Abstract
With enrollment in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) shrinking, teachers are faced with the problem of appealing to a new generation of students without sacrificing educational quality. Evidence has shown that this problem can be reduced with the use of a number of pedagogical strategies of which project-based learning (PBL) is one. PBL addresses the fundamental challenge of increasing students’ motivation, their mastery of course material, and finding applications for what they have learned to apply in various situations. This study demonstrates the benefits of redesigning a standard lab-based molecular biology course to create a more effective learning environment. Using PBL, students who enrolled in Bio-251 at Harold Washington College in Chicago were given the responsibility of cloning a bacterial gene from one species into a new host species. They were then tasked with the expression and purification of the resulting protein for future research purposes at University of Illinois-Chicago, a leading 4-year research institute. With use of the PBL method, students showed improvement in the areas of self-confidence, lab technical skills, and interest in STEM-related fields and, most of all, the students showed a high level of performance and satisfaction.
Highlights
In 2003, the National Research Council suggested that opportunities for gaining a greater understanding of science could be realized through project-based laboratory courses [1]
On the first day of the class, we introduced project-based learning to the students and explained its meaning, goals, procedures, and why they were going to be actively engaged in Project-Based Learning (PBL) instead of conducting the typical labs for a class like this
The objective of promoting growth in the number of students enrolled in STEM programs is shifting from an advantage to a necessity in the modern world
Summary
In 2003, the National Research Council suggested that opportunities for gaining a greater understanding of science could be realized through project-based laboratory courses [1]. Project-Based Learning (PBL) allows students to work actively with the applied techniques of the laboratory setting, while incorporating critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving skills in the context of content-based knowledge that influences comprehension and academic selfconfidence This method benefits students by granting them accountability for laboratory projects, an approach that yields a deeper understanding of how science is practiced by scientists through problem solving and the formulation and testing of a hypothesis-based research [2]. Educators must rise to the challenge of identifying and addressing the shortcomings of classic teaching models to create an optimized curriculum and pedagogy that better suits today’s students and helps meet the needs of today’s societies This transition is aided by the growing amount of research that has been conducted on how students learn. We believe that by its nature, PBL can provide the opportunity for students to achieve just that
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