Taking practical learning in STEM education home: Examples from do‐it‐yourself experiments in plant biology

Abstract

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Exploratory study on didactic aspects used in scientific-technical (STEM) dissemination conferences for students of secondary education

“…No, I go there, I launch a challenge, I let you work, you think and I help you to solve it so that in some way you can see what you can contribute" (Nº 12). The lecture is used to engage students in a formative activity with positive learning-by-doing effects, allowing participants to process new knowledge and actively partake in the activity (Gya & Bjune, 2021).…”

Enhancing the learning of evolutionary anthropology skills by combining student‐active teaching with actual and virtual immersion of Master's students in fieldwork, laboratory practice, and dissemination

“…In order to give students the opportunity to learn the required professional skills, it is essential to expose them to real‐life situations during field trips and excavations and to permit them to manipulate research materials and objects. Furthermore, teaching in ways that include fieldwork, practical activities, and experiments enhances student learning outcomes, stimulating senses linked to several areas of the brain (Gya & Bjune, 2021 ; Nabors et al, 2009 ; Willis, 2007 ). Such activities are mainly conducted in groups.…”

An at‐home laboratory in plant biology designed to engage students in the process of science

“…In undergraduate science programs, laboratory courses offer students hands‐on experience with relevant techniques, specimens, and scientific equipment. These hands‐on learning experiences in laboratory courses engage multiple senses (sight, touch, and smell) during the act of the investigation and are generally associated with improved learning outcomes (Gya & Bjune, 2021 ; Willis, 2007 ). However, not all laboratory activities provide equal benefit to students.…”

“…At-home laboratories can be used to bridge this skills gap through increased learning flexibility as they allow students to gain practical and applied skills in a remote (i.e., off-campus) setting. However, considering the socio-economic and geographic diversity in our student population, at-home laboratory activities must be designed with careful consideration for equity and inclusion (Creech & Shriner, 2020;Fox et al, 2020;Gya & Bjune, 2021).…”

“…Other educators designed data‐focused laboratories, where instructors or teaching assistants collected the relevant data for students to perform guided data analysis (Papaneophytou, 2020). At‐home interactive laboratories, which involve physically manipulating the study system or organism at a location other than the campus laboratory, have also been reported (Andrews et al, 2020; Creech & Shriner, 2020; Fox et al, 2020; Gya & Bjune, 2021).…”