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Student Research Projects from Spring 2005.
In 1999 our faculty began asking the question: Are undergraduate science laboratories teaching students the art and trade of science or simply leaving them with a memory
of trivial experiments done for unknown reasons? From our conversations with students in biology, it certainly appeared as though the latter was the consensus. Students
used words like: "boring", "restrictive", "pointless", and so on, to describe the biology laboratory. In fact, very few of our students characterized the lab to be a good
learning experience. Even our 'best and brightest' students agreed that while our new cutting-edge DNA genomics labs were fun, structured labs really didn't help them
learn. In fact, they indicated that they often didn't really understand what they were doing until the week after completing the experiment, when they wrote the lab report.
In an effort to remedy this, we began a long-term redesign of the biology sequence in the Lyman Briggs School of Science at Michigan State University. Combining what
educational experts have found about active and cooperative learning and challenging our own biology faculty to make the lab as realistic as possible, the lab curriculum
departed from numerous 3-hour traditional labs that each student performed on their own, to what we now term "Teams and Streams." Now we use student research teams to pose
a scientific question/hypothesis, propose an experimental design to set about gathering evidence for support of said hypothesis, perform multi-week investigations and then
present their findings in various forms (web sites, interviews, and multiple drafts of a scientific manuscript along the way).
Stream II Cellular Physiology Stream:
For example, in Stream I (the Cell Physiology labs), student research teams work for 7 weeks to produce and submit their final manuscript. In the first week they are introduced to the lab and it is
then that they develop their research question(s) and plan. While they are then trained in various lab techniques and assays during weeks 2, 4, and 6 (by performing very
structured traditional labs), during weeks 3, 5, and 7 groups pursue their independent research projects by re-applying and extending the range of different assays they
learned in structured labs to answer their own questions in their independent investigations.
The groups each have a designated space in the laboratory classroom (a lab bench) that is fully equipped with computers and scientific equipment to help them in their novel
studies. In addition, students are allowed to return to lab as often as they wish to complete their research --they reserve open benches online. Since they create their own
methods, we find students can better explain how and why the equipment is used to complete their project. The response to this classroom laboratory design has been
overwhelmingly positive. As students once dreaded the 3 hours per week that they were in lab, we now find them signing up for additional lab time to where they are even
exceeding 10 hours/week in lab! Not only are these students getting a real taste for what science really is, but they are finding, even in this short time, how much they
enjoy it.
----- Sample Student websites reporting their findings at the end of Stream I independent investigations -----
Team "Eagles": Effects of Citrus Fruits as Fertilizers Using Photosynthetic Testing, Growth Rate and Leaf Area Ratio of Hedera helix
Average Joes: Enzyme production is relocated and photosynthesis becomes more efficient as Nepenthes tissues mature.
The Flying Hellfish: Sugar, Photosynthesis, and pH Tests Reveal Inhibitory Effect of Acid Rain on Hedera helix L.
3 Girls and a Guy: Carbohydrate, Protein, and Photosynthesis Levels Show Inconclusive Results on Maintaining Rosa multiflora Health.
The Green Mile: Sugar, action spectra, and protein/phosphate study of variants of Brassica oleracea yields similarity.
Group Guinness: Sugar, Starch, Photosynthetic Pigments, and Protein Comparison in Musa acuminata (Banana) Ripening Stages
Katkus: Pigments, Reducing Sugar Richness & Structure, & Protein Richness Varied Due to Cooking & Freezing Brassica oleracea
Krazy Kangaroos: Three species of Lycopersicon esculentum differ in sugar and protein content after sugar, HPLC, protein and pigment tests.
The Luckie Charms: Carbohydrate, Bacteria, and Various Other Tests Reveal Only Minute Differences In Organic and Conventionally Grown Fruits
Nalgene: Brassica oleracae , the Low-Carb Alternative for Solanum tuberosum based on Barfoeds, Iodine and Bradford assays.
Orange County: Energy drinks found as a better source of energy than teas by testing sugar, enzyme, protein and caffeine levels
Purple Cobras: Herbal Supplements Lead to Better Test Results in Photosynthesis and Regeneration in Fatshedera lizei
The Spartanettes: DEGRADING STRUCTURAL EFFECTS SEEN IN GATORADE¬ TREATED BRASSICA RAPA, ANALYZED BY SUGAR, PROTEIN AND ACTION TESTS.
Team 19: Carbohydrate and Protein Content Varies Moderately In Dried Bananas, Peaches, and Cranberries Compared to Fresh.
Team Fusariums: Loss Of Photosynthetic Pigments, Vitamin C, and Sugars in Brussel Sprouts Cooked at Various Times
Team Gandalf: Fertilizer, Pesticides and Nutrient effects on Brassica Rapa.
Team Science: Iodine Test Reveals CaCl2 Up to 0.0676M Enhance Amylase Digestion of Solanum tuberosum Starch
The Amoebas: Carbohydrate and Protein Assays Show Soy and Whey Protein Supplements are Advantageous in Improving Overall Health .
The Carbs: Analysis of Festuca rubra using Bradford, Hills, Height and Sugar Tests to Determine the Effects of Added Fertilizer
The Cells: Carbohydrate, Protein, Photosynthetic Pigments, & Caffeine Assays Show Variation: Green vs Roasted Coffea arabica