Undergraduate Science Laboratory Research Articles

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.

Packing soft spheres: experimental demonstrations with hydrogels

Abstract We describe a number of different experimental set-ups that use hydrogel spheres to demonstrate dense packings of deformable spheres in various geometries. The arrangements are similar to those of bubbles in foams, drops in emulsions, biological cells, etc. The experiments are easy to perform in the class-room or an undergraduate science laboratory. They are described in the context of the history of packing problems to which this convenient system, not yet fully explored, can add significant new findings.

A structured reflective process supports student awareness of employability skills development in a science placement module.

Placements are often an extra‐curricular activity of a science degree. This study reports on the outcomes of a final‐year credit‐bearing 6‐week placement module that was specifically designed to develop and enhance students’ employability skills. A key element of this module was that the student placements were not only evaluated from a science perspective, but also evaluated with an emphasis on meaningful reflection and evaluation of employability skills development. Students recorded their levels of confidence in skills before, during and after the placement via an Online Reflective Log, as part of a module’s summative assessment. The results showed that taking part in the placement and conducting their own independent research helped students to make connections between their scientific knowledge, otherwise constrained within the walls of the undergraduate science laboratory, and the wider impact of their research on society. Another theme that emerged concerned career choices and aspirations, and the placement experiences either confirmed prior choices or opened new horizons. The Online Reflective Log helped students to feel supported by their university supervisor who were at a distance. Feedback on their tasks prompted students to reflect on the scientific and personal skills while being engaged in scientific activities during placement. Students agreed that they had further developed their employability skills during the placement and acknowledged that it was challenging to acquire evidence of skill development. However, students appreciated the usefulness of this reflection in relation to their future career development.

Correlational Study of Student Perceptions of their Undergraduate Laboratory Environment with respect to Gender and Major

The science laboratory learning environment has been a distinctive area in science education since the 19th century. Unfortunately, students are generally not aware of what science instructors expect from laboratory experiences, and far too often, the undergraduate science laboratory curriculum lacks explicit, well-defined goals. Science instructors assume that they have created their laboratory curriculum in such a way as to reflect an ideal science instructional laboratory, but students may not recognize this. What previous studies do not indicate is the extent to which students understand the laboratory goals for instruction as intended by the instructors. This study, therefore, using a quantitative design, examined undergraduate science major (biology, chemistry, and physics) and non-major students’, and female and male perceptions of their science instructional laboratory with respect to instructors’ goals for the laboratory. Data was collected via the Student Perceptions of the College Instructional Laboratory Survey (SPCILS) at a Midwestern University in the USA. The findings suggest that, on the whole, students perceive their instructional labs much as intended by their instructors. Female and male students were just as likely to view their instructional laboratories as intended by the instructors. Moreover, the study found no differences between science majors and non-majors. This study provides baseline data for future qualitative studies about how major and gender might be impacting students’ laboratory experiences in ways beyond what was measured on this survey. Our research was done at a teaching-oriented, midsized university. It would thus be appropriate for similar investigations to be carried out at a research-oriented university.

Safety in Medical Laboratories: Perception and Practice of University Students and Laboratory Workers.

Several safety-related accidents occur in the laboratories because of insufficient regulations, inappropriate implementation of safety measures, or unawareness attitude and practices toward safety precautions. Thus, establishment of efficient regulations and safe habits toward workplace safety is crucial to prevent or minimize such accidents. Here we investigate the levels of laboratory safety awareness among undergraduate medical science students and laboratory workers at major hospitals in Taif, Saudi Arabia. An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted on a random sample of 185 students and workers. The survey was categorized into five sections: (1) variable demographic items, (2) orientation around the warning signage of medical laboratory picograms, (3) assess participants' attitudes toward laboratory safety, (4) assess participants' safety awareness and practices in medical laboratories, and (5) assess participants' knowledge in dealing with emergency equipment and related procedures. Data analyses indicate that workers are generally more aware of the key aspects of laboratory safety. Although students demonstrated moderate to good knowledge of major laboratory signage, there are some areas of deficiency, particularly regarding the use of fire extinguishers. Of interest is that female students are more familiar with laboratory signage than male students, although general laboratory safety awareness among students is poor. Students also showed poor awareness of certain critical aspects of safety practices and emergency procedures. The study data reveal inadequate awareness and knowledge of certain laboratory safety aspects among undergraduate students. Therefore, academic institutions should introduce effective safety regulations, education, and training to improve student safety.

Using online decision trees to support students' self-efficacy in the laboratory.

Failed experiments are a common occurrence in research, yet many undergraduate science laboratories rely on established protocols to ensure students are able to obtain results. While it is logistically challenging to facilitate students' conducting their own experiments in the laboratory, allowing students to "fail" in a safe environment could help with the development of problem-solving skills. To allow students a safe place to fail and encourage them to think through a laboratory protocol, online decision trees were created to lead students through protocols and give them timely feedback. The online decision trees present students with a scenario, then students execute a protocol by selecting options that will lead them down different paths and result in various realistic results from their experiments. They receive feedback and instructional tutorials throughout the simulation that are dependent on their choices. The significance of this new resource for student learning is that it allows students to practice their problem-solving skills and gain theoretical knowledge about the purpose of various experimental steps. The purpose of this research study was to evaluate whether online decision trees affected students' self-efficacy, metacognition, and motivation for completing a wet laboratory. A mixed-methods approach was used; three surveys were administered throughout the academic term. For survey 1, students completed the decision tree and survey before the wet laboratory. For survey 2, students completed the survey before the wet laboratory but completed the decision tree after the wet laboratory. Students' reported self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation were increased with the administration of the online decision trees before the wet laboratory, but their extrinsic motivation and metacognitive scores were unchanged. For survey 3, students provided written feedback about the impact of the online decision trees, and their responses highlighted the importance of the visual components of the approach.

The Effect of an Open-Ended Design Experience on Student Achievement in an Engineering Laboratory Course

This study explores the effect of incorporating an Open-Ended Design Experience (OEDE) into an undergraduate materials science laboratory taken by third-year mechanical engineering students. The focus of the OEDE was carbon fiber reinforced plastics and sandwich structures. The results indicate that the incorporation of OEDE’s in laboratory courses produces significant benefits in terms of student engagement, participation, and perception of competence. In addition, the OEDE was found to enhance students’ ability to apply related concepts as compared to non-OEDE lab activities. The authors conclude that the incorporation of OEDE’s can increase the effectiveness of engineering laboratory courses.

The Effects of Using Jigsaw Method Based on Cooperative Learning Model in the Undergraduate Science Laboratory Practices

The main aim of the present study is to determine the influence of a Jigsaw method based on cooperative learning and a confirmatory laboratory method on prospective science teachers' achievements of physics in science teaching laboratory practice courses. The sample of this study consisted of 33 female and 15 male third-grade prospective science teachers (6th term) who attended science teaching laboratory practices course in the 2014-2015 academic year. In the research, science teaching laboratory practices course was carried out in accordance with a Jigsaw method based on cooperative learning in an experimental group and a confirmatory laboratory method in a control group. Following the treatment, Science Laboratory Physic Achievement Test (SLPAT) was administered as the post-test. The data obtained with the instruments were evaluated using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, and ANCOVA. The results indicated that the student teachers had higher levels of achievement in physics topics which were taught through the Jigsaw method based on cooperative learning than through a confirmatory laboratory method. In addition, according to the SLPAT results, students' high levels of misunderstanding revealed that there were problems in the teaching process of physics concepts. It was determined that the student teachers in the research groups had conceptual misunderstandings about sound, electricity, magnetism, light and optics issues. Based on the applications performed in this study, the original Jigsaw was adapted to science laboratory applications as an alternative to the existing Jigsaw techniques in the literature. With similar efforts, the experiences of prospective science teachers can be enhanced for implementing modern teaching methods in their respective areas in the pre-service period. Thus, the provision of professional development of the pre-service science teachers can be supported.

Do teaching assistants matter? Investigating relationships between teaching assistants and student outcomes in undergraduate science laboratory classes

AbstractThis study explores the relationship between teaching assistants (TAs) and student learning in undergraduate science laboratory classes. TAs typically instruct laboratory courses, yet little, if any, research examines professional development (PD) for TAs or relationships between instructors and students in laboratory settings. The use of undergraduate TAs (UTAs) in the same manner as graduate TAs (GTAs) in inquiry‐based lab settings has yet to be explored. This quantitative study explored how TAs’ content knowledge, beliefs about teaching, and teaching confidence change as a result of PD and how TAs’ prior experience, UTA/GTA status, content knowledge, beliefs, and teaching confidence relates to students’ content knowledge learning in an inquiry‐based general chemistry laboratory. Participants included 14 GTAs, 5 UTAs, and their 529 students at a public university. PD supported TAs to lead inquiry‐based general chemistry laboratory classes, involving a week‐long workshop and 14 weekly follow‐up meetings. Results demonstrate that TAs’ content knowledge improved following PD and teaching, t(18) = −3.62, p = 0.002, and students’ content knowledge significantly improved across the semester, t(528) = −36.27, p = 0.000, dCohen = 1.3. Further, TAs with higher content knowledge post‐PD tended to have students with higher end‐of‐semester content (r = 0.517, p = 0.000). No differences existed between UTAs or GTAs on any TA characteristic or student outcome measure. Using a hierarchical linear regression model, student post‐semester content knowledge was predicted by student demographics; however, no TA characteristics or demographics were significant predictors of student content knowledge. Students who perceived their TA as more supportive also believed they learned more content (r = 0.280, p =0.000). Thus, UTAs can be used in lieu of GTAs in our inquiry‐based general chemistry laboratory context and could be a possible alternative for TA instructors at other universities. Continued work examining TA PD, TA characteristics, TA practice, and student learning in inquiry‐based laboratory contexts is warranted. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 54: 463–492, 2017

Development, Evaluation and Use of a Student Experience Survey in Undergraduate Science Laboratories: The Advancing Science by Enhancing Learning in the Laboratory Student Laboratory Learning Experience Survey

Student experience surveys have become increasingly popular to probe various aspects of processes and outcomes in higher education, such as measuring student perceptions of the learning environment and identifying aspects that could be improved. This paper reports on a particular survey for evaluating individual experiments that has been developed over some 15 years as part of a large national Australian study pertaining to the area of undergraduate laboratories—Advancing Science by Enhancing Learning in the Laboratory. This paper reports on the development of the survey instrument and the evaluation of the survey using student responses to experiments from different institutions in Australia, New Zealand and the USA. A total of 3153 student responses have been analysed using factor analysis. Three factors, motivation, assessment and resources, have been identified as contributing to improved student attitudes to laboratory activities. A central focus of the survey is to provide feedback to practitioners to iteratively improve experiments. Implications for practitioners and researchers are also discussed.

The Effectiveness of Active Learning in Histotechnology and Parasitology Techniques‐based Laboratory Courses

Active learning, a learning style that incorporates hands‐on activities that allow the learner to interact with the course material, has been shown to improve student learning outcomes. While labs are active by nature, traditional undergraduate science laboratories are expository, requiring students to follow steps in a procedure to attain a predetermined result (i.e., “cookbook labs”). While it is well‐established that active learning has a higher educational value than passive learning, the physical act of doing a lab activity is not enough to enable students to understand concepts, make connections, and retain complex material in the long‐term. The purpose of our study was to identify ways to increase the educational value of our histotechnology and parasitology laboratories without drastically restructuring the curriculum. We used a two‐group, pre‐ and post‐quiz experimental design. In our experimental group, we incorporated three common learning activities (strip‐sequence activity, concept mapping, and clickers) into labs that had long waiting times in between procedural steps. We hypothesized that incorporating these activities would give students an opportunity to recall and internalize the conceptual information and that this would lead to a deeper understanding of the procedures, long‐term retention of the material, and the ability to think about the lab procedure at higher order levels of thinking. Preliminary results show that this is a promising strategy for lab instruction, with quiz scores in the experimental group improving for two out of the three lab activities. Students also reported feeling more engaged and having a deeper understanding of the material.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Verification and Inquiry Laboratories in Supporting Undergraduate Science Students in Constructing Arguments Around Socioscientific Issues

This quasi-experimental study uses a pre-/post-intervention approach to investigate the quality of undergraduate students’ arguments in the context of socioscientific issues (SSI) based on experiencing a semester of traditional ‘cookbook' instruction (N = 79) or a semester of argument-based instruction (N = 73) in the context of an undergraduate science laboratory course. Findings from this study indicate that the students experiencing the argument-based instruction generated significantly better arguments than students in the traditional course after the intervention. Specifically, the students in the treatment group were better able to include rationales in their arguments supporting their stance on the SSI task. Implications for instruction in undergraduate science laboratory courses, including the use of scientific argumentation as a means of enhancing science proficiency and science literacy, are discussed.

Motivation under the microscope: Understanding undergraduate science students’ multiple motivations for research

Little is known about students’ motivations toward scientific research or the implications of pursuing multiple research motivations simultaneously. We conducted latent profile analysis (a person-centered statistical technique) on 1,052 undergraduate students from three universities enrolled in physics, chemistry, and biology laboratory sections. Based on a tripartite model that conceptualizes research motivations as intrinsic, extrinsic, and failure avoidant, analyses revealed five distinct research motivational profiles which were described as Unmotivated; Neutral Engagement, Ternary-Driven; Emerging Engagement; and High Engagement. Profile membership was associated with differences in science class experiences, science identity, and future research intentions. Results showed students were optimally motivated toward science when highly endorsing both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, with low failure avoidance. These findings contribute to the literature on self-determination theory, intrinsic motivation and multiple goals, and these data create a framework for understanding undergraduate science laboratory experiences that may aid in efforts to broaden the participation of students in science.

Instruction Matters for Nature of Science Understanding in College Biology Laboratories

Student understanding of the nature of science (NOS) improves in response to focused reflection about its aspects—an explicit, reflective (ER) pedagogy. However, whether this approach is effective within the two most common instructional models of undergraduate science laboratories— expository, which confirms predetermined outcomes, and inquiry, which is student driven and involves undetermined outcomes—is unknown. We manipulated underlying pedagogy (expository or inquiry based) and NOS treatment (ER or no ER) randomly across 31 sections of an introductory biology laboratory (n = 602 students). The students' understanding of several NOS aspects, assessed by their responses on two validated surveys, was significantly affected by the treatment. However, different NOS aspects were promoted by different treatments, which suggests that no single model or pedagogy can increase all aspects of NOS understanding. Instead, the instructional approach should be selected on the basis of the desired NOS learning outcomes.

Student Outcomes from Innovations in Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratory Learning.

Much of the research on implementation of novel curriculum, instruction, and assessment in undergraduate science laboratory courses in the U.S. has been funded by public funding agencies. A review and analysis was conducted of awards made between 2000 and 2008 from the National Science Foundation that have focused on laboratory learning in undergraduate chemistry. The study is concerned with characterizing the types of interventions that occurred, and what was studied and learned related to student learning and associated outcomes. For projects that concluded by August, 2011, an overview is presented of the current ‘state of the art’ of the empirical knowledge base, in the interest of suggesting gaps and opportunities for further study. The findings are also contrasted with a recent summary of the state of chemical education research, largely focused at undergraduate level teaching and learning, that was presented in a review paper commissioned by the National Academies of Science as part of a consensus study on discipline-based education research.

Mini-Journal Inquiry Laboratory: A Case Study in a General Chemistry Kinetics Experiment

The mini-journal curriculum for undergraduate science laboratories mirrors the format of scientific literature and helps students improve their learning through direct scientific practices. The lab embodies the essential features of scientific inquiry and replaces the traditional “cookbook” lab to engage students in active learning. A case study of a mini-journal lab in college general chemistry, including its design, instruction, and reflections, is described.

The Problem with Reform from the Bottom up: Instructional practises and teacher beliefs of graduate teaching assistants following a reform‐minded university teacher certificate programme

Reform‐minded practices are widely encouraged during pre‐service science teacher education in concert with national reform documents. This contrasts to the nature of instruction within university science laboratories in which pre‐service teachers enrol, which are largely confirmatory in nature. Undergraduate science laboratories are taught predominantly by graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) with minimal teacher preparation. The purpose of this mixed‐methods study is to investigate the instructional practices and teacher beliefs of eight GTAs at a university with very high research activity who completed a reform‐minded Teacher Certificate Programme, asking: What are their beliefs about teaching? How are their practices described? Do their beliefs and practices differ from one another? Do their teaching beliefs correspond with their practices? Findings indicate that GTAs held moderately reform‐minded “transitional” beliefs of teaching following the programme, yet displayed fairly traditional instruction. Cross‐case findings highlight similar patterns across subscales of the RTOP that draw attention to underlying constraints of the laboratory curriculum structure. We suggest that GTA professional development is best undertaken concurrent with laboratory course revision.

Using Digital Imaging to Enhance Learning in Undergraduate Plant Biology Courses

With grant funds for upgrading technology in undergraduate science laboratories, digital cameras and microscopes were acquired for use in undergraduate biology laboratories. The digital imaging equipment has been used to enhance student learning in both Bio 244 Plant Biology and Bio 480 Biology Independent Study. In the student research oriented independent study course, digital photo-microscopy with a Nikon Digital Still camera (DXM 1200) mounted on a Nikon Stereo-scopic Zoom microscope (SMZ800) was used to illustrate a research project involving the effect of mycorrhizae fungi on root development of the shining club moss Huperzia lucidula. Digital photomicrographs of fungi isolated from the roots of H. lucidula collected in the wild were included in the student researcher's final PowerPoint report on the experiment. In Bio 244 Plant Biology the digital imaging equipment was used in a tree identification project. Students took Nikon Coolpix 995 cameras to a local arboretum (Tyler Arboretum, Media, Pa.) where, after minimal instruction in camera operation, they took photographs of 10 trees for inclusion in a tree identification PowerPoint presentation. Each pair of students selected different trees from their peers, taking shots of overall habit, leaves, bark, and flowers/fruit if present. Photos were downloaded onto lab computers at the conclusion of the field trip. The students were then responsible for incorporating descriptive text and digital images into PowerPoint presentations shown to the class later in the semester. Students and professor participated in the grading process, using a rubric which students helped design. In the end of course evaluations, digital imaging projects were highly rated by students.

Research Methodologies in Science Education: Training Graduate Teaching Assistants to Teach

Jason, a junior faculty member in a geoscience department, has been asked by his chair to take over the training of graduate teaching assistants in the department. He was chosen mainly because he has attended a few teaching workshops and has been trying some new teaching approaches in his introductory geology course. Jason is not sure how one should structure a program to build graduate students' teaching skills. He begins with a literature search in the science education literature to find what other science departments are doing to prepare graduate students for their teaching roles. What are the key items that should be in a professional development program for graduate student instructors? He quickly finds that although many science departments have published articles describing their approach to developing graduate students' teaching skills, very few of these programs have ever been evaluated. So Jason starts a more general search through the literature focusing on teaching approaches that have some research base. His plan is to build a professional development program for graduate student instructors around research-based approaches. In this column, we chronicle Jason's progress, summarize the research in this area and highlight the areas where more research is needed. Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) play a prominent role in undergraduate education at higher education institutions. They are frequently utilized to instruct courses in a cost efficient manner, with the rationale that the experience will prepare them for careers in academia. In fact, GTAs instruct the majority of undergraduate laboratories and discussion sections at research universities (Travers, 1989). As instructors, GTAs frequently make instructional, curricular, and assessment decisions throughout their courses. They decide how information should be presented, what concepts should be emphasized, and how to evaluate student work. Unfortunately, GTAs often make these decisions with little guidance from faculty. By involving GTAs in college science education reform now, we can advance reform efforts, both in the short term, by increasing the quality of instruction in undergraduate science laboratories and discussion sections, and in the long term, when these graduates move on to permanent faculty positions and develop and teach both undergraduate and/or graduate courses. Regrettably, GTAs are often subjected to training programs that offer limited instructional support regarding the teaching of science (Carroll, 1980; Rushin et al., 1997; Golde and Dore, 2001) and they often experience limited support for developing their teaching skills from their departments or advisors (Jones, 1993; Golde and Dore, 2001). In a recent study that surveyed over 4000 doctoral students across disciplines from 27 universities in the U.S., 83% of doctoral students responding to the survey cited enjoyment of teaching as their main reason for pursuing a faculty career (as opposed to 72% who cited enjoyment of research as the primary reason), yet most students lamented the lack of training they received to develop their teaching skills (Golde and Dore, 2001; full text of the report is available online at http://www.phd-survey.org). This comment is representative of many doctoral students in the sciences: have always considered teaching my main reason for pursuing an academic degree. I am amazed at how little preparation I am receiving in how to teach. I am still planning on pursuing a teaching position but am filling in the gaps in education and preparation on my own time with little encouragement from my academic program - quote from a molecular biology doctoral student. (Golde and Dore, 2001) Literature on GTA Training Programs in the Sciences It is estimated that by 2014, 500,000 new professors will be teaching at American colleges and universities (Jones, 1993). Improving undergraduate education for current and future students will depend upon thoughtful and careful attention to the training of these future faculty members, especially in light of the fact that the reason many undergraduate students cite for abandoning science majors is poor teaching (Seymour and Hewitt, 1997). …

A Laboratory Exercise for Teaching Critical Period for Weed Control Concepts1

Crop–weed interactions is an important topic for introductory weed science courses. The effect of the timing of weed emergence and the duration of weed competition on crop yield are two topics usually covered when discussing competition. Students generally gain a better knowledge of these concepts through observation in addition to discussion of the underlying concepts. An additive removal and plant-back experiment was used, in the undergraduate weed science laboratory at Iowa State University, to demonstrate critical period for weed control concepts for cultivated radish. In one series of treatments, weeds were sown at the time of radish planting and removed at 2, 3, and 4 wk after planting. In another series, weeds were sown at 1, 2, and 4 wk after radish planting and allowed to grow in the flats until completion of the experiment. Two controls, one weed free and one unweeded, were also included. The results from four semesters suggested that the critical period for weed control began immediately after ...