Enhancing Bioinformatics and Genomics Courses: Building Capacity and Skills via Lab Meeting Activities: Fostering a Culture of Critical Capacities to Read, Write, Communicate and Engage in Rigorous Scientific Exchanges. (23rd August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Boudabous, Abdellatif; Tekaia, Fredj
• Is Part Of: BioEssays. Volume 42:Number 10(2020:Oct.)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2020-08-23
• Subjects: analytical skills -- capacity building -- communication -- education -- preparing and presenting reviews -- scientific literature follow up -- sharing ideas; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Cytology -- Periodicals; Developmental biology -- Periodicals; 572.8
• DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000134
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0265-9247

Abstract

Abstract: Reading, writing, publishing, and publicly presenting scientific works are vital for a young researcher's profile building and career development. Generally, the traditional educational curricula do not offer training possibilities to learn and practice how to prepare, write, and present scientific works. These are rather a part of lab meeting activities in research groups. The lack of such training is more critical in some developing countries because this adds to the rare opportunities to discuss and become involved in the exchanges on state of the art scientific literature. Here the authors relate their experience in introducing a weekly 1‐day lab meeting in the framework of two previously organized 3‐month courses on "Bioinformatics and Genome Analyses". The main activities which are developed during these lab meetings include scientific literature follow up as well as preparing and presenting oral and written scientific reviews. These activities prove to be useful for a student's self‐confidence building, for enhancing their active participation during the lectures and practical sessions, as well as for the positive impact on running the whole course program. Incorporation of such lab meeting activities in the course program significantly improves the capacity building of the participants, their analytical and critical reading of scientific literature, as well as communication skills. In this work it is shown how to proceed with the different steps involved in the implementation of lab meeting activities, and to recommend their regular institution in similar courses. Abstract : Incorporation of lab meeting activities in "Bioinformatics and Genomics" courses significantly improves the capacity building of the participants, their analytical and critical reading of scientific literature, as well as their communication skills. Such activities include scientific literature follow up as well as preparing and presenting oral and written scientific reviews and prove to be useful for a student's self‐confidence building. It is shown how to proceed and recommended to introduce such activities in similar courses.