Case Study 7

Is advanced biotechnology within reach of most high schools?

Are you looking to improve the skills of senior biology students in genetic engineering? Find out how a cluster of schools has achieved success in offering advanced biotechnology in their classrooms.

The Biotechnology Classroom is an ASISTM project that has developed an innovative course providing an exciting and unique experience in biotechnology for senior biology students. The course engages students in realistic and practical genetic engineering skills that are industry standard. Collaboratively developed by schools, the University of the Sunshine Coast and the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F), The Biotechnology Classroom is low cost and can be easily implemented in existing high school laboratories. 

The course is centred on extended experiments in plant tissue culture, DNA fingerprinting (PCR amplification of tiny DNA samples), and cloning (of genes, not entire animals or plants).

Students Karina (left) and Caitlin using the micropipette in the restriction digestion of DNA plasmid.

The full story

Main features of the project

Development of a six-month coordinated program of instruction (unit plans) and practical experience (extended experiments) which provides a real-life context for the development of advanced genetic engineering skills common within the biotechnology industry.

Engagement of entire cohorts (not just the gifted and talented) of senior biology students in highly advanced experimental techniques within their own high school laboratories at relatively low cost.

Support for teachers through the development of a multidisciplinary team that included lab technicians and Teacher Associates.

Production of a DVD as a resource to make this course available (for free) to all schools within Australia.

Successfully implementing the extended experiments

The Plant Tissue Culture (PTC) was the first of three extended experiments undertaken by the students in the project. Gary Turner, the Project Coordinator, explained that PTC is generally a difficult process to do in schools as it requires significant structure and equipment support to avoid contamination, which commonly ruins many students’ attempts.

To overcome these obstacles the consultants/Teacher Associates from Nambour DPI&F developed two very successful strategies. They devised a structure for the experiments which provided a range of complexity for the students but minimised the preparation cost and time for laboratory technicians. They also modelled sterile techniques using simple equipment and a high degree of thoroughness.

The overall process used to achieve success for the PTC Extended Investigation is described in Figure 1. It includes key elements of support to laboratory technicians, professional development for teachers, documentation of lesson plans and support and guidance for students by Teacher Associates who visit the schools.

A similar process was used for the other two extended investigations, DNA fingerprinting and cloning.

A video record of the three extended investigations is available on The Biotechnology Classroom DVD to support teachers interested in undertaking the experiments with their students.

The PTC investigation proved an outstanding success. Students consistently reported a great sense of achievement when the PTC experiment was completed. They also often stated that the sterile conditions they had to meet led them feel to like ‘real’ scientists in a lab.

Through trialling, the cloning experiment had been modified to maximise student participation and engagement, with all project teachers and Teacher Associates reporting students had very little difficulty in the procedural aspects of the experiments. Two types of genetically modified organisms were created with close to 100% success rate across all classes. Cloning the ‘CAT’ gene, however, was in general not as successful with a problem with re-ligation of the vector plasmid being identified as the cause. Discovering an effective solution is part of the ongoing course delivery improvements being implemented.

Anecdotal evidence from students suggests the ‘real science’ aspect of the experiments is appealing to them in the sense they were amazed that they were able to do experiments like those they saw on television or heard about on the news.

Working with scientists

A key facet of ASISTM projects is the use of Teacher Associates to work with students and provide a mentoring role. In this project the Teacher Associates, Scott Roche, Ysanne Hook and Deb Slypen, were from the University of the Sunshine Coast. Mike Smith and Sharon Hamill from Nambour DPI&F also had a consultant role.

Gary explained that the support provided by Teacher Associates assisted the project to achieve one of its key aims of engaging entire cohorts of senior biology students in highly advanced experimental techniques through their commitment to support students to achieve success.

Project successes

Gary identified the following aspects of the project as key elements for success:

• effective collaboration between a multi-disciplinary team, recognising the different roles and expertise of all team members
• professional development for teachers to gain expertise and familiarity with the experiments and attaining a significant degree of competency in the micro skills of genetic engineering. This increase in expertise is a central component in enabling teachers to ‘feel comfortable’ with such advanced biotechnology in their classrooms.
• access to two laboratory preparation rooms with equipment capable of large-scale resource preparation. The equipment required includes a double laminar flow cabinet, a large autoclave and sterilising oven, micropipettes and a thermo cycler (a valuable tool for automating the polymerase chain reaction).
• a suitable level of support and scaffolding provided to lab technicians, teachers and students. At one school a teacher felt confident to carry out the cloning series of experiments without Teacher Associate assistance in the classroom, which they successfully completed.

Where to from here?

This project has proved that advanced biotechnology is within the reach of almost any high school. The provision of resource material through the DVD will provide interested schools with the necessary guidance to implement The Biotechnology Classroom in their laboratories. Teachers within the project have also offered their expertise to provide professional development to assist other schools.

Dr David McKay, the project’s deputy coordinator and Head of School of Science, Education and Health at the University of the Sunshine Coast, has proposed a funding initiative for an Honours student to develop a more robust (and therefore ultimately more successful) gene cloning methodology.

Project resources

A DVD is available to assist schools to implement The Biotechnology Classroom course using their school laboratory. It includes the entire course of The Biotechnology Classroom, videos of the experiments, resources, expertise enabling experiences and equipment requirements.

Further Information
Gary Turner
Maroochydore Senior High School
cturn78@eq.edu.au

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