Faculty-led Inquiry into Reflective and Scholarly Teaching (FIRST)
Date of this Version
2021
Document Type
Portfolio
Abstract
Introductory courses for majors, typically completed by first-year students, are important to student success and retention as they set the foundation for students in their respective majors. At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Microbiology majors complete MBIO 101: Introduction to the Microbiology Major during their first semester as their introductory, foundational course. In this course portfolio, I chose to focus on investigating the impact on student learning of integrating more emphasis on experiential learning knowledge and acquisition within the course through the participation of students in a hands-on workshop and research symposium. Integration of these two events into the MBIO 101 curriculum enhanced student confidence in both knowledge and acquisition of experiential learning while not compromising progression towards achievement of the other learning outcomes in the course. Continued inclusion of these activities into MBIO 101 will help set a sound foundation for academic success for Microbiology majors.