An active, collaborative approach to learning skills in flow cytometry

• DOI: 10.1152/advan.00002.2015
• Publication Date: 2016-04-12T03:03:20Z
• Authors: Kathryn Fuller; Matthew D. Linden; Tracey Lee-Pullen; Clayton Fragall; Wendy N. Erber; Kimberley J. Röhrig
• Keywords: Cytometry

Advances in science education research have the potential to improve way students learn perform scientific interpretations and understand concepts. We developed active, collaborative activities teach skills manipulating flow cytometry data using FlowJo software. Undergraduate were given compensated clinical listmode output (FCS) files asked design a gating strategy diagnose patients with different hematological malignancies on basis of their immunophenotype. A separate cohort trainees was uncompensated which they performed own compensation, calculated antibody staining index, designed sequential strategy, quantified rare immune cell subsets. Student engagement, confidence, perceptions assessed survey. Competency against learning outcomes by asking undertake tasks that required understanding dot plot sequences. The approach allowed achieve not previously possible traditional teaching formats, for example, having without forgoing essential such as interpretation plots. In undergraduate students, favorable field career choice correlated student confidence but ability analysis. demonstrate this new pedagogical is beneficial complex It should be considered useful method incorporating analysis into curricula.