AI Article Synopsis
- Science education is still inequitable worldwide, particularly in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, where racial and gender minorities are significantly underrepresented.
- Internet-enabled project-based learning (PBL) can help reach underserved communities and diversify the scientific workforce.
- A study using lab-on-a-chip (LoC) technologies successfully trained Latinx life science students in computer programming skills and increased their interest in Bioinformatics careers, showing the potential of LoC-based PBL in STEM education.
Article Abstract
Despite many interventions, science education remains highly inequitable throughout the world. Among all life sciences fields, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology suffer from the strongest underrepresentation of racial and gender minorities. Internet-enabled project-based learning (PBL) has the potential to reach underserved communities and increase the diversity of the scientific workforce. Here, we demonstrate the use of lab-on-a-chip (LoC) technologies to train Latinx life science undergraduate students in concepts of computer programming by taking advantage of open-loop cloud-integrated LoCs. We developed a context-aware curriculum to train students at over 8,000 km from the experimental site. We showed that this approach was sufficient to develop programming skills and increase the interest of students in continuing careers in Bioinformatics. Altogether, we conclude that LoC-based Internet-enabled PBL can become a powerful tool to train Latinx students and increase the diversity in STEM.
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Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10187215 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2023.04.28.538776 | DOI Listing |
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