A block of genetic engineering laboratory sessions: College students' science process skills, content achievement and reasoning capabilities

When students participate in laboratory investigations which emphasize the scientific process as well as content this experience may promote a greater understanding of the scientific principles that they are investigating and enhance their reasoning capabilities. This study examined the effects of using a guided research format, in a block of laboratory sessions, on the achievement and integrated process skills ability of college students who varied in their level of cognitive development.;Two sections of introductory microbiology, with twenty students per section, at The Community College of Philadelphia, were exposed to a treatment which consisted of a block of five experimental investigations. Model answers (database and problem solving strategies) were provided in a student study guide so that students could practice and master the solving of domain specific, analytical questions which related to the topic being investigated. A third section of twenty microbiology students were used as the control group. These students were not assigned laboratory sessions which emphasize scientific methodology.;Students were evaluated using a pretest-posttest control group, pre-experimental research design. An analysis of covariance was chosen as an appropriate comparative measure of student scores on the Test of Integrated Science Process Skills (TIPS); the Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT); the Molecular Biology Achievement Test (MBAT). A Survey of Student Opinion was used in this study to question students in the treatment group about the topic (genetic engineering) and format (research) used in laboratory sessions.;The data indicates that the treatment used in this study was beneficial in advancing the integrated science process skills, molecular biology achievement and to a lesser degree the cognitive development of students. Students who were classified as pre-formal (concrete) reasoners seemed to benefit the most from this treatment. Responses on the Survey of Student Opinion (SSO) were generally favorable and indicate that students found a study of genetic engineering interesting and especially informative in evaluating the risks, benefits, possibilities and limitations of this technology. Students also indicated that the use of scientific methodology was interesting and of practical value as a problem solving tool.