Using the Paleobiology Database to teach scientific practices: an approach aligned to relational culture theory

Abstract This teaching innovations article explains how to develop a course-based undergraduate research experience built upon data from the Paleobiology Database with the principles of relational culture theory. This approach integrates psychosocial skills associated with research, like persistence through frustration, with scientific skills, such as observation, statistical analysis, locating and reading primary literature, and writing a scientific paper. Specifically, this course was designed to align with The Five Good Things in relational culture theory: to develop positive learning ethos, to create knowledge, development of self-worth, action or movement toward deeper learning, and a desire for continued learning. To achieve these aspects of relational culture theory, the course uses a survey—issued on the first day of class and revisited throughout the term—to establish a connection between the instructor and students; weekly observations of photos of fossils to make data from the Paleobiology Database less abstract; and an alternative grading scheme that emphasizes spiral feedback. This course meets once a week, with extra homework in lieu of additional class time. The first part of the course teaches paleobiology content through interactive lectures, carefully selected readings, and short videos. Students use collaborative note-taking software to discuss readings and videos that inspire research topics. The second part of the course is about analyzing paleobiological data, and students learn different statistical tests they can apply; simultaneously, they formulate their research hypotheses and download their data. This section of the course concludes with students analyzing their own data. In the third part of the course, students use primary literature to both justify the study and interpret the results they obtained. The final project is a scientific paper, which some students choose to submit to the campus research journal. Relational culture theory adds value to the research experience, and the strategies that build it into this course can be adopted to other contexts. In the future, focus group interviews with undergraduates who have taken the course could offer a nuanced analysis of the simultaneous effects of the approaches.