Accessible support at a national scale: the use and value of virtual learning assistants across multiple undergraduate institutions
ABSTRACT The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP; thegep.org) is a collaboration of more than 260 faculty from over 200 colleges and universities across the continental United States and Puerto Rico, all of whom are engaged in bringing Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) centered...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society for Microbiology
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00170-24 |
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| author | Christine M. Pribbenow D'Andrew Harrington Chinmay P. Rele Katie M. Sandlin Wilson Leung David Lopatto Laura K. Reed |
| author_facet | Christine M. Pribbenow D'Andrew Harrington Chinmay P. Rele Katie M. Sandlin Wilson Leung David Lopatto Laura K. Reed |
| author_sort | Christine M. Pribbenow |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP; thegep.org) is a collaboration of more than 260 faculty from over 200 colleges and universities across the continental United States and Puerto Rico, all of whom are engaged in bringing Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) centered in genomics and bioinformatics to their students. The purpose of the GEP-CURE is to ensure all undergraduate students have access to research experiences in genomics, regardless of the funding and resources available at their institutions. The GEP community provides many resources to facilitate implementation of the genomics curriculum at collaborating institutions, including extensive support for both faculty and undergraduate students. Faculty receive training to implement the curriculum, ongoing professional development, access to updated curriculum, and a community of practitioners. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the GEP developed a virtual learning assistant (LA) program to provide real-time support in GEP activities and research to all students, regardless of their institution, while they were participating in the GEP-CURE. A mixed-methods descriptive study was conducted about this program and draws from quantitative data gathered about the scope and use of the program, as well as the value of the program, as indicated by the undergraduates themselves from their post-course survey responses. Additionally, seven LAs who served in this role between 2021 and 2023 participated in interviews to help the GEP better understand how this resource was used by GEP students, the needs of the students, and to identify the conditions in which this resource could be replicated in other courses. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-45baf6d0cddb41588793ff08286c0171 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1935-7877 1935-7885 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Microbiology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education |
| spelling | doaj-art-45baf6d0cddb41588793ff08286c01712025-08-20T03:14:12ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education1935-78771935-78852025-04-0126110.1128/jmbe.00170-24Accessible support at a national scale: the use and value of virtual learning assistants across multiple undergraduate institutionsChristine M. Pribbenow0D'Andrew Harrington1Chinmay P. Rele2Katie M. Sandlin3Wilson Leung4David Lopatto5Laura K. Reed6University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USACollege of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada, USAThe University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USAThe University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USAWashington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USAGrinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, USAThe University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USAABSTRACT The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP; thegep.org) is a collaboration of more than 260 faculty from over 200 colleges and universities across the continental United States and Puerto Rico, all of whom are engaged in bringing Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) centered in genomics and bioinformatics to their students. The purpose of the GEP-CURE is to ensure all undergraduate students have access to research experiences in genomics, regardless of the funding and resources available at their institutions. The GEP community provides many resources to facilitate implementation of the genomics curriculum at collaborating institutions, including extensive support for both faculty and undergraduate students. Faculty receive training to implement the curriculum, ongoing professional development, access to updated curriculum, and a community of practitioners. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the GEP developed a virtual learning assistant (LA) program to provide real-time support in GEP activities and research to all students, regardless of their institution, while they were participating in the GEP-CURE. A mixed-methods descriptive study was conducted about this program and draws from quantitative data gathered about the scope and use of the program, as well as the value of the program, as indicated by the undergraduates themselves from their post-course survey responses. Additionally, seven LAs who served in this role between 2021 and 2023 participated in interviews to help the GEP better understand how this resource was used by GEP students, the needs of the students, and to identify the conditions in which this resource could be replicated in other courses.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00170-24learning assistantscourse-based undergraduate research experiencesCOVID-19 pandemicundergaduate student supportSTEM learning |
| spellingShingle | Christine M. Pribbenow D'Andrew Harrington Chinmay P. Rele Katie M. Sandlin Wilson Leung David Lopatto Laura K. Reed Accessible support at a national scale: the use and value of virtual learning assistants across multiple undergraduate institutions Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education learning assistants course-based undergraduate research experiences COVID-19 pandemic undergaduate student support STEM learning |
| title | Accessible support at a national scale: the use and value of virtual learning assistants across multiple undergraduate institutions |
| title_full | Accessible support at a national scale: the use and value of virtual learning assistants across multiple undergraduate institutions |
| title_fullStr | Accessible support at a national scale: the use and value of virtual learning assistants across multiple undergraduate institutions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Accessible support at a national scale: the use and value of virtual learning assistants across multiple undergraduate institutions |
| title_short | Accessible support at a national scale: the use and value of virtual learning assistants across multiple undergraduate institutions |
| title_sort | accessible support at a national scale the use and value of virtual learning assistants across multiple undergraduate institutions |
| topic | learning assistants course-based undergraduate research experiences COVID-19 pandemic undergaduate student support STEM learning |
| url | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00170-24 |
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