UT Pan American’s Model Bioscience Education Program — Phase II
Project Website(s)
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Project Description
The overall goal of our phase II project is to widely disseminate our pilot-tested Biotechnology/Medical Laboratory Science loan program and to expand our greatly successful on-campus Biotechnology/Medical Laboratory Science training activities in the Lower Grande Valley Region of South Texas. The specific objectives of the project are: 1) To disseminate the pilot tested loan program to 30 schools in the Rio Grande Valley Region of South Texas impacting 4000 students and 60 teachers. 2) To integrate a mobile laboratory program into our outreach activities impacting 4000 students and 60 teachers. 3) To expand out Biotechnology and Medical Laboratory Science outreach activities to include 2000 5th and 6th grade elementary school students and 20 teachers. 4) To continue our well established on-campus Biotechnology training activities impacting 2000 students and 20 teachers.
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Abstract
The overall goal of The University of Texas-Pan American’s Model Biosciences Education Project (hereafter Regional Biotech) is to provide hands-on inquiry based educational experiences in biotechnology and laboratory science for middle and high school students in the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas. Regional Biotech enables biomedical scientists clinical laboratory scientists and educators to teach middle/high school students and teachers modern biotechnology laboratory techniques including practical applications of these techniques to the diagnosis of human diseases. Many school districts are reported to lack the resources students and teachers need to conduct inquiry based hands-on science particularly biotechnology. This shortcoming is cited as one of the reasons middle and high school students perform poorly in science. Scarcity of resources in school districts is worse in the Lower Rio Grande Valley a four county region situated along the south Texas border with Mexico and comprising 30 independent school districts with a predominantly Hispanic population. Regional Biotech is a centralized laboratory strategically located at the University of Texas Pan American (UTPA). Existing classroom laboratory settings are equipped with state-of-the-equipment plus laboratory personnel to provide laboratory facilities daily for students and their teachers. The curriculum and experiment modules are drawn from cell and molecular biology clinical chemistry immunology hematology immunohematology and microbiology. The program targets students in all schools in the region sixty-six percent of who are recognized as economically disadvantaged. Phase II of the Regional Biotech program offers a Mobile Laboratory Classroom component that will double the total of students served in the Rio Grande Valley region. The dissemination of the Regional Biotech program will be facilitated through existing partnerships between UTPA and area school districts; experience in eveloping and implementing pre- college biomedical science enrichment programs for predominantly Hispanic students; the commitment of the UTPA administration; the urgent needs of a community located in one of the nation’s poorest standard metropolitan statistical area; and the strong support we receive from the community.The overall goal of The University of Texas-Pan American’s Model Biosciences Education Project (hereafter Regional Biotech) is to provide hands-on inquiry based educational experiences in biotechnology and laboratory science for middle and high school students in the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas. Regional Biotech enables biomedical scientists clinical laboratory scientists and educators to teach middle/high school students and teachers modern biotechnology laboratory techniques including practical applications of these techniques to the diagnosis of human diseases. Many school districts are reported to lack the resources students and teachers need to conduct inquiry based hands-on science particularly biotechnology. This shortcoming is cited as one of the reasons middle and high school students perform poorly in science. Scarcity of resources in school districts is worse in the Lower Rio Grande Valley a four county region situated along the south Texas border with Mexico and comprising 30 independent school districts with a predominantly Hispanic population. Regional Biotech is a centralized laboratory strategically located at the University of Texas Pan American (UTPA). Existing classroom laboratory settings are equipped with state-of-the-equipment plus laboratory personnel to provide laboratory facilities daily for students and their teachers. The curriculum and experiment modules are drawn from cell and molecular biology clinical chemistry immunology hematology immunohematology and microbiology. The program targets students in all schools in the region sixty-six percent of who are recognized as economically disadvantaged. Phase II of the Regional Biotech program offers a Mobile Laboratory Classroom component that will double the total of students served in the Rio Grande Valley region. The dissemination of the Regional Biotech program will be facilitated through existing partnerships between UTPA and area school districts; experience in eveloping and implementing pre- college biomedical science enrichment programs for predominantly Hispanic students; the commitment of the UTPA administration; the urgent needs of a community located in one of the nation’s poorest standard metropolitan statistical area; and the strong support we receive from the community.The overall goal of The University of Texas-Pan American’s Model Biosciences Education Project (hereafter Regional Biotech) is to provide hands-on inquiry based educational experiences in biotechnology and laboratory science for middle and high school students in the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas. Regional Biotech enables biomedical scientists clinical laboratory scientists and educators to teach middle/high school students and teachers modern biotechnology laboratory techniques including practical applications of these techniques to the diagnosis of human diseases. Many school districts are reported to lack the resources students and teachers need to conduct inquiry based hands-on science particularly biotechnology. This shortcoming is cited as one of the reasons middle and high school students perform poorly in science. Scarcity of resources in school districts is worse in the Lower Rio Grande Valley a four county region situated along the south Texas border with Mexico and comprising 30 independent school districts with a predominantly Hispanic population. Regional Biotech is a centralized laboratory strategically located at the University of Texas Pan American (UTPA). Existing classroom laboratory settings are equipped with state-of-the-equipment plus laboratory personnel to provide laboratory facilities daily for students and their teachers. The curriculum and experiment modules are drawn from cell and molecular biology clinical chemistry immunology hematology immunohematology and microbiology. The program targets students in all schools in the region sixty-six percent of who are recognized as economically disadvantaged. Phase II of the Regional Biotech program offers a Mobile Laboratory Classroom component that will double the total of students served in the Rio Grande Valley region. The dissemination of the Regional Biotech program will be facilitated through existing partnerships between UTPA and area school districts; experience in eveloping and implementing pre- college biomedical science enrichment programs for predominantly Hispanic students; the commitment of the UTPA administration; the urgent needs of a community located in one of the nation’s poorest standard metropolitan statistical area; and the strong support we receive from the community.
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Dissemination Strategies
1) Loan Program and 2) Mobile Laboratory
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Project Evaluation(s)
The evaluation process consists of collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative data includes survey responses from students regarding their experiences with the modules. The survey has a Likert-scale ranging from one to five where a one indicates strong disagreement with the statement and a five indicates strong agreement with the statement. The survey is intended to examine the extent the modules influence students to consider learning more about careers in biotechnology/biomedical science and their experience with the module. A teacher questionnaire is also administered to obtain qualitative data concerning the effectiveness of the loan program. It consists of five open-ended questions. Focus groups with students and teachers are also conducted concerning their experiences and reactions to the modules. Project Evaluator Conclusion 2006 – The Regional Biotech program and its mobile laboratory are having a positive impact on teachers and students in the Rio Grande River Valley. Nearly 4100 students have been exposed to science in a new light. Both the qualitative and quantitative data indicate that the students are learning science and are being inspired to become a scientist in a health related or bio tech field. The students are eager to experience the modules. As a result they have learned science concepts related to the state’s science standards. The teacher interview revealed how much the teachers can appreciate the presence of the mobile lab making it easy for them to plan and implement interesting and motivating science activities. The teachers also have the potential to raise their students’ scores on the state achievement test related to doing inquiry science experimentation which results in the development of critical thinking skills. The staff and crew are knowledgeable in presenting the modules. The students report that they greatly enjoy the teaching of the presenters. The teacher also indicated the highly skilled and well prepared nature of the staff and crew. As a result of their experiences with the lab or on site at the university students reported gaining a better understanding of science knowledge which is also indicated by the pre- posttest results. Students’ career interests are peaked as indicated by their responses to the questionnaire. Students want to learn more about biotechnology science and related careers. The program enriches the students experiences in the science classroom and relates to real-world events. Students begin to see how science is part of everyday life.
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Resources for Sharing
The following experiment modules are available for sharing: 1. Gene Expression This module explores the regulatory mechanisms controlling expression of the bacterial lac genes. 2. DNA: Exposed! In this laboratory module students isolate DNA from their own cells. They precipitate that DNA so that it can be seen and then they introduce the DNA suspension into a pendant that can be worn around the neck. 3. The Search for a Jumping Gene In this laboratory module students amplify DNA from their own cheek cells using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. 4. This Little Light of Mine In this module students introduce plasmid DNA into bacterial cells by the technique of transformation. 5. Nothing Fishy About Evolution In this module students isolate total fish muscle protein from several fish species and run them out on an electrophoresis gel. Comparison of the protein bands on the gel with evolutionary trees allows students to determine whether or not the protein profiles are a good measure of evolutionary relatedness. 6. The Case Of The Crown Jewels In this module students act as forensic DNA analysts. They take simulated crime scene DNA and compare it to DNA from two simulated suspects by performing DNA restriction analysis more commonly known as DNA fingerprinting in order to determine if one of the suspects can be placed at the crime scene. 7. In Search of The Body-s Antibodies In this module students test hypothetical patients for HIV infection using the Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and simulated viral extracts as patient samples. 8. The Crucial Concentration In this module students take solutions with unknown protein concentration and utilize the Lowry Assay to determine the concentrations. 9. Mystery Of The Crooked Cell In this module students screen a patient for sickle cell anemia. This is done by running simulated hemoglobin from the patient on an electrophoresis gel.
Project Audience
Middle and high school students and teachers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley Region of Texas.
Subjects Addressed
Biotechnology and Medical Laboratory Science principles and applications in the health field.
