Microbiology is a difficult topic to teach given that the objects of study are mostly invisible to the learner. The majority of university students beginning their training in biology are more ...interested in natural objects that can be seen with the naked eye. Nonetheless, micro-organisms are key components of the biosphere and a good microbiological background is required for a thorough training in natural sciences. Lectures are still a common teaching format in universities. However, it is a passive learning format and no longer considered the most adequate approach in most teaching situations. Instead, alternatives consisting of more active teaching formats have been recognized to better motivate students to acquire and consolidate knowledge. In addition, transferable skills, such as effective communication, critical thinking and time management, are acquired simultaneously. A similar engagement can be obtained using games as part of the teaching experience. In this study, we designed a card game to teach key concepts in basic bacteriology and mycology to bachelor-level students. The first task consists of creating and designing microbial characters based on a list of species. This proved very useful for second-year bachelor students in terms of grasping concepts such as cell morphologies, taxonomy and life cycles. In the second task, third-year students used the characters created in the second-year class to develop a game based on an ecological function, namely forest litter degradation. In addition, they also considered experimental validation of the microbial activities and incorporated knowledge acquired in other fields.
Infectious diseases are a leading cause of death for children from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), often due to inadequate hand-hygiene. This study evaluates culturally relevant educational ...resources as a vehicle to disseminate the importance of handwashing amongst children in India. Employing a participatory action research (PAR) model and mixed methods, this follow-up longitudinal study evaluates a set of innovate educational handwashing resources and workshops specifically co-created for use in the State of Gujarat, and how they aid teachers in the teaching of hand-hygiene over a 3 year period. Working alongside local NGOs on-the-ground, teacher questionnaires (
=58) and focus groups including a brief questionnaire with teachers (
=35) were conducted to assess the impact of trainer workshops. In addition, pre- and post-workshop worksheets were conducted with children (
=98). Percentage change was calculated between children's pre-and post-worksheet scores and a cumulative frequency of responses to each questionnaire criterion was measured. Data from the focus group found that the resources had been used in over 200 schools by more than 5000 children. In addition, 92.28 % of teachers said they would use the resources within their classrooms in India, with 58.16 % of pupils having an increased understanding of germs/handwashing directly after the workshop. Teachers reported that they are able to teach microbiology and handwashing more effectively. Furthermore, following a focus group, 100 % of teachers noted a reduction in childhood vomiting and diarrhoeal illnesses linked with insufficient hand-hygiene across 46 schools in the State of Gujarat since using the Germ's Journey resources.
La investigación tiene por objetivo reconocer la incidencia del desarrollo humano como estrategia pedagógica para fortalecer los procesos académicos de las instituciones educativas. El paradigma es ...interpretativo, desde el enfoque cualitativo; la estrategia es documental. Los hallazgos arrojaron como resultado que el desarrollo humano, de los docentes participantes del estudio, son un factor determinante para ayuda a mejorar los procesos académicos pedagógicos de la institución, ya que este los dota de las competencias para que los estudiantes perciban en ellos un ejemplo, un apoyo y una persona en la que pueden confiar. Como conclusión de evidencia, la satisfacción personal es un componente relevante del desarrollo humano, pues esta lleva a los docentes a sentirse felices, ajusto en su trabajo, lo que se observa en una actitud más abierta, conciliadora, responsable, ética y creadora de los docentes, convirtiéndose su propio ser en una estrategia pedagógica motivadora que facilita el proceso de aprendizaje de los estudiantes.
The Microbiology Society Education and Outreach Network (EON) recently hosted the Teaching Symposium at the Microbiology Society Annual Conference, sponsored by
Access Microbiology
. The presence of ...the Symposium as an established parallel session within the wider Annual Conference reflects the importance of high-quality, contemporary microbiology education and outreach delivered in an enthusiastic and inclusive manner. At the 2023 Symposium, a variety of pedagogical research projects in higher education learning, teaching and assessment, as well as public engagement projects, were showcased through invited talks, offered talks, flash talks and posters. The event was attended by up to 70 delegates. Several themes were noted throughout the day: engaging with Gen Z (Generation Z, those born between 1996 and 2010), active learning, art in science and engaging with non-higher education (HE) audiences. Inclusivity was a key driver in the organization of the Symposium; the room was set up to encourage discussion and participants could ask questions using an online platform as well as speaking in the room. We now encourage all speakers to consider publishing their work as a peer-reviewed article for further dissemination and impact.
Este artigo surge da necessidade de se refletir sobre a formação de administradores, com foco em identificar o percurso formativo destes profissionais e a ênfase que é (vem sendo) dada nessa ...formação, à luz dos projetos pedagógicos dos cursos (PPCs). Nesse sentido, adotou-se uma abordagem qualitativa, com procedimento descritivo e, na coleta de dados, utilizou-se da pesquisa bibliográfica e documental, sendo esta composta por 05 PPCs do curso de bacharelado em administração, um de cada região do país, conforme as universidades públicas federais definidas por sorteio. Observou-se que a formação do administrador ainda está focada na eficiência e na performance, no sentido de se alcançar resultados financeiros cada vez maiores, restringindo a formação deste profissional ao fator técnico. Apesar dessa predominância, percebeu-se que alguns PPCs fazem menção à necessidade do profissional ter uma visão global o que, possivelmente, pode abrir espaço para se pensar novas formas de organizar, de empreender.
There is a wealth of innovation in microbiology outreach events globally, including in the setting where the public engagement is hosted. Previous data indicate an underrepresentation of marginalized ...ethnic groups attending UK science-based public engagement events. This project engaged our student cohort, encompassing a diverse range of ethnic groups, to create an integrated art and science event within an existing series of adult education evenings. The study’s objectives were to increase the proportion of visitors from marginalized ethnic groups and to gain a greater understanding of the impact of the event on the visitors’ reported science capital. The participants’ demographics, links to our students and University, and detailed impact on participants’ science capital of the event were determined through analysis of exit questionnaires. There was an increase in the proportion of marginalized ethnic group visitors compared to similar previous events. A higher proportion of visitors from marginalized ethnic groups had links with our students and University compared to white/white British visitors. Elements of the exit questionnaire were mapped to the science capital framework and participants’ science capital was determined. Both ethnically marginalized participants and white/white British visitors showed an increase in science capital, specifically dimensions of science-related social capital and science-related cultural capital, after the event. In conclusion, our study suggests that a student-led blended art and science public engagement can increase the ethnic diversity of those attending and can contribute towards creating more inclusive public engagement events.
Educational systems, orientation and work designate closely interconnected universes of discourse and practices. There is no inclusive and quality work where there are neither quality training nor ...orientation. Supply and demand in the workplace risk not matching where an educational, systemic culture of orientation and scientific work is lacking. This is, however, necessary to build young generations of pedagogists imbued with trust, rigor and orientation towards the future, with humility and initiative.
Biofilms are naturally occurring communities of micro-organisms, attached to a surface and often embedded in a matrix of self-produced polymeric substances. Biofilms are widely implicated in human ...infections, particularly on prostheses and medical implants. Such biofilms are difficult to eradicate, often leading to replacement of the prosthesis and resulting in a significant burden to healthcare. Here we present a fun and engaging interactive activity targeted toward primary school/early secondary school children, introducing the concept of natural and healthcare-associated biofilms, using dental plaque as an archetypal example. Dental plaque forms as a result of poor oral/dental hygiene, and develops according to a typical series of defined stages: attachment and adherence to the surface, followed by colonization and maturation of the biofilm structure, and eventually, dispersal. This activity uses dental disclosing tablets to visualize real biofilms (plaque) on the participants teeth, and uses interlocking building-blocks to represent microorganisms, where children build three-dimensional 'biofilms' of varying shapes and structural integrities. Each of the stages of development are discussed in detail, and after building the biofilms, balls of different shapes, sizes and weights can be used as 'antimicrobials' to disrupt the biofilm structure. The outcomes of the activity are to enhance knowledge and general understanding of biofilms; their ubiquitous presence in the natural environment, development, implications in healthcare, and challenges of treatment. The various 'antimicrobial' balls also provide a basis to introduce and discuss drug selection for infections, and the importance of using the correct antimicrobial for different infections to avoid development of resistance.
Synthetic biology enables the creative combination of engineering and molecular biology for exploration of fundamental aspects of biological phenomena. However, there are limited resources available ...for such applications in the educational context, where straightforward setup, easily measurable phenotypes and extensibility are of particular importance. We developed unigems, a set of ten plasmids that enable classroom-based investigation of gene-expression control and biological logic gates to facilitate teaching synthetic biology and genetic engineering. It is built on a high-copy plasmid backbone and is easily extensible thanks to a common primer set that facilitates Gibson assembly of PCR-generated or synthesized DNA parts into the target vector. It includes two reporter genes with either two constitutive (high- or low-level) or two inducible (lactose- or arabinose-) promoters, as well as a single-plasmid implementation of an AND logic gate. The set can readily be employed in undergraduate teaching settings, during outreach events and for training of iGEM teams. All plasmids have been deposited in Addgene.
