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Developing and Implementing Low-Cost Remote Laboratories for Undergraduate Biology and Neuroscience Courses.

ABSTRACT: The global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) has forced many universities to abruptly change the delivery of courses from in-person to online. This change to remote learning requires creating new ways to deliver lectures, exams, and discussion groups through online meeting platforms. An often-overlooked challenge is performing lab courses that require access to specialized equipment and resources typically found in the undergraduate laboratory classrooms. Here we discuss some strategies for developing and implementing a full semester neuroscience laboratory course that allows students to fully participate in laboratory exercises at home or in their dorm rooms. Performing lab exercises remotely and independently was shown to significantly improve participant's self-efficacy and confidence that they can learn complex neuroscience material, when compared to participants who passively watch experiments online. We review best practices to ensure that lessons can be successfully demonstrated by the instructor and carried out by all students. Finally, we discuss the need to provide a level playing field such that all students may succeed, regardless of their current technology resources at home.

SUBMITTER: Hanzlick-Burton C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8040849 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Developing and Implementing Low-Cost Remote Laboratories for Undergraduate Biology and Neuroscience Courses.

Hanzlick-Burton Camden C Ciric Jelena J Diaz-Rios Manuel M Colgan Wes W Gage Gregory J GJ

Journal of undergraduate neuroscience education : JUNE : a publication of FUN, Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience 20201231 1

The global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) has forced many universities to abruptly change the delivery of courses from in-person to online. This change to remote learning requires creating new ways to deliver lectures, exams, and discussion groups through online meeting platforms. An often-overlooked challenge is performing lab courses that require access to specialized equipment and resources typically found in the undergraduate laboratory classrooms. Here we discuss some ...[more]

PMID: 33880099

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Project description:Electroencephalography (EEG) is a common neuroscience technique that is more accessible to undergraduate programs than expensive techniques such as fMRI and single-cell recording. The use of EEG can provide undergraduates with firsthand neuroscience research experience without taking too many financial resources away from a program. There are multiple types of EEG equipment that can be used, including individual electrodes and electrode caps. This study used surveys administered to students who were in a neuroscience laboratory course, conducting research, or participating in research in order to discern which of these two EEG setups is preferred by undergraduates. According to average reaction scores calculated from the surveys, laboratory students tended to prefer individual electrodes over electrode caps, and when explicitly asked about their overall preference, a majority of laboratory students chose individual electrodes over electrode caps. Additionally, comparable levels of improvement in learning objectives and the quality of data collected in laboratory sessions were found across methods. Student researchers' ratings revealed a marginal preference for caps over individual electrodes, and all 5 researchers surveyed chose caps on a discriminate choice question. Research participants' ratings of caps and individual electrodes, however, were not significantly different. These results do not point to a concrete recommendation of one setup over the other but rather suggest that either setup could be a viable option. Therefore, we conclude that programs can comfortably decide which to use based on their own needs and resources as well as the relative advantages and disadvantages of each setup. For example, individual electrodes may be better for programs with low budgets looking to introduce students to EEG data recording, whereas electrode caps may be better for programs looking to better prepare students for future EEG research or to perform multichannel recordings.

Dataset Information

Developing and Implementing Low-Cost Remote Laboratories for Undergraduate Biology and Neuroscience Courses.

Publications

Developing and Implementing Low-Cost Remote Laboratories for Undergraduate Biology and Neuroscience Courses.

Similar Datasets

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