Exploration of Literature-Based Discussion Teaching in Biology and Cell Biology Laboratory Courses

The teaching team optimized and reformed the teaching methods and assessment strategies of Biology and Cell Biology laboratory courses to enhance students' interest and teaching quality. This reform was based on the existing theoretical framework and experimental content of the course, introducing cutting-edge research topics related to the curriculum for discussion. Students selected topics of interest, conducted literature searches and readings in teams, and reported on their findings in class. This study collected self-reported data from students via questionnaire surveys, focusing on analyzing students' understanding of the difficulty of the course, prior knowledge of related fields, interest in the discussion topics, and exploring the correlation between these factors and students' self-reported level of comprehension of the seminar content. It was found that students' self-reported strong interest in the discussion topics was more strongly correlated with a higher self-assessed understanding of the seminar content. Course questionnaire results showed that over 80.3% (≥ 49/61) of students expressed interest in the seminar topics, and over 98.1% (≥ 60/61) of students reported fully or partially understanding the seminar content, gaining valuable insights from the discussions. Students' satisfaction with the seminars exceeded 95.0% (≥ 58/61), with evaluations indicating that the seminars played a positive role in providing learning opportunities, understanding academic frontiers, and improving comprehensive abilities. In conclusion, the literature-based discussion teaching has promoted teaching practices and laid the foundation for further deepening teaching reforms.