Background:

The goals of laboratory experiences include developing knowledge base, research skills, and scientific communication abilities.

Objective:

The aim was to assess an inquiry-based laboratory activity using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans in relation to learning goals.

Method:

Students in a Biopsychology laboratory course worked in groups to test the effect of various drugs (e.g., nicotine, ethanol, fluoxetine, and melatonin) on C. elegans behavior. The activity included literature review, experimental design, and a final lab report. A cumulative final exam included a synaptic communication question related to the content of the activity.

Results:

Students showed better retention of laboratory-related content compared to other topics from the course, as demonstrated through performance on the final exam and were able to replicate previous research demonstrating effects of drug on locomotion. However, students did not improve writing ability compared to performance on a previous American Psychological Association style lab report.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates that using a student-designed, multi-week laboratory assignment in an undergraduate Biopsychology course supports the growth of psychology knowledge and the development of research skills.

Teaching Implications:

Instructors should consider using the described laboratory activity for biopsychology or behavioral neuroscience classes or consider similarly designed laboratory formats for other courses in Psychology.

中文翻译：

---

在基于探究的实验室活动中使用无脊椎动物模型生物 C. 线虫的好处

背景：

实验室经验的目标包括发展知识基础、研究技能和科学交流能力。

客观的：

目的是使用与学习目标相关的模式生物秀丽隐杆线虫来评估基于探究的实验室活动。

方法：

生物心理学实验室课程的学生分组测试各种药物（例如，尼古丁、乙醇、氟西汀和褪黑激素）对秀丽隐杆线虫行为的影响。活动包括文献回顾、实验设计和最终实验室报告。累积期末考试包括与活动内容相关的突触交流问题。

结果：

与课程中的其他主题相比，学生表现出更好地保留实验室相关内容，如期末考试的表现所证明的那样，并且能够复制先前证明药物对运动影响的研究。然而，与之前美国心理学会风格实验室报告的表现相比，学生的写作能力并没有提高。

结论：

本研究表明，在本科生物心理学课程中使用学生设计的多周实验室作业有助于心理学知识的增长和研究技能的发展。

教学意义：

教师应考虑将所描述的实验室活动用于生物心理学或行为神经科学课程，或考虑将类似设计的实验室形式用于其他心理学课程。