Authentic Science Inquiry Learning at Scale Enabled by an Interactive Biology Cloud Experimentation Lab

Abstract

National guidelines advocate for a more sophisticated STEM education that integrates complex and authentic scientific practices, e.g., experimentation, data collection, data analysis, and modeling. How to achieve that is currently unclear for both presential and distance education. We recently developed a scalable cloud lab that enables many online users to perform phototaxis experiment with real, living Euglena cells (opposed to just simulations). Here we iteratively designed and deployed an open course on the edX platform including suitable user interfaces that facilitates inquiry-based learning on this cloud lab: Online students (>300) run real experiments (>2,300), performed data analysis, explored models, and even formulated and experimentally tested their own hypotheses. Platform and course content are now suited for global adaptation in formal K-16 education. We will demo our cloud lab at the conference.