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Project-based
courses provide an introduction to complicated resume-building techniques
in the context of unique, meaningful research experiments to yield publishable
results.
"The Process of Science Education Should Mirror the Process of
Science Itself." David Moss
Training
in specific techniques that are common to all biotechnology is necessary
for many technical positions and exposure to hands on training can also
be a positive educational tool. We intend to develop training aspects to the
lifeedu portfolio
that will compliment the rest of our services. In addition, we recognize a growing need to
materials that would be useful to such a program, whether that is offered
by life edu or developed by others. We are in the process of developing
videos and digitized demonstrations on specific techniques (such as PCR,
gene cloning, and others) that depicts these techniques as conducted in
a laboratory setting that is more akin to a Martha Stewart/Julia Childs
type cooking show than the usual dry and boring lab demonstrations
that are more familiar.
We
have developed Project Based curriculum that is established to accomplish:
- Specific
training for specialized skills
- Training
in a practical problem solving context that is real world
- Resume
building
- Project
accomplishment
An Example of a Project Based Training course
in Agricultural Biotechnology:A new project based laboratory
course in biotechnology emphasizing investigative learning: “Modern Techniques in Genetic Engineering” View
posters presented at Plant Biology 2003 Honolulu, HI
A
comprehensive experiential two-semester course, titled Modern Techniques in Genetic Engineering has been designed (materials
available on request) which present current topics and approaches in genetic
modification (as a lecture component) and techniques for genetic engineering
and analysis of plant gene expression (as a laboratory component).
The lecture component provides historical background to genetic
engineering and examines many aspects of the growing field of plant biotechnology
and transgenic plant biology including basic and applied research areas,
patents and intellectual property, commercialization, and agricultural
and environmental considerations. The laboratory component of the course
presents state-of-the-art techniques for plant biotechnology through an
intensive hands-on approach. All of the techniques developed in this course
is for the purpose of resume building, skill
acquisition, and project accomplishment. The lecture component
will meet for one hour twice a week. The laboratory will involve two four-hour sessions
per week taught out of a plant transgenics facility to be developed. Each student would be given two gene constructs
in the beginning of the first semester to be introduced into either rice
or turfgrass. The students
will work in pairs who will also meet on a TBA basis for each team. This way the laboratory can accommodate 10-15
students conducting long procedures, such as microprojectile bombardments,
tissue culture, and DNA analysis. The laboratory portion of the course
could be presented in the context of a large research project conducted
by the students in the course on a specific topic that is currently pertinent
in agricultural plant biotechnology. The
scope of work conducted in the proposed project can all be conducted within
the context of the two-semester laboratory course and consists of two
parts: in the first part the various constructs will be introduced into
turf or rice embryogenic cells and transgenic plants will be regenerated;
in the second part, the molecular analysis and tissue specific gene expression
characteristics will be determined. They
would conduct all the necessary cell culture and transgenic procedures
to recover stably transformed cells by the end of the first semester.
They would return for the second semester to conduct the molecular
characterization and plant regeneration in the second semester. It is expected that the focus of these projects
will change yearly. An example
of an experiential research project designed for the laboratory component
of Modern Techniques in Genetic Engineering titled:
Analysis of Various Promoters Used to Drive Gene Expression in Transgenic
Rice and Turfgrass will be implemented in the first year. Each student would be required to summarize the work in terms of a poster
presentation that would be published at an international conference.
Ideally each gene construct would lead to a publication, and potentially
even a US patent. The techniques presented in this course
would provide students with an excellent resume for future career opportunities
in biotechnology. The laboratory portion of the course is structured to
integrate the goals of a selected specific research project with the training,
such that the generated results will be meaningful in the real world.
This laboratory experience provides students with all the necessary techniques
currently used in the growing industry of agricultural biotechnology as
well as approaches for basic research using transgenics. This exposure allows students to prepare themselves
for career options at BS or MS levels, and provides the necessary tools
for advanced graduate thesis research utilizing modern genetic approaches
in the plant sciences.
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