32460 The Bench Tutorials Program: An Essential Educational Pivot in response to COVID-19

ABSTRACT IMPACT: The Bench Tutorials Program is an independent study course in biomedical research in which high school students are paired with graduate and post-doctoral students during the academic year. The purpose is to enhance the rigor of high school science education and build the pipeline o...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chantele Singleton, Sharon A. Croisant, Lance Hallberg, John Prochaska, Krista Bohn, Michelle Puig, Cornelis Elferink
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2021-03-01
Series:Journal of Clinical and Translational Science
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059866121004192/type/journal_article
_version_ 1827993912780783616
author Chantele Singleton
Sharon A. Croisant
Lance Hallberg
John Prochaska
Krista Bohn
Michelle Puig
Cornelis Elferink
author_facet Chantele Singleton
Sharon A. Croisant
Lance Hallberg
John Prochaska
Krista Bohn
Michelle Puig
Cornelis Elferink
author_sort Chantele Singleton
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT IMPACT: The Bench Tutorials Program is an independent study course in biomedical research in which high school students are paired with graduate and post-doctoral students during the academic year. The purpose is to enhance the rigor of high school science education and build the pipeline of tomorrow’s researchers. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The Bench Tutorials Program: ο Proficiency in research design, implementation, and presentation; ο Acquisition of hands-on laboratory skills; ο Increase in scientific literacy; ο Increase in analytical skills and critical thinking; ο Career in science; ο Build the pipeline of tomorrow’s biomedical researchers METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: High School seniors are paired with graduate and postdoc mentors through a matching process. Students spend approximately four hours/week in supervised instruction and research from a participating laboratory in addition to classroom experience at their High School. Mentors design research projects relating to the larger research framework of their laboratories. In light of COVID-19, approaches have been adjusted to maintain the program safely through a hybrid method of using the high school lab for hands-on learning and through the use of Go-Pros ’s to enable our mentors to video and narrate as they conduct experiments in their own labs to teach their mentees scientific methods and processes. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Since inception, more than 400 students and mentors have participated in the Bench Tutorial’s program. This year we found a way to continue the program under COVID-19 restraints without putting anyone in harms way. Go-Pros have been essential for our program to maintain continuity for high school students who receive academic credit for this course. This program is also one of few in which our graduate students have the opportunity to serve as mentors in the scientific setting. Using Go-Pro’s will also enable us to provide teaching videos online for other academic institutions, so even in the absence of COVID-19 in the future, the continued use of these devices will still be of great value. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: High school students are afforded the ability to work on cutting edge research projects alongside graduate students and postdocs, who are afforded the chance to mentor and teach. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have successfully adjusted our methods for teaching through the use of Go-Pro technology.
first_indexed 2024-04-10T04:32:40Z
format Article
id doaj.art-3bd23cc922814eb38a1e233f4f8c4779
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2059-8661
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-10T04:32:40Z
publishDate 2021-03-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series Journal of Clinical and Translational Science
spelling doaj.art-3bd23cc922814eb38a1e233f4f8c47792023-03-10T07:52:02ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Clinical and Translational Science2059-86612021-03-0157710.1017/cts.2021.41932460 The Bench Tutorials Program: An Essential Educational Pivot in response to COVID-19Chantele Singleton0Sharon A. Croisant1Lance Hallberg2John Prochaska3Krista Bohn4Michelle Puig5Cornelis Elferink6The University of Texas Medical BranchThe University of Texas Medical BranchThe University of Texas Medical BranchThe University of Texas Medical BranchThe University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston Independent School DistrictThe University of Texas Medical BranchABSTRACT IMPACT: The Bench Tutorials Program is an independent study course in biomedical research in which high school students are paired with graduate and post-doctoral students during the academic year. The purpose is to enhance the rigor of high school science education and build the pipeline of tomorrow’s researchers. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: The Bench Tutorials Program: ο Proficiency in research design, implementation, and presentation; ο Acquisition of hands-on laboratory skills; ο Increase in scientific literacy; ο Increase in analytical skills and critical thinking; ο Career in science; ο Build the pipeline of tomorrow’s biomedical researchers METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: High School seniors are paired with graduate and postdoc mentors through a matching process. Students spend approximately four hours/week in supervised instruction and research from a participating laboratory in addition to classroom experience at their High School. Mentors design research projects relating to the larger research framework of their laboratories. In light of COVID-19, approaches have been adjusted to maintain the program safely through a hybrid method of using the high school lab for hands-on learning and through the use of Go-Pros ’s to enable our mentors to video and narrate as they conduct experiments in their own labs to teach their mentees scientific methods and processes. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Since inception, more than 400 students and mentors have participated in the Bench Tutorial’s program. This year we found a way to continue the program under COVID-19 restraints without putting anyone in harms way. Go-Pros have been essential for our program to maintain continuity for high school students who receive academic credit for this course. This program is also one of few in which our graduate students have the opportunity to serve as mentors in the scientific setting. Using Go-Pro’s will also enable us to provide teaching videos online for other academic institutions, so even in the absence of COVID-19 in the future, the continued use of these devices will still be of great value. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: High school students are afforded the ability to work on cutting edge research projects alongside graduate students and postdocs, who are afforded the chance to mentor and teach. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have successfully adjusted our methods for teaching through the use of Go-Pro technology.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059866121004192/type/journal_article
spellingShingle Chantele Singleton
Sharon A. Croisant
Lance Hallberg
John Prochaska
Krista Bohn
Michelle Puig
Cornelis Elferink
32460 The Bench Tutorials Program: An Essential Educational Pivot in response to COVID-19
Journal of Clinical and Translational Science
title 32460 The Bench Tutorials Program: An Essential Educational Pivot in response to COVID-19
title_full 32460 The Bench Tutorials Program: An Essential Educational Pivot in response to COVID-19
title_fullStr 32460 The Bench Tutorials Program: An Essential Educational Pivot in response to COVID-19
title_full_unstemmed 32460 The Bench Tutorials Program: An Essential Educational Pivot in response to COVID-19
title_short 32460 The Bench Tutorials Program: An Essential Educational Pivot in response to COVID-19
title_sort 32460 the bench tutorials program an essential educational pivot in response to covid 19
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2059866121004192/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT chantelesingleton 32460thebenchtutorialsprogramanessentialeducationalpivotinresponsetocovid19
AT sharonacroisant 32460thebenchtutorialsprogramanessentialeducationalpivotinresponsetocovid19
AT lancehallberg 32460thebenchtutorialsprogramanessentialeducationalpivotinresponsetocovid19
AT johnprochaska 32460thebenchtutorialsprogramanessentialeducationalpivotinresponsetocovid19
AT kristabohn 32460thebenchtutorialsprogramanessentialeducationalpivotinresponsetocovid19
AT michellepuig 32460thebenchtutorialsprogramanessentialeducationalpivotinresponsetocovid19
AT corneliselferink 32460thebenchtutorialsprogramanessentialeducationalpivotinresponsetocovid19