ABSTRACT

Complementing biology lecture courses with laboratory sections is nearly universal at undergraduate institutions, yet many topics in biology do not easily lend themselves to experiment-based laboratory activities. Topics such as comparative anatomy, evolution and systematics are often taught as passive, observation-based laboratories. In this experiment, we modified and tested the efficacy of a team-based learning approach called the ‘Jigsaw’ method in 14 sections of an undergraduate Vertebrate Biology laboratory course at Iowa State University. Specifically, we implemented the modified Jigsaw method in seven lab sections and taught seven lab sections in the traditional lecture and observation style, comparing mean quiz score between the experimental and control sections after accounting for variation due to instructor and year. We revealed significantly higher average quiz scores for students in the experimental sections as compared to the control sections. Herein, we describe the details of our modified Jigsaw implementation that can be applied to other such biology laboratory courses. Thus, we provide further support for the use of team-based learning approaches such as the Jigsaw method and specifically show that undergraduate biology laboratory courses can be improved by implementing such activities in lieu of a clear experimental approach to laboratory courses.

摘要

在本科院校中，将生物学讲座课程与实验室部分相辅相成几乎是普遍现象，但生物学中的许多主题并不容易适用于基于实验的实验室活动。比较解剖学、进化和系统学等主题通常作为被动的、基于观察的实验室来教授。在本实验中，我们在爱荷华州立大学的本科脊椎动物生物学实验室课程的 14 个部分修改并测试了一种称为“拼图”方法的基于团队的学习方法的有效性。具体来说，我们在七个实验部分实施了改进的拼图法，并以传统的讲座和观察方式教授了七个实验部分，在考虑了教师和年份的变化后，比较了实验部分和控制部分的平均测验分数。与控制部分相比，我们发现实验部分学生的平均测验分数明显更高。在这里，我们描述了可应用于其他此类生物实验室课程的修改后的 Jigsaw 实施的细节。因此，我们为使用基于团队的学习方法（如拼图方法）提供进一步的支持，并特别表明，通过实施此类活动代替实验室课程的明确实验方法，可以改进本科生物实验室课程。