Problem-Based Learning in an On-Line Biotechnology Course: Student Perceptions of Multimedia Enhancements

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Problem-Based Learning in anOn-Line
Biotechnology CourseStudent Perceptions of
Multimedia Enhancements

• James Cheaney
• Department of Genetics,
• Development and Cell Biology

• David Fisher
• Department of English

• Iowa State University
• Ames, IA

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Problem-Based Learning (PBL)

• Use of a real world problem or situation as a
  context for learning
• increase relevance to needs of professional
  community
• increase development of critical thinking
• increase problem-solving abilities of students
• increase metacognition (students learn to
  learn)
• Student-centered, constructivist
• Typically conducted in cooperative groups
• Often no right or wrong answer

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Biotechnology in Agriculture, Food and Human
Health

• Survey course
• Technology
• Applications
• ELSI issues
• Offered exclusively on WWW
• Audience
• Design

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The Problem

• Huntington disease
• progressive neurological disorder
• genetic disease
• dominant (if one of a persons 2 genes is mutant
  ? HD)
• 100 fatal
• no treatment no cure

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The Problem

• Robert
• 33-year-old pilot for a commuter airline
• married with a 4-year-old daughter
• mother died of HD at age 50
• mothers symptoms began at age 34
• Robert has a 50 chance of having inherited
  mutant HD gene
• Should Robert have a presymptomatic DNA test done
  to see if he has the mutant HD gene?

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Learning Objectives

• Understand the nature and mode of inheritance of
  genetic diseases
• Gain an appreciation of the human cost of genetic
  diseases
• Understand the principles and technologies used
  in genetic testing
• Gain an appreciation of ethical, legal, and
  social issues associated with genetic testing
• Develop problem-solving skills
• Learn how to find and process information in
  Web-based databases

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PBL Unit As It Was

• Text based
• Assignments
• Defining the issues
• Genetic diseases
• Genetic testing
• Solving the problem
• Exams
• Pre-unit exam
• Post-unit exam

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Assignment Defining the Issues

• Group brainstorming session
• Identify issues
• Identify stakeholders and identify what each
  stakeholder has at stake
• What information is needed for Robert to make
  informed decision, and why is that information
  needed?
• Submit list of stakeholders, and information
  needed to class discussion forum/student
  presentation site

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Assignment Genetic Diseases

• Student groups pick from list of 13
  well-researched single-gene genetic diseases
• Cause of the disease
• Name and location of the responsible gene
  mutation
• How is mutation physiologically related to
  symptoms?
• Inheritance pattern
• Treatment options (cure, management of symptoms)
• What is it like the have the disease?

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Assignment Genetic Testing

• Students are presented with a fictional gene with
  a mutation associated with fictional genetic
  disease
• Students devise biotechnological means to detect
  mutant forms of this gene
• Describe principle of test and how it is
  performed
• Show results obtained by a normal individual, an
  affected individual, and a heterozygous carrier
• Specify sequences of all DNA used in test

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Assignment Solving the Problem

• Student groups were assigned to role-play
  stakeholder
• What are Roberts possible choices, and what are
  the implications of each option for you?
• As this stakeholder, what is your recommendation
  to Robert? Should he take the HD genetic test?
• Justify your recommendation. What do the
  implications of this decision mean to you?
• Post your recommendation and justification in the
  class discussion forum and discuss each
  recommendation with other stakeholders

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Conclusions from Text-based PBL Format

• Exam scores very similar between non-PBL format
  (lecture-based) and PBL format, indicating no
  significant difference in low-level knowledge
  acquisition.
• Assignment scores consistent with higher-order
  processing of information.
• Students enthusiastic about PBL format, with some
  reservations about its synchronous nature.

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Perceived Shortcomings of Text-based PBL

• Student connection with stakeholders was weak
  (non-optimal appreciation of human cost)
• No treatment of genetic counseling
• No treatment of practical aspects of genetic
  testing
• Students need to be able to transfer their
  learning and understanding into other situations

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Re-design to Create Immersive Environment

• Re-designed with enhanced multimedia
  Audio, video, graphics, text, databases
• To increase student involvement and empathy for
  situation
• To increase student motivation
• To integrate communication learning and content
  learning

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Elements of Immersive Environment

• Interviews with experts
• Observations of experts at work
• Collection of documents generated/used by
  stakeholders
• Interviews with Robert and family
• Family documents (including tax returns, bills,
  etc.)

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Elements of Immersive Environment

• Interviews with Characters
• Robert, wife, daughter
• Interviews with Experts
• Genetic counselors
• Testing lab technicians
• Insurance expert

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Elements of Immersive Environment

• Various Physical Artifacts
• Tax records
• FAA regulations
• Insurance documents
• Legal information

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Roberts World
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Roberts World Genetic Counselors Office
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Features of Roberts World

• Students exposed to communication in
  disciplines/professions by acting in role of
  professionals
• Understand the human and social dimensions of
  disciplinary knowledge as well as
  technical/factual information
• Take responsibility for and recognize the legal
  and ethical aspects of a professional role

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Features of Roberts World

• Rendering virtual space to enable type of
  learning activities desired (wander, explore)
• Developing assignments that encourage students to
  wander, explore, and use
• Developing assessment practices that provide
  incentive to engage in these activities

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Space Before
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Space After
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Assessment Before

• Consider Robert, the protagonist from our
  Huntington's Disease saga in Module 2. Suppose he
  decides to get the Huntington's Disease test, and
  he is found to be positive for the Huntington's
  allele. His employer, the airline (a private
  corporation), finds out that Robert is positive
  for the Huntington's allele, and transfers him to
  a desk job without his consent. Under federal
  law, are the airline's actions legal? Why or why
  not?

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Assessment After

• You are a genetic counselor at the University of
  Metropolis Medical Center. You have an upcoming
  appointment in a few hours with a new client
  named Lois Lane. In speaking with Ms. Lane's
  gynecologist, who referred Ms. Lane to you, you
  found out that Ms. Lane has a family history of
  early-onset breast cancer on her mother's side of
  the family. Her mother died of metastatic breast
  cancer at the age of 48, her grandmother at 52,
  and her mother's brother died of male breast
  cancer at 63. Ms. Lane, who is now 41, is
  concerned that she may carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2
  mutation that is sometimes correlated with a
  higher risk of early-onset familial breast
  cancer. She wishes to have a genetic test done to
  determine if she is indeed carrying a BRCA1 or
  BRCA2 mutation, and her doctor concurs that the
  information would be useful. However, in talking
  to the doctor, you have also learned that Ms.
  Lane has an identical twin sister named Lucy Lane
  who is adamantly opposed to any genetic test
  being performed on religious grounds.
• Faced with the dilemma of two sisters who share
  the same genetic complement but wanting two quite
  different levels of knowledge about what genes
  they have, write a detailed plan for what you
  would tell and want to discuss with Lois Lane at
  the first counseling session.

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New Assignment Genetic Counseling

• Individual assignment Students role-play a
  genetic counselor about to meet a new client
• High risk for a genetic predisposition for
  early-onset breast cancer (under 100 chance that
  she will get it)
• Client has twin sister who is opposed to genetic
  testing
• Identical genetic complement privacy rights?
• Nature of genetic counseling profession
  (non-advocacy)
• Monitoring non-testing options
• Testing procedure, insurance concerns, etc.

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New Assignment Describing the Disease

• Student groups role-play the part of Robert
  answering questions from his wife about HD
• Challenge is to completely and accurately answer
  all of her HD questions in laypersons language

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Preliminary Student Reactions to Re-designed PBL
Unit

• Students gain real understanding of complexity of
  the issue
• Legal concerns
• Medical concerns
• Genetic concerns
• Biotechnological concerns
• Practical aspects of genetic testing how
  genetic testing is done
• Students are able to identify how their position
  may affect others

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Appreciation of How Airlines Position Affects
Robert

• I believe good employees are hard to find and
  since Robert has spent years at my company with
  no problems so far, I have an obligation to him
  and his family as well.

• Finding Robert another job within the company is
  the most ethical and economically beneficial
  choice available. I will be able to utilize his
  skills in another way and help his family.

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Preliminary Student Reactions to Re-designed PBL
Unit

• Students begin to care about Robert
• I felt a closer tie to the people involved. Im
  dealing with a serious decision in one mans
  life.
• The more personal connection makes me think
  harder about what to do and what to write.
• As an employer, it the position affects you
  personally. What are the things I want for the
  company and for him Robert?

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Fulfillment of Learning Objectives(Preliminary
Conclusions)

• Understand the nature and mode of inheritance of
  genetic diseases
• Gain an appreciation of the human cost of genetic
  diseases
• Understand the principles and technologies used
  in genetic testing
• Gain an appreciation of ethical, legal, and
  social issues associated with genetic testing
• Develop problem-solving skills
• Learn how to find and process information in
  Web-based databases

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Future Research

• Quantify and analyze relative efficacy in
  increasing student understanding and achieving
  learning objectives between various PBL formats
• Determine student attitudes with regards to
  various parts of PBL format
• Assess overall effectiveness of PBL in an on-line
  science class, and explore how to use PBL to
  maximize student learning and understanding of
  course/unit objectives

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Special Thanks

• Tom Ingebritsen
• David Russell
• Doug Bull
• Dianne Bartels
• Bonnie LeRoy
• Matt Bower
• Mark Doyle
• Jeff Kahn

• and all the students in this Biotechnology
  course who gave their permission to be our guinea
  pigs