Dataset Information

Partnership for Research & Education in Plants (PREP): Involving High School Students in Authentic Research in Collaboration with Scientists.

ABSTRACT: A partnership between scientists, high school teachers, and their students provides authentic research experiences to help students understand the nature and processes of science. The Partnership for Research and Education in Plants (PREP) engages students in a large-scale genomics research project using classroom-tested protocols that can help to find the function of a disabled gene in the widely studied plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we describe the framework of PREP in the classroom within the context of the National Science Education Standards.

SUBMITTER: Brooks E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3856900 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Partnership for Research & Education in Plants (PREP): Involving High School Students in Authentic Research in Collaboration with Scientists.

Brooks Eric E Dolan Erin E Tax Frans F

The American biology teacher 20110301 3

A partnership between scientists, high school teachers, and their students provides authentic research experiences to help students understand the nature and processes of science. The Partnership for Research and Education in Plants (PREP) engages students in a large-scale genomics research project using classroom-tested protocols that can help to find the function of a disabled gene in the widely studied plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we describe the framework of PREP in the classroom within ...[more]

PMID: 24339450

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Project description:The primary and secondary learning years shape development of scientific interest and skills required for science literacy, presenting a critical timeline target for science education intervention. Although many initiatives exist to target this timeframe, the modern classroom belies easy scientific investigation. Numerous initiatives often run simultaneously in a given classroom, creating limited capacity for variable control. Consequently, there is a dearth of high-quality and meaningful data in education sciences that exacerbates the general segregation of education research from practice. Many science reform programmes go unmeasured. The limited number that is researched often report strictly qualitative results or stop short of statistically significant quantitative investigation. Lack of high-resolution data restricts the ability to make informed policy changes and precludes attainment of "evidence-based education". Here, we demonstrate 5-year efficacy of a novel, inquiry-based primary and secondary science reform programme Integrated Science Education Outreach (InSciEd Out). Five years of data over three cohorts of matched students from US grades 5-8 show maintained gains in science fair and honours biology election, as well as improved performance on Minnesota state standardized science testing. Detailed value-added analyses further reveal InSciEd Out-correlated gains in partnership-focused areas of life sciences, and history and nature of science. These analyses provide evidence that scientifically rigorous evaluation demonstrating relevant programme efficacy is indeed achievable in education science. Our results support the premise that the InSciEd Out programme is a scalable intervention capable of primary and secondary science education reform. The programme substantively builds upon prior efforts in the field. Although InSciEd Out deploys novel approaches and tools, the broad lessons learned from this programme are readily translatable to other contemporary efforts cultivating science literacy for all.

Project description:ObjectiveAlzheimer disease (AD) risk factors are present throughout the lifespan. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of various online education strategies concerning AD risk reduction and brain health in younger populations.MethodHigh school and college students were recruited via social media (Facebook and Instagram) to join AlzU.org, an evidence-based education portal, and were randomized to 1 of 4 courses: highly interactive webinar lessons narrated by actor Seth Rogen (celebrity webinar) or a physician (doctor webinar), minimally interactive video lessons with Seth Rogen (celebrity video), or minimally interactive video lessons (control). Surveys were administered at baseline and postcourse. The primary outcome was change in knowledge of AD risk reduction assessed by pre vs post lesson quiz scores. Secondary outcomes included change in awareness of AD research, hopefulness about AD, interest in pursuing health care, willingness to volunteer, and likelihood of recommending AlzU.org.ResultA total of 721 participants joined. A total of 281 (38.9%) completed the course. Among college students, quiz score improvements were greater in celebrity webinar and celebrity video vs doctor webinar and control. Among high school students, no differences were found in quiz scores. In both groups, celebrity webinar, celebrity video, and doctor webinar resulted in greater improvements in awareness that nutrition and exercise may reduce AD risk vs controls. Among college students, celebrity webinar and celebrity video group participants felt more hopeful about the future of AD and more likely to recommend AlzU.org vs doctor webinar and control participants. Among college students, celebrity webinar, celebrity video, and doctor webinar participants were more willing to volunteer for AD causes and pursue health care careers vs controls.ConclusionOnline education involving a celebrity may be an effective strategy for educating college students about AD risk reduction strategies. Further studies are warranted in high school students.

Dataset Information

Partnership for Research & Education in Plants (PREP): Involving High School Students in Authentic Research in Collaboration with Scientists.

Publications

Partnership for Research & Education in Plants (PREP): Involving High School Students in Authentic Research in Collaboration with Scientists.

Similar Datasets

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