Trapping Fruit Flies: A Guided-Inquiry Lab Approach to Teaching Biology to Nonmajors

Abstract

Current trends in education include offering students authentic experiences that generate broad interest, develop their cognitive flexibility, and prepare them to be scientifically literate members of society. We present a three-part guided-inquiry lab that gives students practice applying the scientific method to control fruit fly outbreaks and reinforces concepts related to behavioral and sensory biology. This activity was designed and tested at a four-year university but can be modified for high school courses. Students are “employed” by the fictional Fruit Fly Trap Company to design a device to maximize capture of female fruit flies using environmentally friendly lures. During this lab, students collaborate to conduct literature searches, ask research questions, develop hypotheses, design experiments, collect and analyze data, and present findings in a short oral presentation. In our implementation of this module in a biology class for nonmajors in fall 2017, over 50% of students reported that the literature research, scent experiments, trap construction, trap testing, and PowerPoint presentation were extremely effective in teaching science process and biological problem-solving skills. Over 70% of our students rated the practical, hands-on elements of the activity as enjoyable. Overall, students generally enjoyed the lab and reported positive impacts on their learning.