Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education最新文献

Teaching assistants (TAs) play a pivotal role in the teaching mission of higher education, but too often they are asked to do this important job without adequate teaching professional development (TPD). By receiving training in inclusive and evidence-based teaching practices, TAs can in turn help disseminate effective teaching methods for the benefit of students throughout the nation; as future faculty, TPD also better prepares TAs for their careers, helps solve longstanding problems of inclusion and retention in STEM, and reforms disciplinary educational norms through cultural evolution. Thanks to prior research and advocacy efforts, there is a growing awareness that STEM education needs to do more to help support these instructional allies in the present and to prepare them to do a more effective job teaching the next generation of scientists and citizens. To aid in this disciplinary transformation, we introduce the Web of TPD Reform, an evidence-based reflective tool for creating, improving, and studying TA-TPD. Expanding on the work of the "Building a Better Future STEM Faculty" report, we define 16 features of TA-TPD programs, each of which can be categorized or evaluated on a five-point scale. The web is useful for institutions when envisioning new TA-TPD, as well as for reflecting on and reforming existing TPD programming; it may also serve as a research tool for tracking key metrics of TPD. Here, we describe our rationale, present the TPD Web, walk readers through its use, and discuss example applications.

Despite evidence that active learning practices (ALPs) increase student success and reduce the opportunity gap in historically marginalized students, lecturing alone is still being used as a primary teaching strategy. Perceptions that students do not view ALPs positively, resulting in negative course evaluations, are one of the barriers to ALP incorporation. It is unclear how students, in a highly structured course that includes diverse ALPs, perceive these practices in addition to in-person, synchronous lecturing. To fill this gap, we surveyed students in a mid-level undergraduate General Microbiology course, comprising 60-150 students, that incorporates moderate to high levels of ALPs, including interactive lecturing, collaborative work, and flipped sessions, in addition to traditional lecturing. We used inductive qualitative analysis of three open-ended questions to evaluate students' perceptions of classroom activities in terms of perceived pedagogical value (i.e., helping reach learning objectives), perceived enjoyment, and overall value of the activity (i.e., would like to see this type of activity in future courses). We show that most students perceive lecturing, followed by flipped activities, as the strategies that best help reach the learning objectives. Similarly, most students enjoy flipped activities the most and would like to see these types of activities in future courses. Students also perceive ALPs as complementary to lecture, particularly by helping improve understanding and providing opportunities to apply concepts. Our data should encourage faculty to incorporate more ALPs into their curriculum; in particular, flipped and interactive activities.

Item discrimination, the point-biserial correlation between performance on a question and total exam score, was analyzed in relation to question format, difficulty, and Bloom's taxonomy, which are rarely studied together in a joint framework. To estimate their independent contributions in undergraduate biology examinations, simultaneous multivariable linear and logistic models were conducted on an upper year biology item bank (n = 754). Predictors were question format (multiple-choice question [MCQ], short answer [SA], true/false [TF]), difficulty (easy >80%, moderate 60%-80%, hard <60%), and Bloom (recall, understanding, application, analysis). Question format was the strongest independent predictor. Relative to MCQs, SA items showed higher discrimination and greater odds of meeting the ≥0.35 threshold (odds ratio [OR] = 4.18), while TF items were less discriminating (OR = 0.58). Moderate and hard items exceeded easy questions (ORs = 2.75 and 2.45, respectively). For Bloom, higher-order items outperformed recall questions overall; both understanding and analysis items discriminated better than recall items (ORs = 1.4 and 3.56, respectively). A post hoc grouping of moderate difficulty questions showed that SA + higher-order items (0.53) exceeded MCQ + recall items (0.35), with 89% vs 53% of these items, respectively, meeting a discrimination threshold of ≥0.35. In simultaneous models, question format was the strongest independent predictor of item discrimination, moderate difficulty optimized discrimination, and higher-order objectives exceeded recall. These results provide exploratory insights from a single-institution case study and suggest that adding some higher-order short-answer questions of moderate difficulty may represent a pragmatic strategy for improving assessment quality.

Instructor use of humor can positively affect students' educational experiences by increasing students' comfort in the classroom and making the instructor seem more approachable. Humor can also elicit emotional responses, which in turn may influence students' engagement in the course and their relationship with the instructor. However, students may interpret instructor humor differently, resulting in varied effects. The present study examined how instructors' use of verbal humor relates to students' emotions about their lab course. In addition, we examined whether researcher-identified humor aligned with student reports to support valid inferences about instructor humor. To accomplish this, trained researchers analyzed classroom audio recordings of instructor talk in 48 lab courses to identify instances of verbal instructor humor. We also surveyed their undergraduate students (n = 462) about their instructor's humor and pleasant and unpleasant emotions about their lab course. Our results revealed that trained researchers' coding of instructor humor was poorly predictive of students' emotions about their laboratory courses. In contrast, students who perceived their instructor to be humorous reported greater pleasant emotions and fewer unpleasant emotions. Our results suggest that instructor humor from students' perspective may be influential in how they experience instruction. In addition, student perceptions of instructor humor may be a more useful indicator than researcher observations for studying instructor humor.

Learning assistant (LA) programs empower undergraduate students to act as near-peer mentors, fostering active learning and inclusivity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. While LAs typically possess strong content knowledge, most lack formal training in pedagogy, teaching methods, and principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ). This paper explores the design, implementation, and impact of an inclusive pedagogy training program tailored for LAs supporting microbiology courses. This professional development program focuses on inclusive teaching practices. Program evaluation revealed LAs reported increased knowledge of inclusivity and pedagogical strategies, enhanced self-awareness, and confidence in their teaching roles. Quantitative assessments using Likert scales demonstrated high satisfaction with the training, with participants agreeing they could apply the knowledge gained to create inclusive classroom environments.

Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) are high-impact practices that enhance retention, motivation, and self-efficacy in science, particularly for students with limited prior exposure to scientific environments. However, many students-especially those from underrepresented or marginalized backgrounds-enter these experiences with low research self-efficacy, stemming from limited familiarity with academic language, scientific literature, and research communication. The Research Induction Curriculum (RIC) was designed to address this challenge by providing early, structured training in scientific literacy through scaffolded journal club discussions. The RIC introduces students to progressively more complex scientific articles, supports peer discussion, and builds confidence in reading, interpreting, and presenting scientific information. This study investigates two research questions: (i) how does students' self-perceived self-efficacy in scientific literacy change after completing the RIC? and (ii) are perceptions of these gains dependent on when the assessment is conducted? A total of 91 students in the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Enhancing Cross-disciplinary Infrastructure and Training at Oregon (EXITO) program at Portland State University completed surveys either immediately before and after the RIC (prospective pre-post design) or nearly 1 year later (retrospective pre-post design), after participating in mentored research placements. While both groups demonstrated gains in their confidence after participating in the RIC, students assessed retrospectively reported significantly greater confidence gains than those assessed prospectively. This study highlights the benefits of a brief intervention in preparing students for UREs as well as the influence of evaluation timing and authentic research experience on students' perceptions of growth.

Power-FULL Biofilms is a 5-week, hands-on outreach workshop designed to introduce KS2 students (ages 7+) to microbiology, electricity, and renewable energy. Students build their own microbial fuel cells (MFCs) using inexpensive plastic components and then inoculate these with mud from their school playground. The MFCs are fed with a simple food source and monitored as an electroactive biofilm develops; they produce electrical current. In the final session, the MFCs are connected together to power a small electronic device, proving we can get power from the playground. This activity builds on previous outreach initiatives like Powerful Soil and Blast a Biofilm, adapting complex microbiological ideas into a fun, age-appropriate format. Sessions combine structured instruction with storytelling, vocabulary development, and hands-on experimentation. Conducting the workshop at a UK primary school showed high levels of engagement and knowledge retention. Teachers praised the balance between challenge and support, and students responded enthusiastically to using real scientific equipment and terms, a way to introduce foundational science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts through real-world experimentation.

Many universities in the United States rely heavily on graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), especially for instruction in introductory courses and laboratory sections in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. Yet, little is known about how to support these unique instructors' teaching professional development (TPD). Prior research in K-12 contexts has proposed that when instructors with high self-efficacy experience pedagogical discontentment, this may motivate them to change their instructional practices or engagement in TPD programs. In contrast, instructors with low self-efficacy may engage in avoidance behaviors related to instructional change even when experiencing pedagogical discontentment. This research explored the role autonomy (control over what and how an instructor teaches) has on the interactions of self-efficacy, pedagogical discontentment, instructional change, and engagement in TPD. We hypothesized that GTAs with pedagogical discontentment and high self-efficacy might be motivated to engage in TPD programs and consider alternative instructional methods. We administered a cross-sectional survey to a sample of GTAs in biology, geology, chemistry, and mathematics (n = 58). We used the survey results to identify interview participants with high (n = 1), moderate (n = 2), and low (n = 3) perceptions of instructional autonomy. We found evidence of a quantitative correlation between pedagogical discontentment and self-efficacy. The qualitative data revealed that GTAs' perceptions of autonomy could influence their pedagogical discontentment. These findings provide evidence of the importance of supporting STEM GTAs' perceptions of autonomy, as it could influence their motivation to change their teaching practices and engage in teaching professional development opportunities.

Research-based course design is beneficial to both the instructor and the students by providing project ownership, independence, increased engagement, and publishable results. Paramecium, a single-celled eukaryote, is a common organism observed in many high school and college classrooms that can be easily cultured and manipulated to navigate through guided student-driven research projects. Presented here are research-centered student projects that include designing and creating an RNA interference (RNAi) plasmid to deplete a gene product in Paramecium. Because RNAi can be used in a large number of model organisms, the techniques presented can be applied in a variety of ways. Using Paramecium, this advanced genetics class uses control and depleted cells to observe changes in cell morphology, cell swimming behavior, and changes in RNA transcript levels. Here, we will describe the use of database searches, primer and construct design, plasmid generation, subcloning, and bacterial screening to generate an RNAi construct and deplete targeted transcript levels. Student data showing the depletion of potential IFT38/40, IFT140, and KATNIP gene products in Paramecium are shared, and these depleted cells show significantly slower swimming speeds with no noticeable change in cell morphology. Overall, students are engaged, invested in their results, and successfully work as collaborative pairs to produce publishable results using this ciliated protist, all while learning cutting-edge molecular techniques.

Teaching discussion courses requires skill in teaching specific content at a specific level in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. This skill is best developed through discipline-specific training; however, the professional development that graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) most commonly receive is at the whole-university level. In this Tips and Tools article, we provide a model for filling this gap in pedagogical content knowledge training for GTAs of STEM discussion courses through weekly discussion preparation meetings. The major elements of the discussion preparation meetings are community norm setting, reflection on the GTA experience, and modeling of discussion activities. We have found that this model facilitates alignment of learning experiences for undergraduate students across GTAs, development of pedagogical content knowledge for the GTAs, and opportunities for reflection on the GTA experience.