Integration of Microbiology, Pharmacology, Immunology, and Infectious Disease Using Active Teaching and Self-Directed Learning.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Steinel N
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8368113 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Service learning is defined as a strategy in which students apply what they have learned in the classroom to a community service project. Many educators would agree that students often learn best through teaching others. This premise was the motivation for a new service-learning project in which undergraduate microbiology students developed and taught hands-on microbiology lessons to local elementary school children. The lessons included teaching basic information about microbes, disease transmission, antibiotics, vaccines, and methods of disease prevention. This service-learning project benefitted the college students by enforcing their knowledge of microbiology and provided them an opportunity to reach out to children within their community. This project also benefitted the local schools by teaching the younger students about microbes, infections, and handwashing. In this paper, I discuss the development and implementation of this new microbiology service-learning project, as well as the observed impact it had on everyone involved.
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Project description:Just-In-Time Teaching (JiTT) active learning pedagogy is utilized by various disciplines, but its value in a professional pharmacy curriculum has not yet been demonstrated. The purpose of our research study is to implement and evaluate JiTT in a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. The impetus in implementing JiTT into a PharmD curriculum was to provide students with an out-of-classroom learning opportunity to enhance knowledge-based skills. The current study summarizes the implementation of JiTT in four distinct instances: two iterations of the required courses "Integrated Microbiology and Virology" (Fall 2016 and Fall 2017) and "Integrated Immunology" (Winter 2016-2017 and Winter 2017-2018). JiTT included knowledge-based questions in multiple-choice format, integrated case studies, and student responses prior to the actual lecture session. After the conclusion of each course, students were asked to provide feedback on the utilization of JiTT by way of an anonymous survey. Following the Fall 2016 iteration of the Microbiology & Virology course, students found the integrated case studies to be beneficial (mean = 3.27 out of a maximum of 4, SD = 0.62), and their overall endorsement of JiTT was high (mean = 3.61 out of 4, SD = 0.50). For the other three courses included in this study, the primary dependent variable was the student's average rating of JiTT, rated on a five-point scale. Aggregating the scores from the Fall 2017 iteration of the Integrated Microbiology & Virology course and both instances of the Immunology course, students rated JiTT very favorably (mean = 4.17 out of a maximum of 5, SD = 0.77). Students' performances in JiTT-based courses were compared against non-JiTT-based courses. Analysis of assessment data for student's performance on knowledge-based questions showed JiTT was helpful for student learning and JiTT-based courses had more consistent exam scores compared to non-JiTT-based courses. The current results are a promising initial step in validating the usefulness of JiTT in a pharmacy program and lays the foundation for future studies aimed at a direct comparison between a traditional lecture style and JiTT pedagogy implemented into PharmD curricula.
| S-EPMC7058994 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Using nontoxic craft items and disposable lab consumables, we have developed nine modules to teach fundamental, hands-on microbiology lab skills safely at home. These "Crafty" teaching modules can be paired with virtual instruction and/or data collected by an instructor to replicate traditional microbiology lab exercises that characterize an unknown microbe. Materials and procedures used were carefully chosen to best mimic the texture of media, represent microbial diversity, assess aseptic technique, and produce analyzable data from results. Some protocols build upon and extend previously unpublished ideas, while others provide novel methods. The lab skills include proper personal protective equipment usage and basic biosafety, aseptic technique, microscopy and staining, streaking for isolation, spread plating, serial dilutions, filtering, disk diffusion method, and modeling an epidemic. Each protocol includes a student handout with background, links to videos of the methods performed with microbes, a rationale for the pairing of craft and consumable lab supplies along with technique used, a video or image demonstration of the "Crafty" technique when needed, postlab questions, and an instructor guide. This resource was developed for an undergraduate microbiology course, and each lab is aligned with learning outcomes within the American Society for Microbiology's undergraduate curriculum guidelines. This work would also be useful for outreach and K-12 educators. The development of microbiology lab skills by all students, regardless of economic or health status, will lead to a more scientifically minded society.
| S-EPMC8046657 | biostudies-literature
Project description:With the rapid changes in globalization and technology advancement, self-directed learning is argued repeatedly as a key competency needed to survive in the twenty-first century. In August 2019, the Taiwan Ministry of Education implemented the new Curriculum Guidelines for 12-Year Basic Education. Being Taiwan’s first official curriculum that promoted self-directed learning, this study contributed to the emerging knowledge of how the introduction of the curriculum guidelines affected students’ readiness for self-directed learning. Three cohorts of high school students from seven schools returned 10,020 valid surveys. The Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS), a reputable instrument developed by Lucy Guglielmino (2000), was used in the study. The results provided a bird’s-eye view of evidence supporting our explanations for the positive, though slight, effect of implementing new curriculum guidelines in fostering self-directed high-school learners. Moreover, the progression of self-directed learning readiness appeared differently among schools and among different demographic associations. We suggest that future researchers both (a) qualitatively explore how specific latent variables were changed in different instructional interventions, and (b) conduct panel studies to advance our understanding of curriculum reform and learners’ self-direction. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40299-021-00582-w.
| S-EPMC8101332 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Service-Learning is an educational methodology that allows student learning while addressing community needs. A program in microbiology and infectious diseases was implemented in Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. University lecturers, clinical microbiologists, doctorate students, and undergraduates from several Bachelor Degrees and courses worked in an interdisciplinary team along with social institutions that attend disadvantaged persons. Using commercial movies that deal with infectious diseases, the students learn clinical microbiology, prepare divulgation materials, visit social centers to accompany, and help others to know about illnesses and prevention. The program was developed through two academic years and involved 58 voluntary students, 13 teachers and tutors, and 4 social entities as community partners. Postsurvey evaluation of the program revealed a highly satisfactory achievement of goals: acquiring scientific and personal competencies by university students, including critical analysis and science diffusion, solving problems or collaborative team working, and contributing, together with the tutors, to the social responsibility of the university.
| S-EPMC8276174 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Food Microbiology is included in majors such as Food Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Nutrition, Veterinary Medicine, Gastronomy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, among others. Food safety and hygiene are usually the focus, but the technological applications of microbes through fermentations are also covered. During an education symposium at the Brazilian Congress of Microbiology in 2017, a group of professors expressed their difficulties associated with teaching to new generations, the use of technology in the classroom, and the application of new learning tools. The objective of this study was to gather information about the educational practices among Brazilian professors who teach Food Microbiology throughout the country. The results indeed confirmed the diversity of careers in which food microbiology is taught. We verified that professors mixed traditional teaching strategies with modern active learning methods, even though some difficulties associated with lack of time, pedagogical training, and low adherence of students for adopting these modern methods were commonly highlighted. The preferred teaching approaches were dialogued or discussed lectures, seminars, homework, case studies, and field visits. It is noteworthy that most professors still use traditional teaching methods. It is crucial that awareness concerning the educational needs in different careers and the challenges and dilemmas facing education for the new generations should be dealt with by using effective teaching approaches in food microbiology education. We suggest that a more permanent discussion forum among faculty members dealing with food microbiology in the country should be launched and this work is a step towards this goal.
| S-EPMC7058747 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundVarious evidence-based and student-centered strategies such as team-based learning (TBL), case-based learning (CBL), and flipped classroom have been recently applied to anatomy education and have shown to improve student engagement and interaction. These strategies shift the focus of teaching from knowledge transmission to knowledge construction by students and encourage the use of tasks. This study discusses the use of an active and engaging learning strategy to teach the musculoskeletal system to Year 1 MBBS students (Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados) and examines the correlation between assessment modalities and student performance.MethodsThe "Active and Engaging Learning Strategy" was used to assess student learning in the form of oral presentations. Students had presentations on muscle attachments, muscle actions, blood and nerve supply, and applied anatomy of the limb musculature. Questions on the limbs (Locomotor System) were included in pre and post-presentation spotters, in-course assessments, and final examinations. Percentages, paired t-test, independent sample t-test, and zero-order correlations were performed to confirm the results for the different objectives of the study.ResultsThe main modes of presentation chosen were poems (37.1%), followed by stories (21.2%), songs (11.4%), and skits (10.6%). The majority of students (84%) found the strategies beneficial and recommended such sessions for future cohorts (92%). Students achieved significantly better scores in post-presentation spotters (p < 0.01) and the marks of in-course and final examinations also showed significant improvement (p < 0.01).ConclusionOur study highlighted that the active and engaging learning strategy can be used as an effective learning tool in anatomy. Students were proactive in preparing the muscle presentations by utilizing their own creativity, curiosity, and intelligence. Further studies should be conducted using randomized controlled trials to assess the effectiveness of various learning strategies which could open a new door to medical education.
| S-EPMC6524257 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionThere is a worldwide focus on the early development of collaborative skills in medical students as reflected in the design of the medicine program at the University of New South Wales, Australia. Integral to the success of student-centered curricula, is early development of students' self-directed and collaborative learning skills. The purpose of this innovative assessment is to develop and assess students' skills in self-directed and collaborative learning while they concurrently engage with stage-appropriate content knowledge.MethodsThe educational design of the group projects allows junior medical students to work collaboratively to develop a deep understanding of the concepts and principles of a clinical scenario. Students are required to integrate and apply knowledge from different disciplines and share their learning with a wider peer group through appropriate peer teaching strategies. Two variants of these group projects are described in this resource, and generic versions of student and assessor instructions are included as Appendices A and B.ResultsFeedback on the projects collected over the last 7 years has been positive. Students begin to see the relevance and benefits of learning together and appreciate the impact this has on the quality of their learning. They also begin to appreciate the relevance of collaborative skills to their future practice as doctors.DiscussionThe group projects are based on well-established educational principles, and the templates provided in the appendices can be adapted by other medical educators.
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Project description:Given the critical role that the immune system plays in a multitude of diseases, having a clear understanding of the pharmacology of the immune system is crucial to new drug discovery and development. Here we describe the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) Guide to Immunopharmacology (GtoImmuPdb), which connects expert-curated pharmacology with key immunological concepts and aims to put pharmacological data into the hands of immunologists. In the pursuit of new therapeutics, pharmacological databases are a vital resource to researchers through providing accurate information on the fundamental science underlying drug action. This extension to the existing IUPHAR/British Pharmacological Society Guide to Pharmacology supports research into the development of drugs targeted at modulating immune, inflammatory or infectious components of disease. To provide a deeper context for how the resource can support research we show data in GtoImmuPdb relating to a case study on the targeting of vascular inflammation.
| S-EPMC7160657 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC9113730 | biostudies-literature