Undergraduate Laboratory Course Research Articles

Reaction Optimization Experiment for Undergraduate Capstone Organic Chemistry Laboratory Course

Reaction Optimization Experiment for Undergraduate Capstone Organic Chemistry Laboratory Course

Development of a global landscape of undergraduate physics laboratory courses

Physics education research (PER) is a global endeavor, with a wealth of work performed at a variety of institutions worldwide. However, results from research into undergraduate physics laboratory courses are often difficult to compare due to the broad variations in courses. We report here how we developed and validated a survey to classify these courses, as well as compare and contrast them. This will be useful in two key endeavors: comparisons between PER studies and providing useful data for individual instructors hoping to improve their courses. While we are still in the process of collecting sufficient data to create a full taxonomy of laboratory courses, we present here details of the survey creation itself, including its face, construct, and content validation, as well as a first look at the data collected, which includes a broad landscape of lab courses in 41 countries. We used both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the data collected. Some of these results include similarities between courses, such as students often using preconstructed apparatuses and instructors hoping for students to learn technical skills. We also find differences in courses, such as in the number and types of goals of the course, as well as the activities students participate in. Thus, this survey and its results can provide information relevant to both researchers and instructors. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Virtual Reality in an Eco-Niche Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory Course: New Practice in Chemistry Lab Teaching

Virtual Reality in an Eco-Niche Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory Course: New Practice in Chemistry Lab Teaching

A genetic screen of transcription factors in the Drosophila melanogaster abdomen identifies novel pigmentation genes.

Gene regulatory networks specify the gene expression patterns needed for traits to develop. Differences in these networks can result in phenotypic differences between organisms. Although loss-of-function genetic screens can identify genes necessary for trait formation, gain-of-function screens can overcome genetic redundancy and identify loci whose expression is sufficient to alter trait formation. Here, we leveraged transgenic lines from the Transgenic RNAi Project at Harvard Medical School to perform both gain- and loss-of-function CRISPR/Cas9 screens for abdominal pigmentation phenotypes. We identified measurable effects on pigmentation patterns in the Drosophila melanogaster abdomen for 21 of 55 transcription factors in gain-of-function experiments and 7 of 16 tested by loss-of-function experiments. These included well-characterized pigmentation genes, such as bab1 and dsx, and transcription factors that had no known role in pigmentation, such as slp2. Finally, this screen was partially conducted by undergraduate students in a Genetics Laboratory course during the spring semesters of 2021 and 2022. We found this screen to be a successful model for student engagement in research in an undergraduate laboratory course that can be readily adapted to evaluate the effect of hundreds of genes on many different Drosophila traits, with minimal resources.

Fostering scientific reasoning competencies: investigating impacts of cross- and within-content area experimentation using the competency triad

ABSTRACT Educational standards and science education research suggest that experiments can be used to foster scientific reasoning competencies. So far, little is known about whether to sequence experiments from one or multiple content areas for this purpose. Therefore, we compared two sequences in an experimental study to investigate the influence of content areas of experiments on competencies’ development: Based on the same underlying structure, the first, homogeneous sequence includes four kinetics experiments. The second, heterogeneous sequence involves experiments from kinetics, thermodynamics, and redox chemistry. A total of 97 students participating in undergraduate chemistry lab courses were randomly assigned to one of the sequences. The changes in competencies within the sequences were compared based on the ‘competency triad’ differentiating between underlying knowledge (dispositions), the use of this knowledge (processes), and the quality of the resulting investigations (products). The results show that both sequences are comparably suitable to foster scientific reasoning competencies. However, in the post-experiments, we found a tendency of increased inadequate or irrelevant content-related reasoning by bringing in and conflating concepts from previous experiments such as activation energy or the chemical equilibrium (in particular Le Chatelier's principle). We discuss these findings concerning the consequences of sequencing experiments for fostering scientific reasoning.

The process of constructing new knowledge: an undergraduate laboratory exercise facilitated by a vacuum capacitor-resistor circuit

Abstract The process of constructing knowledge is typically taught to students by having them reproduce established results (e.g., homework problems). An alternative pedagogical strategy is to illustrate this process using an open problem, such as voltage decay in an RC circuit as described below. Analyzing data from this circuit in an undergraduate physics laboratory course reveals a discrepancy between the data and the exponential decay model found in textbooks. As students attempt to reconcile this discrepancy, the instructor can provide guidance in the process of validating data, modeling, and experimental design. This undergraduate laboratory exercise also provides an engaging transition from classroom learning to real world experience.

Using a research-based assessment instrument to explore undergraduate students’ proficiencies around measurement uncertainty in physics lab contexts

Concepts and practices surrounding measurement uncertainty are vital knowledge for physicists and are often emphasized in undergraduate physics laboratory courses. We have previously developed a research-based assessment instrument—the Survey of Physics Reasoning on Uncertainty Concepts in Experiments (SPRUCE)—to examine student proficiency with measurement uncertainty along a variety of axes, including sources of uncertainty, handling of uncertainty, and distributions and repeated measurements. We present here initial results from the assessment representing over 1500 students from 20 institutions. We analyze students’ performance pre- and postinstruction in lab courses and examine how instruction impacts students with different majors and gender. We find that students typically excel in certain areas, such as reporting the mean of a distribution as their result, while they struggle in other areas, such as comparing measurements with uncertainty and correctly propagating errors using formulas. Additionally, we find that the importance that an instructor places in certain areas of measurement uncertainty is uncorrelated with student performance in those areas. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Implementation of electronic lab notebooks (ELNs) in science laboratory classes: student response and lessons learned

As data and protocols are increasingly generated, accessed, and manipulated electronically, many labs are shifting to storing data in electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs). ELNs provide clear advantages in readability, shareability, searchability, accessibility, and data security over their paper counterparts. Our interdisciplinary program implemented ELNs across several sections of our gateway molecular biology laboratory course and analyzed the impact on 384 students (13 sections total from Fall 2016 to Spring 2018) using surveys, focus groups, and grade data. We found that students prefer the electronic format, citing the ease of transitioning to lab reports and the longevity of their data. Course grades overall were not affected by the change. Based on our experience, we offer suggestions for smoothing the transition to an ELN system in undergraduate and graduate laboratory courses, including use during remote teaching.

Introductory course-based research experience for university sophomores: Using testicular-feminized mice to identify genes underlying brain sexual differentiation

Like many educators, we are striving to incorporate more active learning and inquiry-driven exercises into our STEM curricula. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) have become more common in undergraduate laboratory courses in many STEM fields. Here we detail a new CURE developed in a sophomore-level undergraduate molecular neuroendocrinology course at California State University Long Beach. The course centered on the mouse model carrying testicular feminization mutation ( Tfm). This mutation, resulting from a single base deletion, produces a nonfunctional androgen receptor (AR) protein. Thus, Tfm mice are insensitive to androgen through ARs, providing an excellent model to probe the physiological role of ARs in the development of the brain and behavior. Since AR is the main mediator of androgen activity by acting as a hormonal transcription regulator, gene expression profiling has been measured in the brains of Tfm mice and normal controls to identify the potential AR-regulated genes as downstream molecular effectors. Our CURE took a similar approach, aiming to determine (1) if the selected genes were expressed differentially between the sexes and (2) if their expression could be altered by loss of AR in specific brain regions. Three broad goals of having students think, communicate, and perform like scientists were organized in the learning objectives for the CURE. All participating students (n=21) were pursuing a biology or related major, and none had any experience conducting independent laboratory research. Here students first used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genotyping to screen the mice carrying the Tfm mutation and their sexes. They next conducted a literature search and review, through which they learned how to select databases and how to combine key words to create a productive search string for identifying the potential AR-regulated genes. Last, students performed RT-qPCR in the wild-type and Tfm mouse hypothalamus and measured sex- and AR-dependent gene expression. These modules cover not only key concepts in genetics, molecular biology, and neuroendocrinology, but also the development of methods and techniques, including DNA/RNA extraction, electrophoresis, and RT-PCR/qPCR. We designed the CURE for a semester timeline with a single three-hour laboratory section meeting once a week for 15 weeks. All modules were taught and conducted in a research laboratory containing all materials and equipment necessary for research. At the end, students constructed and presented posters on their results. To assess how well students achieved the learning goals, we administered pre- and post-course surveys. Students reported striking gains related to the learning goals, with a high degree of satisfaction. Students also perceived the improved understanding of the scientific backgrounds and methods in the CURE. This CURE course illustrates that authentic research experiences, which use complex molecular techniques, can be offered to sophomore students. The course can serve as a template to ignite students’ intellectual curiosity and improve their understanding of the scientific process by engaging them in novel research. This work was supported by the Keck Undergraduate Research Experiences (KURE) Incubator funding. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Enhancing Learning Opportunities in Laboratory Science Using Virtual Reality Lessons: A Use Case

Animal dissections are a common approach to teaching anatomy and physiology, but they are costly, pose safety risks, and raise ethical concerns. Alternatives like computer simulations and synthetic specimens have been explored, but they lack the realism of live dissections. Virtual reality (VR) technology provides a promising solution by immersing learners in a virtual environment that closely mimics real-life dissections and allows for skill development and feedback. VR also removes ethical and emotional concerns associated with dissections and enhances learning opportunities. To explore the effectiveness of VR in anatomy and physiology education, we conducted a detailed survey of 48 students in an undergraduate physiology laboratory course. The survey, administered before and after students performed both a VR frog dissection and an in-person frog dissection, was designed to gauge their perceptions, preferences, and learning experiences with both methods. Results indicate that while no participants considered VR a perfect substitute, a majority (80%) still viewed animal dissections as an essential part of science laboratory courses. Interestingly, 43% of participants expressed a stronger preference for live dissections post-experiment, citing greater excitement and perceived informativeness. In contrast, 25% favored VR or alternative methods, highlighting increased comfort and reduced discomfort. A recurring theme was VR's role as a preparatory or alternative tool for those hesitant towards live dissection. This study underscores VR's potential in addressing traditional dissection methods' limitations and emphasizes the need for further research into VR's effectiveness in anatomy and physiology education. We aim to foster dialogue on the use of alternative technologies in enhancing learning opportunities within laboratory and clinical sciences. This project was funded by the Department of Physiology at Michigan State University. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Spectroscopic Monitoring and Modeling Drug Dissolution for Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum.

The pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry has become the largest industrial sector for the employment of chemists, indicating a need for experiments with a pharmaceutical sciences context in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. In the pharmaceutical industry, testing drug dissolution is a key analytical task for solid oral dosage forms that is performed in different phases of drug development to test the release behavior of new formulations, ensure consistency between manufacturing lots, and help predict the in vivo absorption of the drug substance after administration. However, there are a limited number of laboratory experiments in dissolution testing developed for the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. To help students obtain hands-on experience in dissolution testing, a protocol has been developed for an undergraduate chemistry laboratory course for students to build a dissolution apparatus, monitor dissolution processes, model the dissolution to extract kinetic parameters, and evaluate the consistency between dissolution curves with FDA regulated methods. Students successfully collected dissolution curves and completed the modeling analysis with nonlinear least-squares fitting. The designed dissolution protocol has been evaluated to have consistency and reproducibility to be implemented in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory curriculum.

Comparing Learning Outcomes and Student and Instructor Perceptions of a Simultaneous Online versus In-Person Biochemistry Laboratory Course.

This article compares the learning outcomes and student perceptions of a one semester undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course that was taught using either a fully online or a fully in-person teaching modality. The semester long biochemistry laboratory mimicked the work sequence a researcher would encounter when transforming a plasmid containing a gene for a recombinant protein (superfolder green fluorescent protein, sf-GFP) and then purifying, identifying, and characterizing that protein. The two modalities of the course were completed in the same semester, by the same instructor, in which students self-selected into which modality they preferred at the beginning of the semester. Students in the in-person section reported enjoying the laboratory course more than the online cohort of students and found it to be less time-consuming. Additionally, a survey of biochemistry laboratory instructors from across the United States, who had experience teaching both online and in-person biochemistry laboratories, indicated that the majority of instructors that responded to the survey preferred the in-person modality: believing them to be more effective and engaging for the students, more enjoyable, and less time-consuming for the instructor. Statistical analysis of formative and summative assessments indicated no significant difference in non-hands-on student learning objective and learning goal scores between the two groups, but the small number of students and instructors in this study limits the generalizability of these results.

Modules for teaching and applying single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in an undergraduate lab course

Modules for teaching and applying single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in an undergraduate lab course

Increasing universal accessibility in undergraduate laboratory courses

Increasing universal accessibility in undergraduate laboratory courses

A simple state-of-the-art spectrometer for student labs: Cost-efficient, instructive, and widely applicable

We present a simple, cost-effective, yet instructive spectrometer for use in undergraduate instructional laboratory courses. Deliberate design choices are made to enhance the learning experience provided by the setup, where every component is accessible to students, allowing them to fully understand the function of each individual item. The result is a state-of-the-art spectrometer, built from commercially available components, which balances pedagogical simplicity with the potential for a wide range of applications. Our setup prepares students for future spectroscopy work in research labs. Furthermore, data-taking by means of a CCD camera and the subsequent analysis teach students fundamental computational skills. Within one image, the spectrometer can cover a spectral range of 40 nm and its spectral resolution is about 0.1 nm, limited by the imaging optics. Systematic uncertainties arising from mechanical play of the grating's rotation stage limit the reproducibility of the setup to 0.65 nm. While these parameters can be improved, we decided to maintain the pedagogical and straightforward nature of the presented setup, as any increase in cost or complexity would undermine its educational benefits. Using the spectrometer in an undergraduate instructional laboratory makes possible a variety of valuable experiments, such as calibration measurements, investigation of different types of uncertainties and measurements errors, and historically important measurements (e.g., the Balmer series or solar spectrum). We are convinced that the presented spectrometer will greatly benefit the learning experience of students for many years to come.

Pavement ant extract is a chemotaxis repellent for C. elegans.

Ant behavior relies on a collection of natural products, from following trail pheromones during foraging to warding off potential predators. How nervous systems sense these compounds to initiate a behavioral response remains unclear. Here, we used Caenorhabditis elegans chemotaxis assays to investigate how ant compounds are detected by heterospecific nervous systems. We found that C. elegans avoid extracts of the pavement ant ( Tetramorium immigrans ) and either osm-9 or tax-4 ion channels are required for this response. These experiments were conducted in an undergraduate laboratory course, demonstrating that new insights into interspecies interactions can be generated through genuine research experiences in a classroom setting.

The impact of co-design-based formative assessment practices on preservice science teachers’ understanding of chemical concepts in a general chemistry laboratory course

Recently, scholars have suggested a co-design collaboration with instructors and students to effectively implement formative assessment (FA) practices because it ensures a high-quality design that considers users’ needs, values, and goals in a specific learning context. This study examines the effect of co-designed FA practices, in which preservice science teachers (PSTs) are co-designers of FA practices, on promoting their conceptual understanding of chemistry topics in a first-year undergraduate chemistry laboratory course. Sixteen randomly selected PSTs participated in the study for two consecutive semesters. At the end of the first semester, a co-design of the FA practices was developed collaboratively with the PSTs upon the approach of conjecture mapping. Then, the second semester was devoted to examining the impact of the co-design-based FA environment on overcoming the PSTs’ alternative conceptions regarding selected four chemistry laboratory topics: thermochemistry, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, acids and bases. This study employed a conversion mixed research design. To evaluate the co-design-based FA practices, PSTs’ alternative conceptions were identified through pre- and post-laboratory concept maps. The results obtained from both qualitative and quantitative data analyses showed that implementing the co-designed FA practices had a significant impact on overcoming most of the alternative conceptions held by the PSTs in all topics of laboratory investigations. This study strongly implies the inclusion of undergraduate students as active co-participants of the iterative reasoning process of the FA design to promote their understanding of chemical concepts in laboratory courses.

Students’ perspectives and experiences with equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in online and in-person undergraduate science laboratory courses

Inclusive education strengthens the capacity of academic systems and addresses the needs of all learners. Although colleges and universities are embracing diversity and introducing inclusive principles into higher education policies and practices, there is scarcity in research exploring undergraduate university students’ participation and engagement in science laboratories, especially among underrepresented and equity-deserving groups. Accordingly, this study explores students’ perspectives on undergraduate laboratory courses and investigates best practices for creating equitable and accessible laboratory environments, both in-person and online. This study addresses the following research questions: 1) How accessible are online and in-person undergraduate laboratory courses to students? 2) What equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) barriers exist in laboratory courses? and 3) What support structures are recommended to ensure inclusion of all students in laboratory courses? A mixed methods design was employed to gather data using an online questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with 58 students in undergraduate laboratory science courses from diverse cultural, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds at a Canadian university. Findings highlight that students considered online labs to be flexible, convenient, self-paced, relaxed, and inclusive with respect to aspects involving physical disabilities and language barriers. In-person labs were deemed fast-paced, yet valuable for technical skills and inclusive considering elements pertaining to collaboration, academic support, and communication with peers and faculty members. Students highlighted the following as common inclusion barriers in both online and in-person delivery formats: accessibility (physical and language), financial, and stereotypical barriers. Recommendations for improving lab accessibility were also included. This research has significant implications for the design of laboratory courses and other experiential learning environments in higher education, particularly considering recent transitions and modifications in education. This paper will discuss implications related to the following sub-themes in the special issue: instructors’ professional development, digital education, and quality enhancement.

Capturing the Precise Structure of Liquids: The Crystalline Sponge Method for an Undergraduate Laboratory Course

Capturing the Precise Structure of Liquids: The Crystalline Sponge Method for an Undergraduate Laboratory Course

Molecular spectroscopy as a laboratory experiment: Measurement of important parameters of sodium diatomic molecules

We present an inexpensive sodium molecular spectroscopy experiment for use in an advanced undergraduate laboratory course in physics or chemistry. The molecules were excited predominantly from the ground X1Σg+(v″ = 15) state to the B1Πu(v′ = 6) state using a commercially available 532-nm broadband diode laser. The laser-induced molecular fluorescence was measured using a miniature fiber-coupled spectrometer at a resolution of 0.5 nm. The spectral peak assignments were done by comparing the observed spectrum with the calculated Franck–Condon values. Important molecular constants such as fundamental frequency, anharmonicity, bond strength, and dissociation energy of the ground electronic state were determined by using the Birge–Sponer extrapolation method. The presence of highly visible blue glowing molecules along the green laser beam creates an engaging laboratory experience. Emphasis is placed on students developing their understanding of the molecular structure, practicing molecular spectroscopic techniques, and applying knowledge of light–matter interactions to a physical system.