a large class. This study hypothesized that the collaborative virtual lab would foster active learning and peer support, and tested this hypothesis by conducting a student survey near the end of the semester. Respondents broadly reported strong benefits from the online laboratory, and strong benefits from peer-provided technical support. In comparison with traditional inperson teaching labs, students preferred the virtual lab by a factor of two. Key aspects of the course architecture and design are described to encourage further experimentation in teaching collaborative online bioinformatics laboratories.

An Option of Hybrid Virtual Labs in an Introductory Biology Course as the Means for Accessible Learning and Enhancing Student Education

“…One aspect of assessing virtual labs are student preferences, and several studies have documented student preference for virtual labs over traditional labs [8], [9], [12], [13]. A student may prefer the virtual lab for a variety of reasons, but whatever the reason, offering a virtual lab option would appear consistent with a learning environment that responds to the desires and needs of students.…”

Developing data literacy competencies to enhance faculty collaborations

“…Further evidence of the benefits of incorporating bioinformatics resources within undergraduate information or data literacy instruction to enhance student understanding of molecular processes has been reported by a number of recent studies (Badotti et al, 2013;Dymond et al, 2009;Weisman, 2010;Wightman & Hark, 2012). Best practices for implementing similar programs have been delineated (Badotti et al, 2013;Bednarski et al, 2005;Miskowski, Howard, Abler, & Grunwald, 2007;Via et al, 2011;Weisman, 2010), while others have discussed the programmatic role librarians can provide in supporting molecular biologists as they navigate the myriad data resources (MacMullen & Denn, 2005).…”

“…Best practices for implementing similar programs have been delineated (Badotti et al, 2013;Bednarski et al, 2005;Miskowski, Howard, Abler, & Grunwald, 2007;Via et al, 2011;Weisman, 2010), while others have discussed the programmatic role librarians can provide in supporting molecular biologists as they navigate the myriad data resources (MacMullen & Denn, 2005). Effective collaborations between librarians and the life sciences faculty have also been described in the literature (Bowden & DiBenedetto, 2001;Brown & Krumholz, 2002;Callinan, 2005;Dinkelman, 2010;Ferrer-Vinent & Carello, 2008;MacMillan, 2010;Winterman, 2009).…”

Using experimental evolution and next-generation sequencing to teach bench and bioinformatic skills

“…However, the two skill sets are still typically taught separately, though there are increasing efforts to integrate 40 them (Furge et al 2009;Lopatto et al 2008;Robertson & Phillips 2008;Temple et al 2010;Weisman 2010). Lack of bioinformatic skills by laboratory scientists can lead to poor experimental design, for example as a result of inadequate replication (Lynn et al 2003).…”