Live Cell Biotechnology Discovery Lab
Examples of project-based learning with UCSC’s cloud-enabled Discovery Lab
Since 2020, UC Santa Cruz collaborated with national and international schools to incorporate our cloud-enabled labs in the classroom. This article describes our Discovery Labs. Below are examples of remotely conducted experiments and student feedback surveys.
Microscopy on autocultured organisms/cells
In the News
Watch: Experiments conducted in Alisal High School (AP Bio)
UC Santa Cruz Technology Inspires Collaboration with Alisal High
Classroom experiment: Impact of caffeine on zebrafish
Classroom experiment: 22Experiment Presentations
Watch more videos on our UCSC/ Alisal Collaboration Playlist
Impact on students – Survey results
Cloud-enabled, project-based learning positively affects STEM identity in different Latinx cohorts. (A) Graphic presented to students to describe their STEM identity. (B) Selection by CA and Bolivian students. (C) Project-based learning increased the STEM identity in most students in CA and Bolivia (blue). More information can be found in publication 1 listed at the bottom of this page.
When we used our cloud-based technology to incorporate project-based learning in a high school class in California and an introductory college course in Bolivia, our hope was that it would help students to feel a part of the STEM research community.
After the experiment was over, we conducted a feedback analysis and found that the experiment had a large influence on how they saw themselves in relation to STEM professionals. (1)
Lab-on-a-chip
Learning simple code through lab-on-a-chip teaching experiences
Students remotely operated optofluidic chips that were based on the UCSC campus, allowing them to learn simple coding as they executed their experiments.
Progress and final results were available online in real-time.
Let us know how our technology can best fit your research/teaching!
Learn more about our cloud-based technologies.
Please contact us (livecell@ucsc.edu) about collaborations and your ideas to take advantage of our cloud-enabled experimental setups for education.