2011 Accepted Microbrew Abstracts
ASSESSMENT/TEACHING METHODS
A Literature-based, Disease-Centered Molecular Biology Course
AM Buchmann. Chadron State College, Chadron, NE.
Teaching students to understand and apply complex scientific concepts is a challenge. Molecular Biology is a particularly difficult course to teach because the ideas are particularly abstract and far removed from the everyday world of human experience. Molecular biology textbooks tend to focus individually on cellular processes, molecular techniques, and diseases without integrating the knowledge so that students understand how molecular techniques lead to new discoveries about cellular processes and how knowledge of cellular processes can lead to molecular based treatments for common diseases. To allow students to better connect scientific discovery and molecular biology, I developed a Molecular Biology of the Cell course which is based on scientific literature and case studies of molecular diseases. In this course, students worked cooperatively in small groups to read and analyze scientific papers dealing with particular molecular processes and diseases. Students then applied their knowledge to case studies which focused on genetic disorders, drug discovery, and use of common molecular techniques. For example, students applied their knowledge of the ubiquitin-proteosome pathway to analyze the problem of Parkinson’s disease and to design drugs for Alzheimer’s disease. By the end of the semester, most students were comfortable designing theoretical experiments to screen potential drugs for the treatment of molecular diseases. Students self-reported increases in critical thinking, literature reading, and cooperative learning skills at the end of the class, and more than half the class liked the cooperative format better than a strict lecture format.
Cyto-Mind Storming: Combining Classes to Explore the Interface Between Subjects Through Case Studies
S.L. Elliott and J.J. Byrd. St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary’s City, MD.
No matter the type of institution, the traditional biology curriculum utilizes upper division courses that are stand-alone entities concerning highly specialized topics. This curriculum structure uses an arbitrary division of course topics based upon either historical or organizational approaches. As the lines within the discipline of Biology are blurred both intra- and inter-disciplinarily, ways of bridging these artificial boundaries are needed. This is increasingly important with the routine use of interdisciplinary teams in the working environment. We designed a classroom structure where students from two independent courses (Immunology and Virology) came together during the semester to explore case studies about viral evasion of the immune response. Students used their acquired knowledge from their individual classes to serve as experts in their discipline for their peers. This format allowed the instructors to delve into interdisciplinary topics that would not be normally covered in depth in either classroom. This approach enriched the content for each course, and demonstrated problem solving in a real-world scientific environment. This microbrew will discuss important administrative aspects of adopting this strategy within your own curriculum, including case study development, group construction, course structure, and potential interdisciplinary opportunities to apply this approach.
Connecting the Dots: Creating a Collaboration among Microbiology, Environmental Science and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Instructors at a Community College
G. Gilinger, E. Shrader, and J. Alvarez. The Community College of Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD.
Over a year ago three instructors from three different fields got together in an attempt to create a joint project for their classes. Environmental Science (ENVS) students had been, for some time, analyzing trees in a part of campus that had been sectioned into 5 meter by 5 meter grids. The idea of the joint project was for the GIS instructor to have his students take grid coordinates using GPS to create a map of the grid system and then use GIS to create maps that contained data collected by the E.S. students. Then microbiology students began collecting soil samples from the grids and analyzing them in the lab for the presence of microbial life. Again, the data was to be passed on to the GIS students with the purpose of creating a map. The goals of this project were:
- to give students an opportunity to practice techniques relevant to their specific courses;
- to create a map that would allow students to analyze how different elements in the environment are affected by each other; and
- to analyze, using GIS, how these elements can change over time, as we will be collecting from the same spot semester after semester.
However, there have been many stumbling blocks in achieving these goals, especially for the microbiology component. Some of these issues include determining the best method of sampling 1 meter by 1 meter grids, selecting the media to analyze microorganisms and deciding how far to take the analysis. Should individual species be identified or just types of microorganisms? Could this project be an extension of the traditional unknown lab? These are the issues that will be discussed in this microbrew session.
Development of Online Course: “Plagues, People and Power”
V.C. Neumann. Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee, WI.
In the Fall of 2007 an online course was developed called “Plagues, People and Power” which examines how human activities have impacted, and in turn been influenced by, infectious diseases outbreaks and the implications for future disease outbreaks. The course uses lectures supplemented with a review of fiction and non-fiction reading assignments, movies, art and music. Topics covered include the Black Death, leprosy, smallpox, syphilis, tuberculosis, influenza, HIV/AIDS and biological weapons.
This presentation will include a discussion of course content and the advantages and disadvantages of an online delivery method.
Quick AND Useful: Knowledge Surveys To Assess Student Learning and Teaching
M.L. Pedulla and K. McElroy, Montana Tech of the University of Montana, Butte, MT.
C Knowledge surveys are one attempt to answer the recurring question: “What (the heck) do my students know, and is my course helping?”
Knowledge surveys are a teaching tool that allows an instructor to assess student preparedness and the instructor’s own teaching effectiveness. A survey of the important concepts students are expected to learn in a course is administered at the start and end of the semester. Different from pre- and post- testing, instead of students providing answers to specific questions, they rate their ability to answer the question.
Instructors don’t want to duplicate too much course-to-course, so we want to know what concepts students already know; yet, we want to be SURE they know certain basics. Of course, it is great to provide evidence for student learning (“outcomes!”): instructors (and department heads) want to know if the course actually helps students learn, what it helped them learn, and to quantify student progress!
Knowledge surveys provide efficiency and transparency: with the use of knowledge surveys, instructors don’t need to waste time covering material students already really know well. Nor do we miss covering material they don’t know that maybe we assumed they knew. Students know what they need to learn, chapter by chapter…it guides them in their reading and studying. Lectures can incorporate these questions. Quiz and tests can easily be based on these questions
Efficiency. Students get an up-front view of the course. They get a quick look at what they already know and don’t know. They know what the instructor feels is critical, and they know what they need to learn, chapter by chapter.
Covered in the microbrew session will be how long does the survey preparation and administration take, how much time does it save…and how can the results be used for tenure and promotion portfolios?
How To Present The “Big Ideas” In Microbiology Using Concept Lenses
S.L. Rowland. University of Queensland, QLD, Australia.
A strong, recent movement in tertiary education is the development of conceptual, or “big idea” teaching. The emphasis in course design is now on promoting key understandings, core competencies, and an understanding of connections between different fields. In modern science teaching, this radical shift from the content-based tradition is being driven by the “’omics” information explosion; we can no longer teach all the information we have available. Science teaching is in urgent need of a method for delivery of conceptual frameworks. In this project we aimed to define the key concepts in biochemistry. We find that the key concepts we defined map well onto the core science concepts defined during the Vision and Change project. We developed a new method to present biochemistry through the lenses of these concepts. This new method challenged the way we thought about biochemistry as teachers. It also stimulated the majority of the students to think more deeply about biochemistry and to make links between biochemistry and material in other courses. This method is applicable to the full spectrum of content usually taught in biochemistry, but is also adaptable to other disciplines. In this presentation I will discuss how the concept lens method can be used to teach microbiology from a conceptual perspective.
Creating a Contextualizing Framework to Anchor and Organize New Information.
S.K. Sullivan. Louisiana State University of Alexandria, Alexandria, LA.
Introductory Biology students often have trouble understanding how the different components of unfamiliar and complex topics, such as the parts of a cell or the components of the immune response, fit together. Concept maps have come into favor for addressing this need and they work well for visual learners. However, the construction of the concept map can be difficult without an understanding of the connections that need to be made. I have developed a modification for the conceptual process by inviting the students to set up a concept diagram on a familiar topic which then can be used as a guide to form the connections for the biological topic. For example, I have them design a manufacturing plant as a team. I periodically ask questions to make sure all of the pertinent components are present (i.e. power generators, communication systems). Together we discuss how each of the components used in the plant, is analogous to a part of the cell. The process of building, sorting and shipping of proteins follows a path through the organelles. This technique has proved useful for several topics, and is especially useful for kinesthetic learners. I will provide some guidelines for use and modifications for different topics. We can discuss other ways this may be of use.
Incorporating a Learning Component in Curving Grades
I.V. Zaitsev. Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York, New York, NY.
During those extensive debates, pro and con, on the internet concerning the widely practiced curving of grades on examinations, I have found none of the suggested methods of doing so with academic integrity to my satisfaction. Consequently, I devised my own curving strategy for my Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology Classes. Upon turning in exams individually, I ask my students to indicate on a piece of paper two or three questions that they could not answer or of which they were unsure. In exchange, I give them the written correct answers to questions that stymied them for which they would be credited. Seated beside my desk, I allow them enough time to consider the rational of the correct answers. I have noticed that as a result of being in a most receptive frame of mind under the tension of an examination, my students, along with a sigh of relief, undergo a few moments of often apparent enlightenment. According to pop post-exam quizzes, I found out that they retain particularly the material covered by those "give away questions" that had confounded them. Besides being a learning experience, as I learned from commends afterwards, my curving strategy turned out to release nervous tension that might otherwise unsettle some intense students while being tested.
HANDS ON CLASS ACTIVITIES
The Antimicrobial Employment Agency: An Active Approach to Learning Methods of Controlling Microbial Growth
C.L. Ault. Jamestown College, Jamestown, ND.
This classroom activity is designed to help students learn about the various methods used in controlling microbial growth. Students are divided into groups of two or three (depending on the size of the class). Each group is given a sheet with the name of a physical or chemical method of control of microbial growth in vitro. The students are given about 10 minutes to fill out the “employment application” for their antimicrobial agent, using their text book. In the application, they must indicate whether the agent is a physical agent or chemical agent, which subcategory it fits into in that general category (for example moist heat, dry heat, radiation, filtration, or a chemical category). They also must answer some questions on behalf of the “applicant”: How do you generally damage microbes? Can you be used to sterilize? For job history, a few examples of jobs that the agent has been used for must be listed. Finally, the applicant must list any serious limitations it may have.
Once the applications are complete, I act as the employment agent. I will briefly describe what a particular “employer” is looking for in an antimicrobial agent. Any groups with an antimicrobial agent that may potentially be able to do that job stand up. A few more detailed questions will generally result in just one of the antimicrobial agents being “hired” for the job. The whole class participates in this hiring.
This activity seems to be much more interesting to both the students and the instructor than a lecture on this rather dry material. Student comments are positive and the majority of students learn what they are expected to about the topic.
Use of In-Class Debates as a Teaching Tool to Improve Student Research and Analytical Skills
M.A. Gazdik. Ferrum College, Ferrum, VA.
An in-class debate can be an excellent active learning tool that provides students an opportunity to complete in-depth research, improve their verbal communication skills, and increase critical thinkingabilities. To perform successfully in a debate, students must research the topic and effectively express their research analysis through well thought-out arguments. I have utilized in-class debates in biotechnology and microbiology, both small, upper-level biology courses. They have been very well received by students who say that they learn more from the debates then they would if they had to write a standard research paper. Some opponents of debates suggest that they only reinforce a student’s existing beliefs about the topic instead of encouraging them to critically analyze all sides. In order to prevent this, I have designed my debates so that students must research both sides of the issue; as they do not know which side they will be arguing until the day of the debate. Student debate teams are responsible for presenting their case, forming arguments for rebuttal, and giving a closing statement. Debate teams assign specific roles to students so that all students must participate in some portion of the debate. I have assessed students based both on their individual research and group performance, while the class assesses themselves on the success of the debate. This presentation will introduce the use of class debates by discussing how students completed their research to prepare for the debate, how in-class debates were organized to fit within a course period and ensure all students participated, and how students were assessed at the end of the debate.
The “20 Question” Paradigm: Discerning Biological Concepts Allied to Physical Sciences with a Conceptually Hierarchical List of Clues
G.M. Marley. Oklahoma State University; Stillwater, OK.
Undergraduate biology courses taught for both science and non-science majors offer challenges in communicating abstract concepts, especially for freshman non-science majors with minimal physical science exposure. The basic science backgrounds among freshmen and motivations for studying biological sciences are quite diverse. How can instructors relate abstract concepts to such students while not diluting facts and concepts from students with more sophisticated backgrounds? Cellular respiration is an example of such a challenging concept. Most students are familiar with the game of “20 questions” wherein 20 questions or clues are listed, often in deceasing degree of difficulty, to provide clues as to a specific person, place or thing. To provide information concerning cellular respiration, we instead used criteria for identifying a “molecule, process, or location”. Between 5 and 20 facts or “clues” were listed in an apparent order of decreasing difficulty. Topping the list were facts more global in nature and discernable to those with some physical science background. Moving down the list were facts prerequisite for success within our biology course and more sequential in nature. Our first goal was to discern at what level within each list a student could initially and accurately provide the correct answer. (In class, clickers can aid in getting honest data from the students at this point.) As a home assignment, students can be assigned questions at levels above their own for further enrichment. This hierarchical approach may help educators to discern dichotomous learning styles such as understanding (sequential vs. global) and organization (deductive vs. inductive). Students accurately categorized according to learning style can be a guide for tutors tasked with aiding them. We also would like to apply this method to other biological concepts including action potentials and molecular biology.
Name that Mystery Microbiologist
H.S. Mathews. University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.
The history of Microbiology is a traditional opening unit for Microbiology class. Students expect to be lectured on the list of individuals and their respective contributions. One way to enliven this material is to supplant the lecture with a game involving the entire class, and then to evaluate their retention by asking them to write an essay describing five notable contributions made by as many microbiologists. Students become engaged in the material both as volunteer Mystery Microbiologists and as detectives trying to identify the Mystery Microbiologists. They become so involved they seem to forget they are in a difficult course. The text become a source of clues, and by sleight of hand, students observe and appreciate the information presented in easily obtainable tables and graphics of their book.
The professor provides student volunteers with plaques identifying them as Mystery Microbiologists #1 / #2 / #3, in front of the class (wigs, lab-coats, glasses and even moustaches have been used). Volunteers are encouraged to prepare biographical notes, especially information from their textbooks, about their Microbiologist. The professor then calls on raised hands from the class to ask questions of one of the Mystery Microbiologists that can be answered with a Yes or No answer. After a limited number of questions (I usually stop at 20), the class must ‘vote’ their three identifications (for credit as well) and turn-in their ballots for credit.
In keeping with active learning principles the students construct their learning and the professor takes the role of a coach. Assigning an essay question in advance requires the students to process and remember enough historical biographies to assure the professor of their learning. Often at the end of the semester this is the most remembered event of the class!
CACAO: Competitive Annotation of Gene Function
B.K. McIntosh. Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
In CACAO (Community Assessment of Community Annotation with Ontologies), undergraduates do literature-based annotation of gene function as an intramural or intercollegiate competition. Students work in teams to get points for making correct annotations based on reading the literature and understanding the annotation practices of the Gene Ontology Consortium. They also can steal points from other teams by correcting their annotations. The competitive nature of CACAO motivates students to be very active in their independent reading and critical thinking. Annotations made in CACAO are made available to other genome databases, giving the student contributions real world value. Our group at Texas A&M provides infrastructure for CACAO using the wiki-based GONUTS (http://gowiki.tamu.edu) website. We also provide curriculum materials, assessment tools, and guest lectures. In this Microbrew, we will describe how to participate in CACAO at your institution.
Bioinformatics Curriculum Modules for the Life Sciences
M.A. Pauley. University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE.
Bioinformatics is a relatively young discipline that integrates mathematical and computational techniques with biological knowledge to analyze genetic information. Bioinformatics techniques are playing an increasingly important role in the biosciences. Using these techniques, analysis of the vast amounts of data produced by DNA sequencing and mapping projects is uncovering hitherto unknown relationships between genes and diseases, having a profound impact on drug development and clinical trials, and is affecting agricultural and industrial biotechnology.
It is widely recognized that there is a strong demand for people with bioinformatics skills and the national need for a workforce educated in bioinformatics and biotechnology is well-documented.
Despite its increasing importance, however, there is a general lack of integration of bioinformatics concepts into undergraduate curricula in the life sciences where they could readily be applied. At the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) for example, most biology students graduate with minimal exposure to bioinformatics. In addition, few students, especially at the high school level, are aware of bioinformatics as a scientific discipline or as a possible career path.
The project discussed in this presentation was designed to address these challenges. In particular, we have developed, pilot-tested, refined and disseminated a set of modules in bioinformatics curriculum modules that can be integrated into curricula in the biological sciences or other disciplines. Each module, consisting of approximately five hours of instruction with a problem-based learning component and an illustrative homework assignment, addresses a fundamental concept in bioinformatics (e.g., algorithms, databases, etc.). One module has been adapted to introduce bioinformatics at the high school level.
The focus of this presentation will be a discussion of the specific content of the modules and will include our experiences with integrating the content modules into specific courses. Also discussed will be UNO’s unique undergraduate degree program in bioinformatics.
The Openmods Model Organism Database in the Undergraduate Classroom
P.C. Pratt-Szeliga and R.D. Welch. Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.
We have developed an open-source bacterial genome annotation software package called openmods that can be used for undergraduate classes as an aid in teaching the basic concepts of genomics, systems biology, or bioinformatics. Openmods can be installed on any server running the Ubuntu operating system. After installation, the instructor inputs the name of a genbank file for an organism’s genome, and openmods then downloads the file and relevant information from online databases such as Pfam, KEGG, and GO, and parses all of this information for each open reading frame. The database is accessed via a graphical user interface similar to a standard model organism database. Students can update the genome annotation through openmods, and all information (i.e., date, student, update) is recorded for the instructor. This software package is free and available upon request, and an example database can be tested at www.xanthusbase.org.
LABORATORY ACTIVITIES
Can Facial Tissue or Toilet Paper Protect your Fingers from Bacteria?
N.T. Barden. Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA.
One of the most popular lab exercises in our Medical Microbiology course involves testing layers of facial and toilet tissue for their ability to protect fingers from bacterial contamination. This “tissue effectiveness” exercise is a group project that is easy to set up and can be completed in the next lab period. The “contamination” is in the form of either E. coli or Staphylococcus epidermidis dilutions (approximately 10-4 - 10-5) swabbed onto the surface of TSA plates. Facial tissue is tested with the S. epidermidis culture and toilet tissue is used with the E. coli. Using gloved fingers four different group members touch the inoculated surface covered with 0, 1, 2, or 3 layers of tissue using 2 or 3 fingers each. The students then touch another TSA plate with the same fingers. After incubation colonies are counted in the fingerprints, and the students are asked to comment on whether or not layers of tissue would protect them during actual use. Pairing this exercise with a hand washing exercise where various soaps or sanitizing agents are tested for effectiveness in reducing the microbiota counts on the fingers definitely reinforces hand washing practices!
Fermentation Laboratory: Making Sauerkraut in the Lab
A.B. Brader. Lancaster General College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Lancaster, PA.
The following presentation will cover an alternative, simple and non-alcohol activity in the laboratory for teaching the process of fermentation. Sauerkraut is an old German delicacy that involves natural fermentation of cabbage with little else needed. The presentation will include the German styles and language that can be used during the activity to keep the students’ interests. From the fermentation perspective, the presentation will cover the organisms that are involved and the conditions in which the different organisms ferment. From the procedure perspective, the presentation will cover the materials that are needed and the steps to complete the process, as well as emphasis on the key components needed to make respectable sauerkraut. The end result is a product that rivals or that is better than the store bought product, which cannot usually be said about other fermentation activities in the lab.
Bioinformatics across the Science Curriculum: Integrating Bioinformatics Problems into Lab Courses on a Shoestring Budget
P.J. Cummings and K.M. Obom, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD.
Bioinformatics is an integral part of most laboratory projects today. Providing students opportunities to use bioinformatics tools in a laboratory course provides several challenges. First, most college laboratories do not have access to the modern tools for nucleic acid sequencing and analysis. Second, many students do not have the pre-requisite knowledge to allow them to use bioinformatics tools without previous training. In this workshop, we will present three exercises that incorporate bioinformatics into two laboratory courses, Recombinant DNA Methods and Biodefense Lab Methods and some useful resources that will introduce students and the instructor to basic NCBI bioinformatics tools. The first method we use is to give students experience with primer design. Students are given a DNA sequence, instructions on designing primers, and primer design sites and are asked to produce primers for use in PCR. The second method of incorporating bioinformatics tools is to have students isolate genomic or plasmid DNA that is “sent out” for DNA sequencing. We provide the sequence from Genbank as an unknown and the students do a BLAST analysis and data interpretation. Finally, as part of discovery of an unknown bioterrorist agent, we give students a partial sequence, along with some laboratory data and case study information and ask them to identify the agent. Sequence identification requires understanding how to perform and interpret BLASTN and BLASTP searches. We use a short video that teaches the basic steps of a BLAST search to instruct our students. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXEpBnUbAMo
Perfecting Your Spread Plate Technique
D.M. Hartman. Baylor University, Waco, TX.
The Spread Plate Technique in conjunction with serial dilutions is a valuable research tool. The transition from “knowing” to successfully “doing” has a steep learning curve. In order to provide meaningful results it is vital that students learn the “art” of making uniform spread plates. The technique has to be repeatable and the results reliable.
There are three areas that merit attention. First, make accurate dilutions using pipettors. Second, respect the necessary “short” time interval between agar inoculation and spreading. Third, apply a balanced spread technique using a glass hockey stick to evenly spread the inoculum on the agar surface.
In the research lab, students start with pipetting five sets of 0.01 ml, 0.1 ml and 1 ml aliquots of safranin on Saran Wrap. They are expected to “feel” the three stops (expel, “blow out” and eject). The color makes the visual comparison more striking than simply using water or broth. The aliquots for each dilution should be comparable. Next, students practice applying the safranin to the surface of agar plates. The aliquot is applied to the center of the plate. The hockey stick is sterilized and used to spread the dye across the agar surface. Time delays result in an obviously darker area in the agar where dye was first applied. This helps students to appreciate the importance of promptness and delicacy. Third, students learn the art of balancing the hockey stick so that the dye spreads evenly across the plate without “puddling” in the middle or being spun to the periphery. Taking time to really learn and understand the fundamental principles that define great spread plate technique is invaluable. Students learn from each other, develop confidence and grow as a team.
Isolation of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria to Teach Basic Microbiological Concepts and Techniques
C. Keler. Delaware Valley College, Doylestown, PA.
Some free living plant growth promoting bacteria inhabiting the area around plant roots called the rhizosphere often express the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase. This enzyme cleaves ACC, an intermediate in ethylene production in plants, into ammonia and α-ketobutyrate. Plant growth promoting bacteria found in the rhizosphere can easily be isolated from plant roots using a defined selective media. Using serial dilution and M9 minimal media with ACC as the sole nitrogen source students isolate bacteria from plant roots. In this first step students learn about different media for isolating and growing bacteria, serial dilution and plating, bacteria enumeration and plant-microbe interactions. Once pure cultures are obtained students can easily test whether their isolates increase the root length of germinating seeds in one week by inoculating seed with their isolate and then measuring the length of the root. Students then can use basic biochemical testing to identify the genus of their isolates. In this step students learn Gram staining, differential media use to identify bacteria, flow chart construction and use of Bergey’s Manual.
Scientific Methodology and Assessment of Oral Rinse Efficacy
T.L. Marsh and P.E. Arriola. Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL.
Americans spend millions of dollars each year on oral hygiene products, each with their own claims of effectiveness in reducing plaque, preventing cavities, bad breath, or gingivitis. Evaluating the effectiveness of these products provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate steps in scientific methodology in a familiar system for students. A laboratory exercise was developed targeting high school seniors and non-science majors that promotes the use of scientific methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of oral rinses in inhibiting the growth of oral microflora. Using a modification of the Kirby-Bauer technique the antibacterial properties of Listerine, Scope, Listerine Total Care, Crest Pro Health, and store brand equivalents of each were tested and compared to 95% ethanol using oral bacteria enriched for and isolated by the participants. Plates were incubated at 37° C for 24 hours and zones of inhibition were measured. Student experimental results were analyzed revealing that Scope and the comparable store brand demonstrated the greatest inhibitory effects followed by Crest Pro Health and its generic while mean zone sizes for Listerine and its generic and Listerine Total Care and its generic were significantly smaller than the ethanol control. Students were then charged with determining the active ingredients of each mouthwash and its mode of action in an effort to explain the findings of the exercise. A pre and post assessment instrument evaluated changes in students’ ability to define science and hypothesis. In addition, students were asked to answer questions regarding scientific methodology and the inter-relatedness of all scientific disciplines, as well as the reliance of science on mathematics. Preliminary analysis of the assessment instruments showed that there was a significant difference in the ability to define both science and hypothesis, as well as a significant increase in students’ abilities to explain the interdisciplinary nature of scientific disciplines and mathematics.
Utilization of Real Research Experiments to Teach an Upper Level Microbiology Course
B.J. May. College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN.
Best practice pedagogy suggests that active learning and hands on activities are an invaluable component of a student’s learning experience. I have capitalized on this concept and piloted a fused laboratory and lecture course this past fall for upper level microbiology students. Within the class period we held discussions on a topic (often facilitated with a primary research article or case study) and followed this discussion immediately with a lab-based research project. When possible, these research activities were student-driven and facilitated by the instructor. The reason for this approach was several-fold. First, more time in the laboratory was possible. Second, laboratory experiments were conducted immediately after discussion on a topic. Students could directly see the connection between concepts and lab experiments. Third, it is believed that this approach encouraged student engagement and ownership over their learning and experiments. Students were able to learn content in the context of a real research question.
For example, after a discussion regarding a microorganism’s impact on the environment and where they might reside, students developed hypotheses based on the lakes on campus (which includes both a eutrophic and oligotrophic setting). Student hypotheses were founded on identifying different microorganisms in these environments. Students performed sampling, microscopic analysis, physiological analysis, and 16S identification on their samples. Here they learned important laboratory techniques and used microbiology content information to design and assess their hypothesis. As another example, students were asked to use bioinformatic techniques to determine whether the bacterium Cellulomonas flavigena was capable of a variety of metabolic properties. In performing this experiment, they were asked to identify the role of the metabolic pathway, the genes required for this pathway and learned valuable bioinformatic tools to predict C. flavigena’s capabilities with help from the Joint Genome Institute’s Undergraduate Genome Annotation program.
Cheap and EasyTM Marine Microbial Metagenomics
T. Meilander. Notre Dame College, South Euclid, OH.
Cheap and EasyTM Marine Microbial Metagenomics is a hands-on, collaborative exploration that challenges students to describe microbial diversity using metagenomics concepts and processes. In this activity, students will differentiate between a genome and metagenome, describe the basic steps in shotgun sequencing, explain the advantages and limitations of this approach, describe methods used by microbial ecologists to study unknown microbes in the ocean, link the study of genomics to discoveries of ecosystem functions in marine microbes, and communicate scientific ideas with peers in collaborative groups. In small groups, students will construct a sample genome (from paper strips provided in the activity). Each group will compare their genome with those of other groups in order to make generalizations about the diversity of the community metagenome. Students will examine the metagenome for the presence of a gene for bacterial rhodopsin. The duration of the activity is one class session (approximately 60 minutes) and requires only low-cost materials (paper, scissors, and tape). This activity has been field tested with a variety of students including science majors, AP Biology students, and science teachers.
Bacterial Flora of Paper Currency and Other Fomites in Laboratory Exercises
R.J. Wolff and A. Stewart-Akers. South University, Columbia, SC.
We have conducted a laboratory exercise using paper currency brought in by the students where we have sample the dollar bills for a variety of bacterial contaminants. We have focused on Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA), E. coli, and beta hemolytic organisms. Paper currency has many bacterial contaminants and the pattern has varied over the seasons. These laboratory studies allow analyses of sampling methods, identification, critical thinking, handling potentially dangerous unknowns, and the role of fomites. Other related experiments on fomites are discussed, including the sampling of pens of nurses and toilet seats. Benefits from using real world fomites that contain potentially pathogenic organisms and the problems handling them are central to the value of these exercises.
The Pet Microbe Project: A Full-Semester Investigation
C.L. Ault. Jamestown College, Jamestown, ND.
Early in the semester, each student (or small group of students, depending on the size of the class) is assigned a “Pet Microbe”. The students complete a series of small assignments throughout the semester, answering questions about their microbe in the context of each of the major topics that are being discussed, such as cell (or virus) structure, classification, habitat, nutritional and atmospheric requirements, microbial genetics, antimicrobial agents, disease(s) caused, and immune responses. Some of the information is available in the textbook, some they have to find elsewhere. Guidance is given as to which sources are acceptable. Finally, they organize the information that they have gathered into a short paper and also give a short (5 minute) presentation to the rest of the class about their Pet Microbe. Creativity is encouraged in the presentations, which are given during the last week of classes. Most students use Powerpoint presentations, others have made colorful posters, and a few have performed a skit. I am still hoping for a song and dance!
Helping Students Become Scientists – lab notes & data blogs as assessment tools
G.S. Begley. Northeastern University, Boston, MA.
I have developed a summer research course that replicates the structure, mentoring interactions, conceptual mastery, and skill development that occur in a research laboratory. Students acquire research skills working independently and in groups on projects related to my ongoing research. Every effort is made to put together students with different experiences such that each student can be the expert in a particular area and have the opportunity to both teach and learn from other students. Each class session begins with a lab meeting. These meetings involve aspects of both the journal clubs and the informal group meetings that are the norm for research labs. The instructor moderates and models as necessary, but students take over more and more of the lab meeting as the semester progresses. The meeting evolves to the point where students give a quick update on their findings, troubleshoot any problems, and discuss their research plan for the day before moving into the lab to begin their experimental work. Students receive feedback on their research progress and their laboratory notes on a weekly basis. A blog on the course Blackboard site is used to share results and develop protocols. This allows students to work on data analysis outside of the laboratory sessions, keep up with the work of other lab members, and receive ongoing instructor feedback. In the Microbrew session I will discuss this research class model and the strengths and weaknesses of laboratory notebooks and data blogs as tools for assessing research student development.
Creating Videos and Public Service Announcements as a Means of Promoting Student Engagement, Developing Critical Thinking Skills and Creating Citizen Scientists
L.A. Cuchara. Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT.
There is a recognized need for scientists/health professionals to effectively communicate science to the public. To these ends I have been using discussion boards with great success since 2007. I have now taken this “Citizen Scientist” goal from the passive world of discussion boards to the public, interactive and dynamic Web 2.0 arena. The Internet is the first and/or only place many people go to for information. Google demonstrated that its searches are just as accurate, and two weeks ahead of, the CDC regarding flu epidemics. The power of the Internet, especially Web 2.0, is also its shortcoming because anyone can add content making it difficult to sort through good and bad websites. The majority of YouTube videos posted and websites obtained when searching for “vaccines” are anti-vaccine, not impartial or advocating the benefits of vaccines. Scientists just do not have (or make?) the time to create these types of educational and informative materials.
For three semesters my students have been creating vaccine ‘public service announcements using the University’s inexpensive, simple-to-operate “flip cameras”. The end products have been quite varied in style but the goal of these assignments, to create more “citizen scientists”, was successful. A wonderful side effect was mastery of technology and enhanced learning of the topic itself, the latter falling under the constructivism learning philosophy (“humans can understand only what they have themselves constructed”). Constructivism learning involves avoiding the internalization of factoids only to be regurgitated later on and emphasizes learning as result of individual mental construction via the establishment of meaningful connections. Several students have continued on with this project after my class and four even after graduation. I even heard of tales of one of my students strongly advocating that the participants at a local hospital’s research associates orientation program take advantage of the free flu vaccine being offered that day.
Simulated Social Media Enhances Student Understanding of Microbial Diversity
R.K. Hoffman. Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA.
In an out-of-class exercise designed to familiarize students with the scientific names of microorganisms and with the diversity of microbial metabolism, students were assigned the name of a bacterial species as their “microbial identity” for which they had to research morphology, growth characteristics, and community dynamics. Over successive days each student was required to post answers from his/her “microbial self” to a threaded discussion about their activities as a microbe. Recommended learning outcomes for the exercise asked the students to be able to describe the characteristics of five new “microbial friends” they had met through the group interaction. All students who participated in the exercise successfully related the names and characteristics of at least five new species in a reflection question about the exercise. This type of exercise can easily be expanded to include organisms other than bacteria or more complex interactions between the species.
Giving Microbes a Second Life: How Can a Virtual Microbiology Laboratory Experience Improve Learning?
B.A. Rash. Our Lady of the Lake College, Baton Rouge, LA.
The focus of this session is to generate feedback on the design and implementation of a Second Life microbiology assessment instrument. As a response to (a) to the need for increased exposure to laboratory experiences, (b) a lack of on-campus laboratory facilities, and (c) an institutional objective associated with developing distance learning modules, I have received administrative approval to develop an active learning-based activity within the College’s Second Life island that will initially be used for assessment in an introductory microbiology course for allied health majors. The basic design of the out-of-classroom activity is as follows: (a) student avatar enters the virtual clinic and reviews a patient’s chart, in which a patient’s vitals are provided, along with signs and symptoms; (b) student avatar travels to the microbiology lab, where he/she perform basic lab techniques, including microscopy, inoculation of differential media, biochemical tests, and DNA sequencing; (c) student avatar attempts to determine the etiological agent, providing a written justification. This activity is integrated with Moodle, allowing for embedded questions to appear throughout the multiple exercises, allowing for expedited collection of assessment data. My hypothesis is that this activity will enhance the student’s analytical and diagnostic skills, in a manner that can be more seamlessly collected and analyzed, for use in course-level and program-level outcome assessment. My primary questions posed to the participants in the session are: (a) can this proposed virtual lab improve informative and instruction design, as it relates to an introductory microbiology course, (b) at what point does the “niftiness” of this technology become a barrier to student learning, and (c) in this virtual environment, how can embedded questions be successfully designed to more accurately assess higher orders of learning?
Friending Facebook: Using Facebook as a Teaching and Advising Tool
R.L. Robson, Morningside College, Sioux City, IA.
Facebook is the most popular social networking site in the world, with currently over 300 million regular users. While it was originally designed to be a student-only forum, increasingly both students and professors maintain personal Facebook pages. A survey of students at a small, private Midwestern liberal arts college (N = 303) indicated that virtually all students maintain Facebook accounts, and that a large majority (83%; n = 246) are aware that their professors also have Facebook pages. A substantial minority
of students (38%; n = 126) reported being “Facebook friends” with professors. While potentially problematic, instructor-student Facebook relationships can be used to enhance teaching and advising in a variety of ways. Facebook chats can be used to facilitate online tutoring or review sessions, Facebook quizzes can provide a fun out-of-class way of looking at course material in a new light, and Facebook groups can enable online discussions. As more and more instructors use Facebook for social networking, we can also now start to use it to enhance our teaching.
Online Interactive Modules Designed to Engage Students in Understanding Bacterial Growth and Aspects of Neisseria meningitidis Pathogenesis
A.C. Smith1, M. Chase2, G.A. Houston-Ludlam1, K. Nelson1, .C. Stein1. 1University of Maryland, College Park MD and 2Montgomery College, Rockville, MD.
Serial dilutions, viable plate counts, graphing growth data, understanding the normal growth curve: these are topics often challenging for students. Our goal was to develop a tool that engaged students in learning these important skills and concepts. We developed an interactive set of online modules that relate bacterial growth to the pathogenicity of Neisseria meningitidis. We targeted this organism due to: the research interest of one of our development team; our students’ interest in health related fields, and the fact that all college students are immunized to protect against disease caused by this organism. We used the online mode because of the previous experience and expertise of one our team in teaching biologically relevant math in this mode (www.mathbench.umd.edu). The modules begin with a story about a college student who develops symptoms of bacterial meningitis: “Meet Frank, a college sophomore with a Swedish roommate. One evening he came down with a sore neck, and by morning he had a pounding headache, an aversion to light, and a rapidly spreading rash. The doctor took one look at him and admitted him to intensive care for meningitis. The disease is caused by a rapidly multiplying bacteria. How can we measure the growth rate of the bacteria, and why does a log-transformed graph help us a lot more than a regular one? And once we know the growth rate ... how long does poor Frank have?” The first online module engages students in understanding the normal growth curve and population doubling time. The second module compares methods for measuring bacterial cell number. Also explored is the pathogenicity of N. meningitidis and the role of vaccines in preventing disease. Students in pilot studies found the scenarios interesting and engaging. The modules can be alone or with a bacterial growth lab.
See: http://mathbench.umd.edu/modules/popn-dynamics_meningitis/page01.htm
http://mathbench.umd.edu/modules/popn-dynamics_serial-dil/page01.htm
Vampires: Exploring Myths and Microbiology
J. Verran. Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK.
There is considerable current interest amongst young people in novels, films and television programmes associated with vampires. This interest was harnessed in an activity which encouraged students to link principles of infectious disease with vampirism, through discussion and other activities. The versatile nature of the activity has considerable potential for use in cross-disciplinary education, schools outreach (by staff and students) and science communication.
To date, the activity has been focused around the ‘Twilight’ novel. For a younger audience, the laboratory is set up with the microscope specimens that were being examined by Bella and Edward when they first met (mitosis). Relevant readings from the book precede discussion – for example, why did Edward first become a vampire? (he was about to die of influenza in the 1918 pandemic). How is influenza transmitted? How are other diseases transmitted? (transmission by contact demonstrated using a fomite stained with fluorescent dye, passed around the class) How do you become a vampire? (transmission by puncture) What other ways are there of catching disease? (ingestion). What diseases are similar to vampirism in terms of symptoms, transmission etc.? How do you prevent yourself from becoming a vampire?
The nature and content of the discussion will vary with the audience, but key messages on transmission of disease are given, and feedback has been excellent.
In the Microbrew session, an overview of the learning activities will be given, with discussion and new exercises attempted (zombies and werewolves included!)
Implementing Inter-Professional Healthcare Shadowing
V.M. Watt. University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Although many life science students aspire to careers in healthcare professions, particularly medicine, most have little exposure to the realities of practice. I capitalized on student interest in exploring individual professions to promote inquiry-based learning, lifelong learning skills, and an appreciation of and preparation for inter-professional healthcare practice. I integrated a short shadowing component into a 3rd-year undergraduate course built to optimize this experiential learning. In this course, students shadow in a healthcare profession of their choice for two half days or one full day. To facilitate informed decision making, before balloting for their chosen profession students are exposed to the inter-professional nature of healthcare during the first of four modules exploring in depth a specific disease common in our society. Over the past 3 years, students have requested observerships in a wide variety of professions (e.g., dentistry, genetic counseling, medicine & its specialties, naturopathy, nursing, speech language pathology). They have shadowed in multiple venues including operating rooms, clinics, and community outreach centers. To optimize successful interactions, students receive limited instruction in professional behavior, and guidelines for onsite learning expectations. To capitalize on the benefits of these exciting learning opportunities, each student presents a poster on their shadowing that includes documentation, reflection and scholarly research. These experiences are so rewarding for the professionals that all volunteer repeatedly. They are also transformative for the students. Many say that this shadowing is the highlight of their undergraduate education: this is one of our most popular courses with >450 students balloting in 2010-11 to be registered in this limited enrolment course capped at ~80 students. I will present effective, efficient tools that enable incorporation of such rewarding enhancement of student learning into many undergraduate science courses.
OUTREACH
Leading an Elementary School Science Club: A Service Learning Project for Microbiology Students
J.R. Klein. Northwestern College, St. Paul, MN.
I organized a six-week after school science club for twenty-five 3rd-5th graders at a local elementary school. Students in my microbiology course led the club as a service learning project. Their involvement consisted of brainstorming lesson topics, writing lesson plans, preparing lesson materials, teaching the lesson and writing a reflective essay after the lesson. The micro-brew session will include a further description of the format of the service learning project, with emphasis on aspects that worked and aspects to improve on. In addition, the activities that were done with the children will be described with a chance for participants to share additional ideas for activities or resources.
Introduction of Microbes to High School Students.
A.H. Williams. University of Tampa, Tampa, FL.
A team of science education undergraduates, Biology undergraduates, and educators at the University of Tampa will introduce a week long microbial project to a local high school science class. This fosters community outreach between Universities and their surrounding communities, extending to interested high school science students. UT undergraduates learn more about microbiology topics and especially how to introduce these topics effectively to the general population. Many times high schools are not introduced to microorganisms or microbial experiments in high school and this project will serve to introduce the students to these intriguing science topics which are newsworthy. A special topics course, BIO495, will be created by Dr. Ann Williams in Biology for ~5 interested and recruited Biology undergraduates. UT students will receive credit and a grade for this course. In this course, the students will work on preparing and delivering this week long microbial experiment to a local high school science class during Fall 2011. Goals of the course and specifics on the outreach project will be discussed at the meeting. Student understanding of the material and microbiology concepts related to the experiments performed will be assessed by the student in the course in the pursuit of further funding for subsequent years and a pedagogical publication. Funds are currently being requested for the supplies necessary to run the week long experiment in the high schools through an internal University granting program. If successfully, external funding will be pursued for an annual project.
READING AND WRITING TO LEARN
Data Analysis and the Art of Asking the Right Questions: Guided and Collaborative Exercises that Improve Scientific Reports
L. Chilukuri. University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA.
The ability to write organized, well reasoned, and insightful scientific reports is an important skill that students should acquire in a laboratory course. Meaningful reports require several factors – instruction on the structure of a well written paper, complete and accurate analysis of the data, comprehensive research on the subject material, and most importantly, the ability to articulate the kind of questions that direct the reader’s attention to the background, significance, and future directions of that work. Proper organization and analysis of data is central to and influences the quality of the entire report. However, this is not intuitive for most students. For the last several years, we have incorporated seminars on report formatting, and on accessing and searching scientific databases through our library, resulting in significant improvement in those aspects of the report. This year, we have incorporated a workshop in which students work with the data set they will use for their first report. Beginning with raw and unorganized data, students are walked through the process of formatting and reorganizing the information, thus providing them with a refresher on the use of spreadsheets. Through judicious use of group activities, students also learn how to view the same data set from different perspectives, to judge the degree of reliability of the data set, and to determine the deficiencies of the data and the experimental method used. Students are encouraged to formulate questions that can be asked of the experiment and of the data. The initial part of writing the report is thus a collaborative process with feedback. Students have reported a higher level of comfort with the writing process than they have in the past and reports written on the same topic and graded with the same or more stringent grading guidelines have shown an identifiable improvement in quality.
Simple Method For Using Primary Literature In A Large Lecture Microbiology Course
E.A.B. Emmert. Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD.
Reading primary literature is a valuable skill for undergraduates to practice. Thorough discussions of scientific articles would be challenging in large, introductory lecture courses. I have devised a straightforward approach to informing students about current microbiology literature. I use scientific articles in my large (70+ students), introductory general microbiology course to expose the students to the literature, broaden their perspective of microbiology, and demonstrate relevance to their lives and our course. I carefully choose current articles that are comprehensible by the students and relate to an aspect of microbiology that we have recently discussed in lecture. After individually reading an article, students discuss it online in small groups via Blackboard and then answer one short answer exam question about the article. Students read four articles in one semester – one for each exam. Students are assessed for both their discussion contributions and exam answers. Using current literature makes microbiology real for the students and often piques their interest. Careful selection of articles builds student confidence in reading the literature and interpreting data. Student surveys indicate that most appreciate reading current research articles.
Improving Critical Thinking Skills through Analysis and Evaluation of Scientific Concepts Presented by the Media
J.H. Kavouras. Lewis University, Romeoville, IL.
Instructors are always looking for a way to improve their students’ ability to think critically. We sometimes forget these skills take time to develop and improve, so it is best to start early in undergraduate education. Many students acquire scientific information from the media, such as online news reports, television, newspapers, etc., but are never encouraged to analyze the information. They passively accept as truth what is reported. This is a missed opportunity for instructors to have students apply their knowledge, analyze content, and then evaluate the information presented by these sources. Short papers (2-3 pages) also allow students to improve their science writing skills. Students were assigned articles that discuss popular topics in microbiology. After reading the articles, they identified the main idea(s), determined three important facts the author used to support the main idea(s), determined whether the concepts and/or data were represented accurately for non-scientists, and decided if the information was relevant to them. Papers were graded using a rubric. There was a short classroom discussion of the article upon completion. Overall the assignment was effective in accomplishing its objectives. In the future, video clips may be substituted for articles.
Journal Clubs to Incorporate Primary Scientific Literature in Upper Level Biology Courses
B.M. Martinez-Vaz and J. Goldberg. Hamline University, Saint Paul, MN.
Reading and analyzing primary scientific articles is a difficult skill that many students struggle to master. A journal club activity was developed to help students improve their understanding of research papers and enhance their group work and oral presentation skills. Peer review articles from scientific journals were chosen for discussion; the papers selected were always related to topics covered in course lectures and laboratory activities. Most articles were four to six pages long and contained no more than six figures. A class of approximately twenty students was divided in groups of three to four students; each group included a student leader and participants. Student leaders and participants were given a set of guide questions a week prior to the discussion session. Questions for the leaders included topics such as: the main hypothesis stated on the paper, detailed queries on the methods chosen to test the hypothesis and how data presented on figures supports the findings presented in the paper. At the beginning of the class discussion, all students are given ten minutes to individually answer a set of general questions and turn them into the instructor. Participant students are asked to explain: the overall goal of the paper, which figures they consider the most important among the ones presented in the article and the main findings of the research. During the next twenty minutes of class, the students work in groups and discuss one of the figures of the paper in detail; student leaders are in charge of facilitating the group discussion. After group work is finished, leaders are given four minutes to present and explain their group’s figure to the entire class. Students are evaluated using group work and oral presentation rubrics. This activity can be modified for courses having sixty or ninety minutes class periods or larger number of students. Doing journal club activities several times during the semester have fulfilled objectives such as data interpretation, oral communication, concept presentation and synthesis.
Using Primary Literature To Engage Student Learning In Scientific Research And Writing
E. Senkevitch, G. Marbach-Ad, A.C. Smith, and W. Song. University of Maryland, College Park, MD.
We have found that students do not understand the process by which primary data is collected, processed, and published as a part of the scientific research process. To respond to this we implemented a new course design in our upper level immunology lab. The “Research Process Design Model” is a 3-stage curriculum design that focuses on the primary research article with the intention of engaging students in learning standard lab protocols while being exposed to features of the research process. In the first stage, students are introduced to the significance of the structure of a primary research article. Students read an article section by section, participate in a class discussion about the structure and content of that section, and make comparisons to course assigned lab reports that similarly focus on the section being discussed. In the second stage, students analyze, present, and critically discuss a full research paper while comparing published data to data generated in the course lab. During this stage, the techniques the students employ in the course lab are the same as the techniques reported in the article and their lab reports are required to be in the same style as the completed primary research article. Lastly, in stage 3, students work collaboratively on a hypothesis driven course project, using clinically relevant scenarios and mock samples. Here, students are expected to connect the basic research process to the publication process. Once experiments are completed, the students analyze their data and write full reports in the style of a research article. Like a research article this report is subjected to peer review within the class before final submission. This design was field tested in the Spring of 2010. Students showed gains in their knowledge of immunology techniques and reported increased understanding of the scientific research process.
Biology in the News: A Five-Minute Student-Presented Highlight of Biological Science Headlines
S.S. Strand. The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH.
To students, textbook material makes science seem static, yet exciting scientific discoveries are highlighted in the news on a daily basis. Using an article chosen from the current week's New York Times Science Times, student pairs presented a five-minute overview of the article to a majors introductory-level biology course. Presentations had to include two PowerPoint slides, and the chosen article had to relate to some aspect of our course (either material previously covered, or material to be covered in the future). Student groups met with me individually prior to the presentation to clear up any confusion or questions about the material in the chosen article. Following the presentation, audience members were required to ask at least two questions, however students typically asked many additional questions leading to valuable discussions about scientific content, and biomedical ethics. Evaluation surveys conducted at the end of the course were overwhelmingly positive and indicated that students felt excited about what they learned and appreciative of the format of Biology In The News.
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