The 2012 ASHS Annual Conference

Plant tissue culture is an important tool in both basic and applied studies as well as in commercial applications. Plant tissue culture is based upon the theory of totipotency, that is, the genetically based ability of a cell or a nonembryonic organ to form all the cell types in the adult organism. Here we present the methodology and assessment results of the implementation of a multi-week laboratory module conducted in the introductory botany course. In this module, spread throughout the semester, the students used African violet (Gloxinia sp., Fam. Gesneriaceae) to gain experience in plant tissue culture techniques. The objective was for the students to learn how to take part of the plant from in vivo to in vitro culture. This required the establishment of aseptic techniques and the use of different media components to multiply plants under in vitro conditions. This lab module was initially pilot tested in one lab section and currently impacts approximately 140 minority students per year, providing hands-on experiences in plant tissue culture. In depth assessment of gain-of content knowledge and gain-of confidence revealed that our novel approach allowed the students to learn while increasing their self-perception of scientific methodology. In three semesters, at the completion of the lab module, the students reported a 2.5-fold overall increase in the post-module assessment for content knowledge compared to pre-module assessment. Similarly, approximately 85% of the students reported that they gained self-confidence in many aspects pertaining to conducting future research such as the use of primary literature, the design and performance of novel scientific experiments, formulation of a testable hypothesis etc. Though this lab module was solely in plant tissue culture, the inquiry-based nature of the exercise develops research skills and ‘demystifies research’ thus promoting the students to get involved in different research projects available in their home institutions during the academic year or at other institutions during the summer months.