Hands-On Methods to Educate High School Students about Cancer Research

Abstract

Offering high school students’ exposure to university level laboratory research encourages interest in science, develops critical thinking, and prepares the new generation for college and careers. In this study, we report on the development of an immersive 2-week summer camp with the aim of training high school students in cancer research. Carefully selected laboratory methods were chosen to yield distinct visible results with the sole goal of making complex concepts more accessible and engaging to high school students. The 20 participants were randomly selected from a bigger pool of candidates without any prior registration requirements, such as grades or prior lab experience. Survey questionnaires given to students on the first day of the program outlined the background of each student and helped the instructors to better understand their goals and expectations. The postcamp survey, which measured satisfaction and potential areas for improvement, was completed by students after their departure from the campus and served as an unbiased evaluation of our program. Considering the feedback from students, our program was very successful. Whereas information for such programs is not broadly available, research laboratories and future summer camps that aim to train high school or undergraduate students with minimal laboratory experience may utilize this pedagogy as a template for their programs.