An Alternative Approach to Teaching Microbial Diversity

Abstract

An alternative approach to teaching microbial diversity was designed to enhance learning of important concepts in microbiology, increase retention of content, improve microbiology-related skill sets, and positively influence student interest in and disposition toward the natural sciences.

Promoting Active Learning and Student Engagement in Two Different Graduate Courses for Veterinary and Animal Sciences: Cases From Mexico and Denmark

“…Medical microbiology courses are usually intensive courses that require a great deal of commitment from the students and can be difficult to teach in a way that benefits all of them, the curricula that students should take goes beyond memorization and expect students to analyze and synthesize the new knowledge acquired (11). A report prepared by an educational working group of the American Society for Microbiology identified general concepts in microbiology that students should understand like evolution of microorganisms such as bacteria, as well as their structure and their role as virulence factors, metabolism, as well as the impact of these microorganisms on public health (11,12). With these approaches, major changes have been made in the curriculum within the field of microbiology, with the purpose of improving the understanding of the theoretical part by students, their daily work and throughout the semester and the containment of knowledge of microbiology beyond the time required in class (11).…”

“…In some American and European universities, one of the main concerns when revising microbiology courses are stop memorizing and promote critical thinking, improve laboratory skills, keep constantly updated to new knowledge related to microbiology and that revised contents are outstanding so that students maintain interest in this area of Medicine (12).…”

“…Typically, microbiology courses help students to enter a great biological diversity, so that a typical course only covers a small population of microorganisms (12). One challenge that teachers face in any natural science course is teaching in a way that helps students to create superior cognitive skills.…”

“…One challenge that teachers face in any natural science course is teaching in a way that helps students to create superior cognitive skills. This challenge can be especially alarming in teaching microbiology due to the large number of scientific findings that are discovered every day (12,13).…”