Abstract
Since 1996, a librarian at the University of Florida, Gainesville, has partnered with a professor to develop and implement a term project in PCB3063, an undergraduate genetics course with first-day enrollment of approximately 120 students. Evaluative studies suggest that the class and project represent successful collaborations between the library and an academic unit [1, 2], and students report a high level of satisfaction with the course on standard course evaluations. One unique aspect of the course project is that topics are individually assigned to students, and assessment, including assessment of database searching skills, is tied to that specific topic. While course instructors are convinced (and the literature supports [3]) that such individualized assignments enhance student learning, grading the assignments for this large service course required approximately 45 hours of effort per semester for the collaborating librarian. In 2008, the instructors (professor and librarian) explored ways to decrease grading time without compromising student learning and with the intention of retaining the individualized assessment. ASSIGNMENT OBJECTIVES AND ORIGINAL FORMAT
Highlights
Since 1996, a librarian at the University of Florida, Gainesville, has partnered with a professor to develop and implement a term project in PCB3063, an undergraduate genetics course with first-day enrollment of approximately 120 students
Identify Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) number, synonyms, and official title Know how to use the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) database to locate MeSH terms Understand the difference between a MeSH and keyword search Understand the use of subheadings, major MeSH, and Boolean operators to refine a search Be able to evaluate literature, choose best resources for project, and defend choices Know how to read a nucleotide sequence record Understand the difference between GenBank and RefSeq records Be able to locate gene sequence records and limit to those from human Be able to locate structure records Know how to perform pattern searches, distance searches, and annotate records Search for SNPs and understand a SNP record Be able to locate gene records Know what types of biological information is included in an Entrez
Student performance and feedback suggest that the move to the hybrid system was successful in achieving the instructors’ goals: retaining student learning, while saving the librarian and professor considerable time
Summary
Since 1996, a librarian at the University of Florida, Gainesville, has partnered with a professor to develop and implement a term project in PCB3063, an undergraduate genetics course with first-day enrollment of approximately 120 students. Since the inception of the project, students have completed three incremental searching assignments (parts A, B, and C) that provide a road map for locating information and incorporate the concepts of database searching and critical appraisal of the literature [1] To support these assignments, students receive 4 hours of hands-on genetics and literature database instruction from the librarian (Table 1), as well as an introduction to the use of journal house style and critical appraisal of the literature. At the end of the first 2-hour session, each student is assigned a unique genetic disorder and, throughout the semester, individually completes searching assignments parts A–C These assignments are worth nearly 37% of the final project grade and prior to 2009 were graded manually by the librarian.
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