Conversion Immersion, version 3.0: Working Together to Create Investigative Labs

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2018, Volume 39

Mark E. Walvoord & Marielle H. Hoefnagels

Abstract

In this workshop, participants worked together to generate ideas for modifying their chosen traditional ("cookbook") labs to a more investigative format. We divided the attendees into small groups and assigned each group one or two related labs to convert. Participants spent about one-quarter of the time learning a framework for conversion and seeing examples of pre- and post-conversion labs; half of the workshop working in their groups, brainstorming and summarizing their ideas for making the labs more investigative; then the remaining one-quarter of the time reporting their ideas to the rest of the workshop participants. The outcomes of this workshop were twofold: Improved labs that participants could use at their institutions, and individuals who are practiced at converting labs, so that they are more comfortable converting any other cookbook labs they are using. This paper summarizes some of the ideas generated in the workshop, which included labs on the following topics: mitosis; plant structure and function; single-celled organisms; compound action potentials; invertebrate dissection; scientific method; island biogeography and conservation; diversity of seedless plants and plant-water relations; animal diversity (sponges, cnidarians, and flatworms); and osmosis and dialysis tubing.

Keywords:  scientific method, biodiversity, mitosis, island biogeography, osmosis, action potential, investigative lab, college science learning cycle, plant structure, invertebrate dissection

University of Wisconsin, Madison (2017)