Experimental learning inside the classroom

This creative project has studied how well the technique of student driven research works in the laboratory classrooms setting instead of using the normal "cookbook" laboratory class technique. The students were given a survey at the beginning and end of the semester to rate themselves on their competence of the scientific method and the necessary research skills needed to achieve a semester long research project. Two classes were analyzed in this project. Each class had a diverse group of students, some of which had extensive research experience and others who did not.Overall, at the end of the semester students rated themselves higher stating that they felt they had better understood the scientific method and how a proper research study of their own devise is accomplished.Department of BiologyThesis (M.A.