CREARE: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience to Study the Responses of the Endangered Coral Acropora cervicornis to a Changing Environment
There is mounting evidence to support that students who participate in scientific research experiences are more likely to continue on to advanced degrees and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). To introduce more students to the benefits of research, we have drawn on a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| Online Access: | https://jmbesubmissions.asm.org/index.php/jmbe/article/view/2253 |
| _version_ | 1819281672168800256 |
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| author | Juan Sebastian Ramirez-Lugo |
| author_facet | Juan Sebastian Ramirez-Lugo |
| author_sort | Juan Sebastian Ramirez-Lugo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There is mounting evidence to support that students who participate in scientific research experiences are more likely to continue on to advanced degrees and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). To introduce more students to the benefits of research, we have drawn on an ongoing project aimed at understanding how the Caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis responds to environmental fluctuations to develop a semester-long course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE), entitled CREARE (Coral Response to Environment Authentic Research Experience). The main mode of instruction in CREARE is through topic modules and course evaluation is achieved through writing assignments. Students in CREARE perform experiments in the laboratory to measure the abundance of photo-protective proteins in coral tissue from samples collected at different depths and at different times of the year and analyze environmental data using the R programming language. CREARE particpants have contributed to the progress of the research project by generating novel data and making improvements to experimental protocols. Furthermore, pre- and post-course assessment of content knowledge revealed that students perform significantly better on a written exam after participating in CREARE, while also displaying appreciable shifts in attitudes towards science in student perception surveys. In addition, through qualitative analysis of focus group interviews, we gathered evidence to suggest that mediating variables that predict students’ persistence in science are bolstered through our application of the CURE modality. Overall, CREARE can serve as a model for developing more research-based courses that successfully engage students in scientific research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T01:03:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bb22e4d4890b4b9dbf859e2bbd6d13de |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1935-7877 1935-7885 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T01:03:25Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-bb22e4d4890b4b9dbf859e2bbd6d13de2022-12-21T17:23:18ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education1935-78771935-78852021-03-0122110.1128/jmbe.v22i1.2253CREARE: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience to Study the Responses of the Endangered Coral Acropora cervicornis to a Changing EnvironmentJuan Sebastian Ramirez-Lugo0University of Puerto Rico Rio PiedrasThere is mounting evidence to support that students who participate in scientific research experiences are more likely to continue on to advanced degrees and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). To introduce more students to the benefits of research, we have drawn on an ongoing project aimed at understanding how the Caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis responds to environmental fluctuations to develop a semester-long course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE), entitled CREARE (Coral Response to Environment Authentic Research Experience). The main mode of instruction in CREARE is through topic modules and course evaluation is achieved through writing assignments. Students in CREARE perform experiments in the laboratory to measure the abundance of photo-protective proteins in coral tissue from samples collected at different depths and at different times of the year and analyze environmental data using the R programming language. CREARE particpants have contributed to the progress of the research project by generating novel data and making improvements to experimental protocols. Furthermore, pre- and post-course assessment of content knowledge revealed that students perform significantly better on a written exam after participating in CREARE, while also displaying appreciable shifts in attitudes towards science in student perception surveys. In addition, through qualitative analysis of focus group interviews, we gathered evidence to suggest that mediating variables that predict students’ persistence in science are bolstered through our application of the CURE modality. Overall, CREARE can serve as a model for developing more research-based courses that successfully engage students in scientific research.https://jmbesubmissions.asm.org/index.php/jmbe/article/view/2253 |
| spellingShingle | Juan Sebastian Ramirez-Lugo CREARE: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience to Study the Responses of the Endangered Coral Acropora cervicornis to a Changing Environment Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| title | CREARE: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience to Study the Responses of the Endangered Coral Acropora cervicornis to a Changing Environment |
| title_full | CREARE: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience to Study the Responses of the Endangered Coral Acropora cervicornis to a Changing Environment |
| title_fullStr | CREARE: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience to Study the Responses of the Endangered Coral Acropora cervicornis to a Changing Environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | CREARE: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience to Study the Responses of the Endangered Coral Acropora cervicornis to a Changing Environment |
| title_short | CREARE: A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience to Study the Responses of the Endangered Coral Acropora cervicornis to a Changing Environment |
| title_sort | creare a course based undergraduate research experience to study the responses of the endangered coral acropora cervicornis to a changing environment |
| url | https://jmbesubmissions.asm.org/index.php/jmbe/article/view/2253 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT juansebastianramirezlugo creareacoursebasedundergraduateresearchexperiencetostudytheresponsesoftheendangeredcoralacroporacervicornistoachangingenvironment |