Student perceptions of the cell biology laboratory learning environment in four undergraduate science courses in Spain

Abstract

Cell biology is an academic discipline that organises and coordinates the learning of the structure, function and molecular composition of cells in some undergraduate biomedical programs. Besides course content and teaching methodologies, the laboratory environment is considered a key element in the teaching of and learning of cell biology. The aim of this study was to determine students'opinions about the quality of the teaching and learning environment in cell biology laboratory practice. For this study, we used a short form of the Science Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI), which we adapted and translated into Spanish. The questionnaire, administered to students enrolled in four undergraduate programs, consisted of 24 questions divided into four scales: integration of content, clarity of laboratory rules, cohesion between students and teachers, and quality of laboratory infrastructures and materials. The results suggested that (1) students positively assessed the learning environment provided for cell biology practice, (2) the short Spanish form of the SLEI was a valid, reliable instrument for evaluating student satisfaction, laboratory activities, the degree of cooperation between students and teachers, and theoretical and practical organisation of content and (3) the questionnaire detected differential perceptions of the learning environment based on gender and the program studied.

Attitude towards School Science in Primary Education in Spain

“…The main reasons offered by teachers are the lack or scarcity of facilities in schools, which cannot be solved in this paper, and the lack of teacher training in methodologies involving the use of experiments. In this last respect, we can suggest actions to reverse this situation: the improvement of science education programs for preservice teachers at university level, and the effective use of lifelong learning projects including refresher courses in science education methodologies, aligned with others currently developed in countries with similar weaknesses and aimed at improving the perception of science (Fernández Cézar, 2014;De Juan et al, 2016).…”

Sex and frequency of practical work as determinants of middle-school science students’ learning environment perceptions and attitudes

“…A shortened four-scale version of the SLEI in the Spanish language (the SASLEI) was administered to 174 first-year undergraduate biology students in a college of health sciences in Spain (De Juan et al, 2016). This Spanish SASLEI was validated by conducting factor analysis and reliability estimation.…”