New Perspectives in Science Education

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) based courses offer an attractive way to expose entire classes of students to scientific research. Previous research on the Biochemistry Authentic Student Inquiry Learning (BASIL)1 curriculum has led to the development of specific Anticipated Learning Outcomes (ALOs) instructors expect students to develop during CURE-based curriculum2. Here we report progress towards establishing scientifically sound, rigorous assessments to evaluate ALOs in biochemistry curriculum. Here we identify ALOs students found difficult to learn and design a scientifically sound protocol to facilitate the conversion of ALOs to verified learning outcomes (VLOs). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, summer biochemistry courses were moved to an online only format. This posed a unique challenge for students in understanding intended learning outcomes of CURE-based curriculum. Student lab report responses were assessed by evaluators for comprehension and mastery using an established Likert scale analysis. Students also completed a survey evaluating their perceived progress in biochemical ALO and technique understanding. A deep analysis of these data will help identify areas of special focus as every instructor faces transition to online and hybrid courses. Our results show that our BASIL curriculum remains an effective way to teach biochemistry subject material and research abilities despite the transition to a completely online environment. Students report strong gains across all ALOs but gains are especially strong for computational ALOs and bioinformatic techniques. Modest gains in understanding of biochemical assays and wet lab techniques reflect the inability to experience these procedures in the online biochemistry laboratory.

Keywords: Assessment, CURE, biochemistry.

1. McDonald AR, Bernstein HJ, Daubner SC, Goodman A, Irby SM, Koeppe JR, Mills JL, O’Handley SF, Pikaart MJ, Roberts RA, Sikora A, Craig, PA. BASIL Biochemistry Curriculum.
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2. Irby, S. M., Pelaez, N. J., & Anderson, T. R. How to Identify the Research Abilities Instructors Anticipate Students will Develop in a Biochemistry Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE). CBE—Life Sci. Educ. 17, es4, 1–14. (2018).