What is it about?
Bioinformatics requires large computing clusters and knowledge of computer programming, rendering it inaccessible to most undergraduates. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic left teachers rapidly transitioning to online learning, challenging the ability of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) professors to offer laboratory and research experiences to their students. In response to both, we developed PARE-Seq, an online, open-source bioinformatics module for general classroom use.It was developed with the specific goals of empowering underrepresented identities in STEM fields and teaching students relevant methods of surveillance for antibiotic resistance, a rapidly growing threat to global health. Here we evaluate the PARE-Seq module and found that students had both significant learning gains and increases in identifying as a scientist, or STEM identity. Learning and STEM identity gains were higher among female-identifying and underrepresented minority students, respectively. However, both outcomes were lower for students who were working in addition to attending school.
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Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Creating a feely available, online STEM curriculum supported teachers in offering research experiences during the pandemic in a field that is often inaccessible. It provides opportunities for students to learn cutting-edge methods that address a relevant public health issue like antibiotic resistance and can improve their confidence in identifying as a scientist. When curricula are intentionally designed to highlight female-identifying and underrepresented minorities in STEM, we saw those groups of students have larger learning and STEM identity gains. Online curricula like PARE-Seq can equip STEM instructors to utilize research-driven resources that improve outcomes for all students, but support must be prioritized for students working in addition to attending school.
Perspectives
Both developing and evaluating this short course were great experiences as they allowed me to consider all the components of a science education that I think are critical: learning from professionals I can identify with, applying concepts to an issue relevant to public health, and providing the material and evaluation to anyone who wants to access it. This course is freely available (www.pareseq.com), and I hope instructors continue to use it to excite their students about science and research!
Scarlet Bliss
University of California Berkeley
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Learning and STEM identity gains from an online module on sequencing-based surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in the environment: An analysis of the PARE-Seq curriculum, PLoS ONE, March 2023, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282412.
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