326 BAMBED,Vol.35,No.5,pp.322-327,2007 factual information.The subjects of any individual life sci- foundation in laboratory methods.Students came to ences in theoretical curricula cannot independently reach genetics classes with skills in gene cloning,expression, the objectives;a experimental curricula,laboratory expe- molecular detection,etc.;and in biochemistry,students rience,and special skills are needed [201.Besides, showed their experience in filtration techniques of small- standardized process of research-skill training is also molecular-weight substance,spectrophotometer method. needed.Instruction books for the experiments or experi- etc.These classes were able to begin at a more advanced mental protocols are the means that deliver techniques level,such as metabolic engineering that allowed the stu- and practice.Actually,the instruction books have been dents to concentrate on higher-level skills from the outset. designed to support specific theoretical lecture.Labora- The unit has also facilitated the standardizations of basic tory content in specific disciplines is usually teacher-de- scientific and reporting methods across disciplines,reduc- pendent and generally highly focused [21].This might ing potential for confusion among students who otherwise lead to difficulties in linking teaching with laboratory exer- may have had to negotiate their methods through conflict- cises that can assure students with some skill practice. ing instructions.The unit is amenable to alteration and is although limited.Collectively,the introductory courses relatively independent of the discipline. may generate deficiencies in the students'necessary In the process of training students in our laboratory,the skills,particularly in terms of experimental design,analy- course focuses on plant molecular biology and biotech- sis,and report writing.Even students at rudimentary lev- nology.Currently,we have tried the inclusion of other ex- els are also usually eager to experience the advanced perimental and operational methods without constraints techniques of higher levels.It is recognized that the This attempt is based on the undergraduates'interests effective learning is influenced by the teaching strategies. and demands,which are the best teacher and also the In some life-science courses,students are often foundations of self-paced learning and training.Therefore, directed toward the "relevant"data when confronted with we design the unit for students:the purposes only intend a mass of experimental information so that they fail to de- to assist them materializing their ideas.The strength of the velop cognitive and analytical skills.In particular,this unit is its holistic approach to the scientific process and a strategy fails to teach the student to do it,which is helpful design that facilitates learning and exercising of skills.Stu- to develop skills in abstracting appropriate information dents believe that entering PRP program training facili- from a background of irrelevant materials 22.In our tates them to study other relevant theoretical courses, course,we have adopted a strategy that has been recog- improves their abilities of operating by hands and using nized to enhance cognitive and manipulative skills.Every- knowledge comprehensively,and fosters their innovative one is assigned to a postgraduate as a tutor for skill consciousness and scientific-thinking abilities.In the near learning,and a related theory of the skill is introduced in future,further improvements of the course can be made; seminar once a week.Sometimes,the students intercom- there will be more students'participation,including the municate among the different laboratories.We have rec- average students and the weak students,according to the ognized,as have others,that no single discipline-based format for assessment.The results of the course may be unit has the capacity to adequately present both its own presented as a final seminar,poster on experimental out- theory and practice,and also to encapsulate the more comes,or a written report,rather than a single paper.The holistic needs of life-science practice.Therefore,the stu- student's coauthorship on a paper,while highly encour- dents are encouraged to cooperate with the students in aged,is not a substitute for a comprehensive report writ- other laboratories.To this end.we have devoted an entire ten by the students'themselves.If the paper is accepted unit to the development of laboratory skills and scientific for publication by the core journal,the student will be practice.This unit has been run annually since 2002 when greatly encouraged. the center was set up.From then on,there are about 15 undergraduates entering the laboratory every year.After Acknowledgments-The authors thank Professor Chaogun Wu(Fudan University)for his help in revising the manuscript. studying the course,about 50%of the students were This research is supported by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, admitted for the postgraduate study in Chinese univer- China Ministry of Education,and Shanghai Science and Tech- sities,while the others went abroad for doctorial degree nology Committee. Meanwhile,there were about 3-5 papers published by the students every year,and some developed techniques or methods have been applied for patent protection.After REFERENCES innovative changes of experimental skills teaching during [1]C.K.Du,Z.G.Li,M.Gong (2002)Reforming teaching in biochem- the last few years in our university,more and more stu- istry experiments and improving comprehensively experimental abil- ity of students,J.Yunnan Normal Univ.(Educ.Sci.Edit)3,92-94. dents are interested in the course. [2]X.W.Zhou,J.Lin,L Zhang,Z.H.Chen,Y.Z.Yin,B.H.Guo,X.F. The educational effect of the unit (or the skill contents) Sun,K.X.Tang(2006)The development of biotechnology education has not been rigorously evaluated,although unit evalua- in China,Biochem.Mol.Biol.Educ.34,141-147. [3]M.Z.Zhuang,M.J.Chen,Y.M.Liu (2005)Taking advantage of sci- tions by students have been conducted and staffs have entific research platform and training creative talents,Res.Higher informally assessed the unit.The students'responses Educ.Eng.4,67-68. have been very supportive,as those got by staff interacting [4]W.R.Zhang,S.M.Li,J.P.Yang,X.Li,X.S.Shen (2003)Reform and practice in laboratory teaching of general biology,Educ.Mod. with past students at higher levels.For example,students 3.13-16. undertaking studies in plant molecular biology and bio- [5]L.W.Liu,Y.Q.Gong,X.L.Hou,Z.Zhang,Z.Wu (2005)Implement- technology were observed to proceed more rapidly in ing SRT projects and training students research skill in horticulture program,China Agric.Educ.2,53-54. practical sessions,presumably due to the established [6]http://electsys.sjtu.edu.cn/index.aspxfactual information. The subjects of any individual life sci￾ences in theoretical curricula cannot independently reach the objectives; a experimental curricula, laboratory expe￾rience, and special skills are needed [20]. Besides, standardized process of research-skill training is also needed. Instruction books for the experiments or experi￾mental protocols are the means that deliver techniques and practice. Actually, the instruction books have been designed to support specific theoretical lecture. Labora￾tory content in specific disciplines is usually teacher-de￾pendent and generally highly focused [21]. This might lead to difficulties in linking teaching with laboratory exer￾cises that can assure students with some skill practice, although limited. Collectively, the introductory courses may generate deficiencies in the students’ necessary skills, particularly in terms of experimental design, analy￾sis, and report writing. Even students at rudimentary lev￾els are also usually eager to experience the advanced techniques of higher levels. It is recognized that the effective learning is influenced by the teaching strategies. In some life-science courses, students are often directed toward the ‘‘relevant’’ data when confronted with a mass of experimental information so that they fail to de￾velop cognitive and analytical skills. In particular, this strategy fails to teach the student to do it, which is helpful to develop skills in abstracting appropriate information from a background of irrelevant materials [22]. In our course, we have adopted a strategy that has been recog￾nized to enhance cognitive and manipulative skills. Every￾one is assigned to a postgraduate as a tutor for skill learning, and a related theory of the skill is introduced in seminar once a week. Sometimes, the students intercom￾municate among the different laboratories. We have rec￾ognized, as have others, that no single discipline-based unit has the capacity to adequately present both its own theory and practice, and also to encapsulate the more holistic needs of life-science practice. Therefore, the stu￾dents are encouraged to cooperate with the students in other laboratories. To this end, we have devoted an entire unit to the development of laboratory skills and scientific practice. This unit has been run annually since 2002 when the center was set up. From then on, there are about 15 undergraduates entering the laboratory every year. After studying the course, about 50% of the students were admitted for the postgraduate study in Chinese univer￾sities, while the others went abroad for doctorial degree. Meanwhile, there were about 3–5 papers published by the students every year, and some developed techniques or methods have been applied for patent protection. After innovative changes of experimental skills teaching during the last few years in our university, more and more stu￾dents are interested in the course. The educational effect of the unit (or the skill contents) has not been rigorously evaluated, although unit evalua￾tions by students have been conducted and staffs have informally assessed the unit. The students’ responses have been very supportive, as those got by staff interacting with past students at higher levels. For example, students undertaking studies in plant molecular biology and bio￾technology were observed to proceed more rapidly in practical sessions, presumably due to the established foundation in laboratory methods. Students came to genetics classes with skills in gene cloning, expression, molecular detection, etc.; and in biochemistry, students showed their experience in filtration techniques of small￾molecular-weight substance, spectrophotometer method, etc. These classes were able to begin at a more advanced level, such as metabolic engineering that allowed the stu￾dents to concentrate on higher-level skills from the outset. The unit has also facilitated the standardizations of basic scientific and reporting methods across disciplines, reduc￾ing potential for confusion among students who otherwise may have had to negotiate their methods through conflict￾ing instructions. The unit is amenable to alteration and is relatively independent of the discipline. In the process of training students in our laboratory, the course focuses on plant molecular biology and biotech￾nology. Currently, we have tried the inclusion of other ex￾perimental and operational methods without constraints. This attempt is based on the undergraduates’ interests and demands, which are the best teacher and also the foundations of self-paced learning and training. Therefore, we design the unit for students; the purposes only intend to assist them materializing their ideas. The strength of the unit is its holistic approach to the scientific process and a design that facilitates learning and exercising of skills. Stu￾dents believe that entering PRP program training facili￾tates them to study other relevant theoretical courses, improves their abilities of operating by hands and using knowledge comprehensively, and fosters their innovative consciousness and scientific-thinking abilities. In the near future, further improvements of the course can be made; there will be more students’ participation, including the average students and the weak students, according to the format for assessment. The results of the course may be presented as a final seminar, poster on experimental out￾comes, or a written report, rather than a single paper. The student’s coauthorship on a paper, while highly encour￾aged, is not a substitute for a comprehensive report writ￾ten by the students’ themselves. If the paper is accepted for publication by the core journal, the student will be greatly encouraged. Acknowledgments—The authors thank Professor Chaoqun Wu (Fudan University) for his help in revising the manuscript. This research is supported by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China Ministry of Education, and Shanghai Science and Tech￾nology Committee. REFERENCES [1] C. K. Du, Z. G. Li, M. Gong (2002) Reforming teaching in biochem￾istry experiments and improving comprehensively experimental abil￾ity of students, J. Yunnan Normal Univ. (Educ. Sci. Edit.) 3, 92–94. [2] X. W. Zhou, J. Lin, L. Zhang, Z. H. Chen, Y. Z. Yin, B. H. Guo, X. F. Sun, K. X. Tang (2006) The development of biotechnology education in China, Biochem. Mol. Biol. Educ. 34, 141–147. [3] M. Z. Zhuang, M. J. Chen, Y. M. Liu (2005) Taking advantage of sci￾entific research platform and training creative talents, Res. Higher Educ. Eng. 4, 67–68. [4] W. R. Zhang, S. M. Li, J. P. Yang, X. Li, X. S. Shen (2003) Reform and practice in laboratory teaching of general biology, Educ. Mod. 3, 13–16. [5] L. W. Liu, Y. Q. Gong, X. L. Hou, Z. Zhang, Z. Wu (2005) Implement￾ing SRT projects and training students research skill in horticulture program, China Agric. Educ. 2, 53–54. [6] http://electsys.sjtu.edu.cn/index.aspx. 326 BAMBED, Vol. 35, No. 5, pp. 322–327, 2007