Department of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, The University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Assessment and Curriculum Support Center, The University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Biochem Mol Biol Educ. 2023 Sep-Oct;51(5):520-528. doi: 10.1002/bmb.21762. Epub 2023 Jul 4.
An explosion of data available in the life sciences has shifted the discipline toward genomics and quantitative data science research. Institutions of higher learning have been addressing this shift by modifying undergraduate curriculums resulting in an increasing number of bioinformatics courses and research opportunities for undergraduates. The goal of this study was to explore how a newly designed introductory bioinformatics seminar could leverage the combination of in-class instruction and independent research to build the practical skill sets of undergraduate students beginning their careers in the life sciences. Participants were surveyed to assess learning perceptions toward the dual curriculum. Most students had a neutral or positive interest in these topics before the seminar and reported increased interest after the seminar. Students had increases in confidence level in their bioinformatic proficiency and understanding of ethical principles for data/genomic science. By combining undergraduate research with directed bioinformatics skills, classroom seminars facilitated a connection between student's life sciences knowledge and emerging research tools in computational biology.
生命科学领域中可用数据的爆炸式增长推动了该学科向基因组学和定量数据科学研究的转变。高等学府通过修改本科生课程来应对这一转变，这导致了越来越多的生物信息学课程和本科生的研究机会。本研究的目的是探讨新设计的入门生物信息学研讨会如何利用课堂教学和独立研究的结合来构建生命科学领域本科生职业生涯初期的实用技能。通过调查参与者来评估对双课程的学习认知。大多数学生在研讨会之前对这些主题的兴趣是中立或积极的，并报告说在研讨会之后兴趣增加了。学生对自己的生物信息学技能熟练度和对数据/基因组科学伦理原则的理解的信心水平有所提高。通过将本科生研究与定向生物信息学技能相结合，课堂研讨会在学生的生命科学知识和计算生物学中的新兴研究工具之间建立了联系。
