Poster: Education and outreach

Abs # 1146: Enhancing bioenergetics curricula for plant physiology laboratories.

Presenter:	Roden, John S, Contact Author
Authors	Roden, John S (A)
Affiliations:	(A): Southern Oregon University

Bioenergetics is a key linkage between plants and their environment. An understanding of how plants capture and utilize energy is a critical component to any biologist's education. New curricula were developed to enhance active learning experiences in plant physiology laboratories based on low-cost, common-platform photosynthesis systems (Qubit systems). The new equipment allowed students to explore the process of photosynthesis using O₂ evolution, chlorophyll fluorescence and CO₂ exchange techniques. Survey and quiz scores that test student knowledge about energetics theory, procedures and calculations show a marked increase in learning when students engage in hands-on laboratory experiments as compared to prior years without such curricula. Students exposed to the new instrumentations and exercises were more confident in their ability to answer plant bioenergetics questions. Scores were on average of 1.7 units higher on a 1-5 scale (> 40% increase). Students exposed to the new curricula did markedly better (60 % increase, compared to students from prior years) on multiple choice questions designed to test knowledge of photosynthesis concepts and techniques. Attitudinal surveys indicate that student learning was enhanced when there are sufficient instruments to allow students to work on their own instrument in small groups rather than having the entire class crowd around a single research grade instrument that may be nothing more than a black box to them.