Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education最新文献

This article aims to simplify and facilitate the process of practical teaching of enzyme kinetics by utilizing minimal teaching laboratory requirements. Simultaneously, it ensures that students comprehend the enzyme kinetics experiment effectively. The focus is on teaching students how to estimate the maximum velocity (Vmax) and Michaelis constant (Km) of β-fructofuranosidase enzyme (also known as invertase) isolated from dry yeast. The invertase enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of sucrose substrate into glucose and fructose, employing the Michaelis-Menten approach of evaluating invertase enzyme kinetics as well as Lineweaver-Burk linear graphic approach of evaluating the Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics. The practical experiment seeks to reinforce the concepts of initial velocity dependence on substrate concentration. The data presented in the work were generated from a genuine practical biochemistry course enrolled by second-year undergraduate students in the Department of Pharmacy and the Department of Medical Laboratory Science. While there were minor variations in the invertase enzyme kinetic parameters among students, they successfully carried out the experiment. The students accurately estimated the Vmax and Km of the invertase enzyme in the sucrose hydrolysis chemical reaction. Moreover, they demonstrated an understanding of the meanings of the kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) and the utility of the Lineweaver-Burk plot.

Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) is a growing interdisciplinary field addressing exposures to microbial pathogens and infectious disease processes. Risk science is inherently interdisciplinary, but few of the contributing disciplinary programs offer courses and training specifically in QMRA. To develop multidisciplinary training in QMRA, an annual 10-day long intensive workshop was conducted from 2015 to 2019-the Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment Interdisciplinary Instructional Institute (QMRA III). National leaders in the fields of public health, engineering, microbiology, epidemiology, communications, public policy, and QMRA served as instructors and mentors over the course of the program. To provide cross-training, multidisciplinary teams of 5-6 trainees were created from the approximately 30 trainees each year. A formal assessment of the program was performed based on observations and surveys containing Likert-type scales and open-ended prompts. In addition, a longitudinal alumni survey was also disseminated to facilitate the future redevelopment of QMRA institutes and determine the impact of the program. Across all years, trainees experienced statistically significant increases (P < 0.05) in their perceptions of their QMRA abilities (e.g., use of specific computer programs) and knowledge of QMRA constructs (e.g., risk management). In addition, 12 publications, three conference presentations, and two research grants were derived from the QMRA III institute projects or tangential research. The success of QMRA III indicates that a short course format can effectively address many multidisciplinary training needs. Key features of QMRA III, including the inter-disciplinary training approach, hands-on exercises, real-world institute projects, and interaction through a mentoring process, were vital for training multidisciplinary teams housing multiple forms of expertise. Future QMRA institutes are being redeveloped to leverage hybrid learning formats that can further the multidisciplinary training and mentoring objectives.

Many 4-year public institutions face significant pedagogical challenges due to the high ratio of students to teaching team members. To address the issue, we developed a workflow using the programming language R as a method to rapidly grade multiple-choice questions, adjust for errors, and grade answer-dependent style multiple-choice questions, thus shifting the teaching teams' time commitment back to student interaction. We provide an example of answer-dependent style multiple-choice questions and demonstrate how the output allows for discrete analysis of questions based on various categories such as Fundamental Statements or Bloom's Taxonomy Levels. Additionally, we show how student demographics can be easily integrated to yield a holistic perspective on student performance in a course. The workflow offers dynamic grading opportunities for multiple-choice questions and versatility through its adaptability to assessment analyses. This approach to multiple-choice questions allows instructors to pinpoint factors affecting student performance and respond to changes to foster a healthy learning environment.

Have you ever deeply considered the intersections between research and education, particularly for second-level students? Traditionally, the convergence of these two realms is most often noted when considering the integration of research findings into educational practices or the involvement of, typically a small number, of students in research activities. While these practices have demonstrated efficacy, the fields of scientific research and education are evolving rapidly, necessitating a reevaluation of how we can optimize their convergence. In our discourse, we delve into these evolving trends, uncover the potential for greater integration, and, ultimately, enhance outcomes using the citizen science initiative Kefir4All as an illustrative example.

Science misinformation represents a significant challenge for the scientific community. Hispanic communities are particularly vulnerable due to language barriers and the lack of accessible information in Spanish. We identified that a key step toward enhancing the accessibility of information for non-native English-speaking communities involves imparting science communication education and training to Hispanic youth. Our goal was to provide them with the skills to become science ambassadors who can effectively engage with their communities and bridge communication gaps. To address this, we developed the first science communication training program in Spanish for Hispanic high school and undergraduate students in Puerto Rico. The program called +Ciencia aims to provide training and education on science communication for Hispanic minorities through experiential and collaborative learning. In the short term, our multifaceted approach works to counter misinformation and promote science literacy within the broader community. Over the long term, our grassroots efforts with students will evolve into a generation of professionals equipped with strong engagement skills and comprehensive training in science communication with a specific focus on Hispanic audiences. Herein, we describe the components of this educational program and provide open access to educational materials and articles developed by three cohorts.

Climate change education is both important and challenging. Prior research suggests that many secondary school science teachers in the United States were conveying "mixed messages" to students that legitimized scientifically unwarranted explanations of recent global warming. In this paper, we focus on US climate education at the middle school level and assess whether teacher attention to recent global warming, and whether the messages conveyed to students, changed between 2014 and 2019. Pooling data from two nationally representative probability surveys of middle school science teachers, we show significant advances on several key criteria, but the prevalence of mixed messages remained high. Exploratory analysis suggests that improvements were spurred partly by the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards by many states and by partly by shifts in the personal views of science educators.

Bacteria form an intense portion of reading and learning for students enrolled in microbiology education. As a part of the foundational course outline of bacteriology, bacterial classification is a significant topic of discussion. The purpose of our study was to analyze whether bacterial classification can be taught with a phylogenetic tree approach that might be more engaging and beneficial to student learners of microbiology. This methodology is unique compared to the conventional approach applied in introductory lectures of bacteriology that relies on morphology and Gram-staining to classify bacteria. The participants of this study were students enrolled in a two-semester medical school bridge program that offers a Master's degree in Pre-clinical Sciences. We presented bacterial origin and classification in the light of evolution and used a phylogenetic tree to signify clinically relevant groups of bacteria. Students were also taught the traditional bacterial classification using Gram stains and morphology. Both methods of classification were delivered in a didactic classroom session considering equal time spent and utilizing the same format. An online survey was distributed to the students after the session to collect their feedback. The results from the survey showed that 74% of participants would prefer learning bacterial classification using a combined approach that includes both Gram-staining and morphology as well as the phylogenetic tree. When asked if the study of bacterial classification through an evolutionary tree diagram is a clear and concise way of understanding bacteria, 79% of the students either agreed or strongly agreed with this statement. Interestingly, the alternative phylogenetic tree approach was considered more engaging and regarded as a means to expand the clinical knowledge of bacteria by 78% and 71% of the students, respectively. Overall, our study strongly supports the use of tree-based classification as an additional method to improve the learning of medically important groups of bacteria at varying levels of education.

Fungi mostly reproduce through spores that are adapted for airborne dispersal; hence, fungal spores (and fungi) are found virtually everywhere. Fungi can be "friends or foes." Our friends include fungi used in the food and biotech industries, fungi that contribute to the cycling of carbon and nutrients, and those involved in the decontamination of polluted soils and/or water, to mention just a few examples. Many species, however, are foes-they are detrimental to plants, animals, and/or humans. Annually, >1.5 million people die due to invasive fungal infections. With the aim of enhancing microbiology literacy and the understanding of microbial concepts, we set up a project for the collection of airborne spores (the principal agent through which human airways are exposed to fungi). Students from five high schools in the Oeiras municipality partnered with us as citizen scientists; they carried out sampling by collecting fungal spores on adhesive stickers. The fungal spores collected by the students were subsequently processed in the schools and our research laboratory. Results obtained by the students themselves revealed a large variety of fungal species capable of growing in a rich medium at 30°C. In the research laboratory, using selective isolation conditions, 40 thermotolerant fungi were isolated, 32 of which were taxonomically identified as aspergilla, mostly from within the Aspergillus fumigatus taxa, yet exhibiting high genetic heterogeneity. The protocols and results were presented to the students, who were made aware of the local dispersal of airborne fungal spores, including some from potentially pathogenic fungi. Through carrying out scientific activities, the students developed both the interest and the self-confidence needed to implement future environmental investigations.

Inspired by the positive impact of serious games on science understanding and motivated by personal interests in scientific outreach, we developed "Bacttle," an easy-to-play microbiology board game with adaptive difficulty, targeting any player from 7 years old onward. Bacttle addresses both the lay public and teachers for use in classrooms as a way of introducing microbiology concepts. The layout of the game and its mechanism are the result of multiple rounds of trial, feedback, and re-design. The final version consists of a deck of cards, a 3D-printed board, and tokens (with a paper-based alternative), with all digital content open source. Players in Bacttle take on the character of a bacterial species. The aim for each species is to proliferate under the environmental conditions of the board and the interactions with the board and with other players, which vary as the play evolves. Players start with a given number of lives that will increase or decrease based on the traits they play for different environmental scenarios. Such bacterial traits come in the form of cards that can be deployed strategically. To assess the impact of the game on microbiological knowledge, we scored differences in the understanding of general concepts before and after playing the game. We assessed a total of 169 visitors at two different university open-day science fairs. Players were asked to fill out a brief survey before and after the game with questions targeting conceptual advances. Results show that Bacttle increases general microbiology knowledge on players as young as 5 years old and with the highest impact on those who have no a priori microbiology comprehension.

The current and ongoing challenges brought on by climate change will require future scientists who have hands-on experience using advanced molecular techniques, can work with large data sets, and can make correlations between metadata and microbial diversity. A course-embedded research project can prepare students to answer complex research questions that might help plants adapt to climate change. The project described herein uses plants as a host to study the impact of climate change-induced drought on host-microbe interactions through next-generation DNA sequencing and analysis using a command-line program. Specifically, the project studies the impact of simulated drought on the rhizosphere microbiome of Fast Plants rapid cycling Brassica rapa using inexpensive greenhouse supplies and 16S rRNA V3/V4 Illumina sequencing. Data analysis is performed with the freely accessible Python-based microbiome bioinformatics platform QIIME 2.