LEPPA: A teaching modality of biotechnology course for postgraduate students in biomedical majors

ABSTRACT

Teaching biomedical technology is critical for the success of research of both domestic and international postgraduate students (DPSs and IPSs). However, difference in the learning characteristics between the two cohorts as well as appropriate teaching modality remains largely unexplored. In the present work, we studied these issues by recruiting 33 IPSs and 32 DPSs who selected the course of ‘Patch-Clamp Technique and Its Application in Life Science Research’ at Harbin Medical University in China in 2019. Questionnaires were performed to investigate their learning obstacles and style preferences. Correspondingly, we designed a new teaching modality, i.e. lecture enriched with practicum, research proposal and post-course advice (LEPPA in brief) and tested its effect. This modality was positively evaluated by all the IPSs and 90% of the DPSs. The LEPPA can efficiently resolve the concerns of both IPSs and DPSs while promoting their transition from undergraduates to research students.

KEYWORDS:

• Postgraduate students
• assessment of educational activities
• biomedical research education
• global education
• teaching modality

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

Data supporting the results or analyses presented in the paper are available upon reasonable request.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Higher Education Talents Funds (Fund source: Heilongjiang Province, No. 002000154, YFW), the Fund of ‘Double-First-Class’ Construction of Harbin Medical University (Fund source: Heilongjiang Province, Songbin Fu), the Fund of Postgraduate Course Construction (Fund source: Harbin Medical University, YFW), and Higher Education Teaching Reform Project (Fund source: Heilongjiang Province Education Department, No. SJGY20180325, HZ).

Notes on contributors

Xiao-Yu Liu

Xiao-Yu Liu, Harbin Medical University, Doctor of Physiology, senior lecturer, good at online teaching and composing micro-lecture video, analysed data and wrote the first draft.

Yang Liu, Harbin Medical University, Master of Physiology, PhD candidate, teacher’s assistant.

Xiaoran Wang

Xiaoran Wang, Harbin Medical University, Doctor of Medicine, Lecturer of Physiology, good at medical education.

Shuwei Jia

Shuwei Jia, Harbin Medical University, Doctor of Physiology, Associate Professor, good at medical education.

Tong Li

Tong Li, Qiqihar Medical University, Doctor of Physiology, Lecturer.

Ying Zhang

Ying Zhang, Professor, Department of Physiology, Harbin Medical University, engaged in medical education for 17 years.

Chunmei Lu

Chunmei Lu, Harbin Medical University, Doctor of Physiology, Associate Professor, good at Physiological education.

Haixia Wen

Haixia Wen, Harbin Medical University, Doctor of Physiology, Professor, good at online course construction.

Hongbo Jin

Hongbo Jin, Harbin Medical University, Doctor of Physiology, Professor, good at functional experimental education.

Hui Zhu

Hui Zhu, Harbin Medical University, Doctor of Physiology, Professor, engaged in medical education for 22 years.

Danian Qin

Danian Qin, Shantou University, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor, engaged in medical education for 28 years.

Chunmei Hou

Chunmei Hou, Harbin Medical University, Master of Human Anatomy and Histoembryology, Lecturer, good at general education;

Yang Liu

Yang Liu, Harbin Medical University, Master of Physiology, PhD candidate, teacher’s assistant.

Dongyang Li

Dongyang Li, Hainan Medical University, Doctor of Physiology, Lecturer, good at general education

Yu-Feng Wang

Xiaoran Wang, Harbin Medical University, Doctor of Medicine, Lecturer of Physiology, good at medical education.

Yu-Feng Wang, Harbin Medical University, MD, & PhD, Distinguished Professor, engaged in medical education for 27 years, conceived the study and performed teaching.