Assessing core manipulative skills in a large, first-year laboratory.

Area of Science:

• Physiology education
• Undergraduate laboratory skills development

Background:

• Undergraduate students often lack essential laboratory manipulative skills.
• A need exists to enhance practical skills in early-stage science education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement a strategy for teaching and assessing core laboratory skills in first-year undergraduates.
• To evaluate student proficiency in fundamental laboratory techniques.

Main Methods:

• Five core laboratory skills were identified: micropipette use, dilution calculations, graphing, light microscopy, and digital data acquisition.
• Graduate tutors provided individualized instruction and assessment for 365 students in Human Biology (Pharmacy and Human Movement Studies).
• Student competency was tracked across all five skills.

Main Results:

• Most students demonstrated proficiency in the assessed laboratory skills on their first attempt.
• Skill development varied based on the specific skill and the students' degree program.
• The strategy was replicated with 854 students in semester 2, primarily from a Bachelor of Science program.

Conclusions:

• The individualized teaching and assessment strategy effectively improved undergraduate laboratory skills.
• This approach holds potential for enhancing laboratory competency across various undergraduate science programs, including physiology.
• Early intervention in laboratory skill development is crucial for scientific training.