Using Inquiry-Based Learning to Enhance Immunology Laboratory Skills

Abstract

A challenge in teaching immunology in the undergraduate laboratory is to encompass the many varied skills that need to be applied when performing an investigative study of such a complex area. It requires background knowledge, data analysis skills, critical thinking, and design capacities to include relevant controls and applications of particular techniques to answer a research question. It also requires strong technical skills. One such approach is to use inquiry-based learning which allows students a more proactive and integrative role in their learning. In one of our final year immunology units we have incorporated an inquiry-based exercise that runs across four 5-hour sessions. Students are given two cornerstone immunology techniques (ELISA and a flow cytometry-based cytokine bead array), which they use to formulate a study investigating inflammation. Stage one is to design the experiment with some guidance from teaching staff, stage two is to perform the experiment, and then finally students are required to analyze the data, apply appropriate statistics, and write a report outlining their findings. This approach provides students ownership of the process and allows them the opportunity to investigate a real-world problem rather than just attempting to obtain the expected “correct answer.” Feedback from both students and staff has been positive with strong engagement and high quality reports produced.

Teaching microbial analysis techniques for the characterisation of baker's yeast through the inquiry-based laboratory

“…Most students commented more positively that they had acquired these skills after taking courses with strong characteristics and structured collaboration. The finding showed that lBL-based laboratory experiences can create collaboration and meaningful learning processes (Rozenszayn & Ben-Zvi Assaraf, 2011) and create positive student feelings when conducting scientific investigations (Demaria et al, 2019). These findings also confirmed that based on students' perceptions of laboratory activities, collaborative work and inquiry can improve their technical microbial analysis skills.…”

“…This research also filled the gap regarding the articulation of laboratory-based IBL processes more completely (Tsybulsky et al, 2020), where this research not only questions the practical aspects but also captures the meaning of each process that students follow (Prinsen, 2016). Demaria et al (2019) pointed out that inquiry-based experiences in final-year students, similar to the population in our research, can facilitate them to investigate real-world problems rather than simply getting the expected answers. Our students can improve their experimental design skills, the importance of the aseptic technique, yeast isolation and culture steps, and a series of physiological tests to demonstrate the potential of yeast to make bread rise.…”

Staff goals, challenges, and use of student inquiry in undergraduate bioscience teaching laboratories

“…Staff perceive the hands‐on, active learning potential of labs [ 84 ] as key to developing necessary discipline‐specific and transferable skills for research and the future, in alignment with the recommendations and requirements of policy‐driven organisations [ 3 , 4 ]. Students do desire hands‐on lab activities [ 85 ], and staff described being together in the lab and actively working as an enjoyable and largely unique opportunity for students.…”

Embracing the Unexpected: Using Troubleshooting to Modulate Structured- To Open-Inquiry and Self-Regulated Learning in a First-Year Virtual Lab

“…Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is a constructivist, studentcentered approach that engages students in "the discovery process of a scientist" [1]. Its implementation in laboratory curricula has been studied in various undergraduate contexts, with evidence indicating positive impacts on student achievement of learning outcomes and confidence in executing research-related tasks [2][3][4]. However, its implementation in the first-year engineering context presents unique challenges, because students have had little prior exposure to unstructured learning, and are in the early stages of developing domain-specific knowledge.…”