Students often memorize the definition of a transcriptional promoter but fail to fully understand the critical role promoters play in gene expression. This laboratory lesson allows students to conduct original research by identifying and characterizing promoters found in prokaryotes. Students start with primary literature, design and clone a short promoter, and test how well their promoter works. This laboratory lesson is an easy way for faculty with limited time and budgets to give their students access to real research in the context of traditional teaching labs that meet once a week for under three hours. The pClone Red Introductory Biology lesson uses synthetic biology methods and makes cloning so simple that we have 100% success rates with first year students. Students use a database to archive their promoter sequences and the performance of the promoter under standard conditions. The database permits synthetic biology researchers around the world to find a promoter that suits their needs and compare relative levels of transcription. The core methodology in this lesson is identical to the core methodology in the companion Genetics Lesson by Eckdahl and Campbell. The methods are reproduced in both lessons for the benefit of readers. The two CourseSource lessons provide the detailed information needed to reproduce the pedagogical research results published in CBE - Life Sciences Education by Campbell et al., 2014.

Incorporating active learning exercises into large lecture courses is particularly challenging, especially when it comes to examination preparation materials. Traditionally, study guides are used as a tool to guide student learning and review pertinent information. However, instructor produced review guides limit active participation of students in the study process, and the independent reading and review of study materials has previously been shown to fall short of being inclusive for students. Here I describe a tool used in a large introductory biology lecture for the implementation of peer produced study guides. The activity includes in-person peer discussion followed by online peer collaboration to design a study guide of potential exam materials, incorporating the advantages of both active learning and the use of study guides. This format provides a platform for students of diverse learning backgrounds to actively participate in the development and refinement of study materials. I conclude by discussing the assessment, secondary advantages, and adaptability of this tool and teaching strategy.

Primary image: Peer Studying and Online Learning. This image represents the combination of peer collaborative learning and the use of online resources for study. The image is not copyrighted and was downloaded for the copyright free site “Unsplash.”

To use prior to 3D printing module?