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Benefits
What are the specific benefits to those who will make the nuts and bolts of this experiment work—the students and faculty, and to the institutions that support the effort?
What are the benefits to students?
Early exposure to real research. The SEA has chosen to target this course to beginning undergraduates. The course will inspire students before they have a chance to become bored or overwhelmed by the typical large introductory science course. Students will catch the spark of enthusiasm for inquiry-based discovery and absorb the process of doing real science at a point that will influence their whole college experience.
Trouble-shooting and discovery in real time. Because this project is truly an experiment, students and faculty may run into problems along the way that must be solved before moving forward. That experience will reinforce the concept that students are working on a true research problem and not the typical cookbook-and-worksheet style lab courses where all the answers are already known. Nothing can match the thrill of discovering a new organism, naming it, and describing it. In addition, students will know their contributions will be used by scientists around the world.
Skill in using genomics research tools. During the second half of the course, students will learn how to use a wide range of Web-based bioinformatics tools currently employed by research laboratories. Embedding genomics research into the academic year curriculum is key to graduating students who understand that science is more than the gathering of facts. These will be students who know that science is a dynamic progression of both knowledge and interpretation.
Confidence to do independent research. Students will understand that modern science occurs, not in isolation, but rather in large, collaborative efforts that play off the creativity of colleagues in the research network. On campuses where similar research courses have already been introduced, faculty report that more students show an increased interest and self-confidence in performing independent research projects.
What are the benefits to faculty?
It's no secret that time is a faculty member's most precious commodity. By asking faculty to implement an experimental new course, the SEA acknowledges the demand this will create on faculty schedules. On the other hand, the SEA advisors who have already introduced research-based courses or incorporated genomics into their own teaching testify that the long-term rewards outweigh by far the initial activation energy required.
Short-term investment, long-term payoffs. Introducing research-in-the-classroom represents a completely different approach to undergraduate research experiences—one that may seem foreign and awkward compared to the way most scientists are trained, with one or two students working on individual projects. But, in the long run, bringing student research into the classroom will reach larger numbers and more diverse students, energize your teaching and motivate the students, and may even reduce the workload as research and teaching goals overlap.
Get more students involved. Faculty must throw out the old model of one student working on a single project for 20 hours a week and instead begin thinking about 20 students working in teams for fewer hours a week. The pace of research might be slowed, but the tradeoff is that you can involve, excite, and inspire many more students.
Get more types of students involved. This program will reach students who would not choose an independent study version of research or who become overwhelmed by the time management demands that a science major requires. Students who must work during college or student athletes might be scared off by the traditional notion of undergraduate research. The pace of a research course spread over two semesters and broken up into weekly chunks may appeal to a much wider group of students.
Teaching with the goal of answering a real scientific question. Students will know they are working at the leading edge of science if you can tie the course material to your presentation at a scientific meeting or a phone conversation you just had with your collaborator at another university. Knowing their data will be shared with and evaluated by the scientific community will motivate students to take the work seriously.
Networking with other scientist educators. This network will exchange research and pedagogical expertise between primarily undergraduate institutions and research universities. You will have a support system of faculty branching out into uncharted classroom territory together.
What are the benefits to the institution?
Teaching and research will become inseparable. An institution will no longer have to choose how to allocate resources between research or teaching. The resources will be shared.
Reaching out to a larger number of students. A greater number of students will benefit from the institution's ability to provide an authentic research experience. Strain on faculty time will be reduced
Changing the research culture on campus. Because the course is query-based, the lab becomes both a classroom and area for experimentation and discovery.
Supporting the institution at all levels.
The institution will have access to all resources available through the SEA including course planning and development, training, computing support, sequencing services, and more.
Creating a network of educators.
Through the SEA, a network of institutions nationwide will be engaged in promoting and enhancing science education in an innovative and interactive way.
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