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ERIC Number: EJ1469478
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Apr
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1935-7877
EISSN: EISSN-1935-7885
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Accessible Support at a National Scale: The Use and Value of Virtual Learning Assistants across Multiple Undergraduate Institutions
Christine M. Pribbenow1; D'Andrew Harrington2; Chinmay P. Rele3; Katie M. Sandlin3; Wilson Leung4; David Lopatto5; Laura K. Reed3
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, v26 n1 2025
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.
American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1915544; R25GM130517
Author Affiliations: 1University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA; 2College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; 3The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; 4Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA; 5Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, USA