Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education

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• Metacognition and Peer Learning Strategies as Predictors in Problem-Solving Performance in Microbiology †

  Author: Josephine Itota Ebomoyi
  • Citation: Josephine Itota Ebomoyi. 2020. Metacognition and peer learning strategies as predictors in problem-solving performance in microbiology † . doi:10.1128/jmbe.v21i1.1715
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    The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between learning strategies (LS) and problem solving (PS) in microbiology. Microbiology problems utilized for the study were from educational software known as “Interactive Multimedia Exercises” (IMMEX). Problem-solving performances measured included: the ability to solve, scores obtained and elapsed time. It was hypothesized that there would be a good correlation between students’ LS and PS. Since many factors besides learning strategies predict performance, alpha was set at 0.10. Participants (N = 65) solved two sets of microbiology problems “Microquest” (Mq), which focuses on microbial cellular processes and mode of action of antibiotics, and “Creeping crud” (Cc), which focuses on the cause, origin, and transmission of diseases. Participants also responded to the adapted Motivated Strategy Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) using a five-point Likert scale. Scores for LS were determined by averaging the item responses of participants. Regression analysis was used to determine significance, with Grade Point Average (GPA) as a control. Of the 65 participants 48 (73.8%) successfully solved Mq while 52 (80%) solved Cc. Metacognitive self-regulated strategy was significantly (p < 0.10) related to ability to solve Cc. Peer learning strategy showed a significant (p < 0.10) relationship with Cc scores. Time spent solving Cc was significantly more than time spent on Mq (p < 0.001). These findings emphasize the fact that metacognition and peer learning are positive predictors for problem solving and could potentially improve learning outcomes in microbiology. The implications for curriculum development are discussed.

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• Development of a New Scoring System To Accurately Estimate Learning Outcome Achievements via Single, Best-Answer, Multiple-Choice Questions for Preclinical Students in a Medical Microbiology Course †

  Authors: Yodying Dangprapai, Popchai Ngamskulrungroj, Sansnee Senawong, Patompong Ungprasert, Azian Harun
  • Citation: Yodying Dangprapai, Popchai Ngamskulrungroj, Sansnee Senawong, Patompong Ungprasert, Azian Harun. 2020. Development of a new scoring system to accurately estimate learning outcome achievements via single, best-answer, multiple-choice questions for preclinical students in a medical microbiology course † . doi:10.1128/jmbe.v21i1.1773
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    During the preclinical years, single-best-answer multiple-choice questions (SBA-MCQs) are often used to test the higher-order cognitive processes of medical students (such as application and analysis) while simultaneously assessing lower-order processes (like knowledge and comprehension). Consequently, it can be difficult to pinpoint which learning outcome has been achieved or needs improvement. We developed a new scoring system for SBA-MCQs using a step-by-step methodology to evaluate each learning outcome independently. Enrolled in this study were third-year medical students (n = 316) who had registered in the basic microbiology course at the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University during the academic year 2017. A step-by-step SBA-MCQ with a new scoring system was created and used as a tool to evaluate the validity of the traditional SBA-MCQs that assess two separate outcomes simultaneously. The scores for the two methods, in percentages, were compared using two different questions (SBA-MCQ1 and SBA-MCQ2). SBA-MCQ1 tested the students’ knowledge of the causative agent of a specific infectious disease and the basic characteristics of the microorganism, while SBA-MCQ2 tested their knowledge of the causative agent of a specific infectious disease and the pathogenic mechanism of the microorganism. The mean score obtained with the traditional SBA-MCQs was significantly lower than that obtained with the step-by-step SBA-MCQs (85.9% for the traditional approach versus 90.9% for step-by-step SBA-MCQ1; p < 0.001; and 81.5% for the traditional system versus 87.4% for step-by-step SBA-MCQ2; p < 0.001). Moreover, 65.8% and 87.8% of the students scored lower with the traditional SBA-MCQ1 and the traditional SBA-MCQ2, respectively, than with the corresponding sets of step-by-step SBA-MCQ questions. These results suggest that traditional SBA-MCQ scores need to be interpreted with caution because they have the potential to underestimate the learning achievement of students. Therefore, the step-by-step SBA-MCQ is preferable to the traditional SBA-MCQs and is recommended for use in examinations during the preclinical years.

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• A Multiweek Project Examining the Chemotactic Behavior of Tetrahymena in an Undergraduate Biology Laboratory †

  Authors: Rachel Hongo, Robert T. Grammer, Christopher E. Barton
  • Citation: Rachel Hongo, Robert T. Grammer, Christopher E. Barton. 2020. A multiweek project examining the chemotactic behavior of tetrahymena in an undergraduate biology laboratory † . doi:10.1128/jmbe.v21i1.1805
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  • Abstract:
    

    A multi-week laboratory project has been developed to incorporate elements of student investigation, chemotactic behavior of protists, and genetic effects on chemotactic activity of Tetrahymena.  The chemotaxis assay is based on spectrophotometric detection of protist-induced light scattering as cells migrate into a density gradient containing a known attractant. The three-week project consists of an introductory chemotaxis assay, investigation of dose-response effects, and culminates with the exploration of a Tetrahymena genetic mutant with known defects in motility.  Additionally, this project incorporates a microscopic investigation of cellular structure and swimming behavior of mutant and wild-type cells.  Students have responded well to the nature of the project, displaying clear understanding of the mechanism of the assay as well as the response of the protists to environmental manipulation and the molecular defects in the mutant cells.

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• Scientific Writing Workshop Improves Confidence in Critical Writing Skills among Trainees in the Biomedical Sciences

  Authors: Emily Wortman-Wunder, Inge Wefes
  • Citation: Emily Wortman-Wunder, Inge Wefes. 2020. Scientific writing workshop improves confidence in critical writing skills among trainees in the biomedical sciences. doi:10.1128/jmbe.v21i1.1843
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    Written communication is a key research skill, yet the current model of pre- and postdoctoral training in the biomedical sciences lacks consistent formal training in this area, leading to crises of confidence when tackling research writing. A 15-hour non-credit workshop, “Secrets of Successful Scientific Writing,” was developed in collaboration with an experienced instructor of scientific writing. The workshop consisted of six 2.5-hour sessions and was offered six times; a total of 126 trainees attended over these six offerings. Topics included strategies to engage the audience, principles of psychological linguistics to maximize sentence effectiveness, conventions of biomedical journal writing, technical writing and the history of scientific publishing, and two sessions on grant writing. Student confidence in and familiarity with targeted writing skills were assessed by self-evaluation questions administered immediately before and after each session. The workshop was determined to be effective at improving the confidence of participants regarding specific writing skills in the biomedical sciences, with all but two of the measures showing that the workshop had a large effect size. We conclude that a short, structured workshop can help improve the confidence and knowledge of pre- and postdoctoral writers, preparing them to better meet the writing challenges of their professional careers.

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• Promoting Interdisciplinary Learning: A Cross-Course Assignment for Undergraduate Students in Advanced Biology and Drawing Courses †

  Authors: Trisha Mahtani, Yael S. Brotman, Aarthi Ashok
  • Citation: Trisha Mahtani, Yael S. Brotman, Aarthi Ashok. 2020. Promoting interdisciplinary learning: a cross-course assignment for undergraduate students in advanced biology and drawing courses † . doi:10.1128/jmbe.v21i1.1919
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  • Abstract:
    

    Exposing students to interdisciplinary learning experiences has many benefits including a richer understanding of complex problems, promoting metacognition, and recognizing how to effectively use their skills. For biology students, immersion in creativity and design-thinking inherent to the arts can aid in their ability to imagine, innovate and communicate science. For art students who have been trained to develop unique visual vocabularies, an important learning experience would be to communicate didactic knowledge of an unfamiliar domain in a way that is visually compelling, imaginatively open-ended and informative. For both cohorts of students, academic training at the undergraduate level has remained somewhat sequestered in disciplinary silos. If we are to truly prepare students for careers in which they innovate, work collaboratively, solve problems and continue to learn, then we must provide authentic inquiry-based assignments that allow them to see the value of such proficiencies. This was the rationale behind designing this interdisciplinary assignment for biology and art students at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Here, we report on the design, implementation and insights from the pilot offering of this assignment. We hope that this provides a useful teaching tool for instructors interested in promoting interdisciplinary teaching and learning at the undergraduate level.

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• Facilitating Growth through Frustration: Using Genomics Research in a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience †

  Authors: David Lopatto, Anne G. Rosenwald, Justin R. DiAngelo, Amy T. Hark, Matthew Skerritt, Matthew Wawersik, Anna K. Allen, Consuelo Alvarez, Sara Anderson, Cindy Arrigo, Andrew Arsham, Daron Barnard, Christopher Bazinet, James E. J. Bedard, Indrani Bose, John M. Braverman, Martin G. Burg, Rebecca C. Burgess, Paula Croonquist, Chunguang Du, Sondra Dubowsky, Heather Eisler, Matthew A. Escobar, Michael Foulk, Emily Furbee, Thomas Giarla, Rivka L. Glaser, Anya L. Goodman, Yuying Gosser, Adam Haberman, Charles Hauser, Shan Hays, Carina E. Howell, Jennifer Jemc, M. Logan Johnson, Christopher J. Jones, Lisa Kadlec, Jacob D. Kagey, Kimberly L. Keller, Jennifer Kennell, S. Catherine Silver Key, Adam J. Kleinschmit, Melissa Kleinschmit, Nighat P. Kokan, Olga Ruiz Kopp, Meg M. Laakso, Judith Leatherman, Lindsey J. Long, Mollie Manier, Juan C. Martinez-Cruzado, Luis F. Matos, Amie Jo McClellan, Gerard McNeil, Evan Merkhofer, Vida Mingo, Hemlata Mistry, Elizabeth Mitchell, Nathan T. Mortimer, Debaditya Mukhopadhyay, Jennifer Leigh Myka, Alexis Nagengast, Paul Overvoorde, Don Paetkau, Leocadia Paliulis, Susan Parrish, Mary Lai Preuss, James V. Price, Nicholas A. Pullen, Catherine Reinke, Dennis Revie, Srebrenka Robic, Jennifer A. Roecklein-Canfield, Michael R. Rubin, Takrima Sadikot, Jamie Siders Sanford, Maria Santisteban, Kenneth Saville, Stephanie Schroeder, Christopher D. Shaffer, Karim A. Sharif, Diane E. Sklensky, Chiyedza Small, Mary Smith, Sheryl Smith, Rebecca Spokony, Aparna Sreenivasan, Joyce Stamm, Rachel Sterne-Marr, Katherine C. Teeter, Justin Thackeray, Jeffrey S. Thompson, Stephanie Toering Peters, Melanie Van Stry, Norma Velazquez-Ulloa, Cindy Wolfe, James Youngblom, Brian Yowler, Leming Zhou, Janie Brennan, Jeremy Buhler, Wilson Leung, Laura K. Reed, Sarah C. R. Elgin
  • Citation: David Lopatto, Anne G. Rosenwald, Justin R. DiAngelo, Amy T. Hark, Matthew Skerritt, Matthew Wawersik, Anna K. Allen, Consuelo Alvarez, Sara Anderson, Cindy Arrigo, Andrew Arsham, Daron Barnard, Christopher Bazinet, James E. J. Bedard, Indrani Bose, John M. Braverman, Martin G. Burg, Rebecca C. Burgess, Paula Croonquist, Chunguang Du, Sondra Dubowsky, Heather Eisler, Matthew A. Escobar, Michael Foulk, Emily Furbee, Thomas Giarla, Rivka L. Glaser, Anya L. Goodman, Yuying Gosser, Adam Haberman, Charles Hauser, Shan Hays, Carina E. Howell, Jennifer Jemc, M. Logan Johnson, Christopher J. Jones, Lisa Kadlec, Jacob D. Kagey, Kimberly L. Keller, Jennifer Kennell, S. Catherine Silver Key, Adam J. Kleinschmit, Melissa Kleinschmit, Nighat P. Kokan, Olga Ruiz Kopp, Meg M. Laakso, Judith Leatherman, Lindsey J. Long, Mollie Manier, Juan C. Martinez-Cruzado, Luis F. Matos, Amie Jo McClellan, Gerard McNeil, Evan Merkhofer, Vida Mingo, Hemlata Mistry, Elizabeth Mitchell, Nathan T. Mortimer, Debaditya Mukhopadhyay, Jennifer Leigh Myka, Alexis Nagengast, Paul Overvoorde, Don Paetkau, Leocadia Paliulis, Susan Parrish, Mary Lai Preuss, James V. Price, Nicholas A. Pullen, Catherine Reinke, Dennis Revie, Srebrenka Robic, Jennifer A. Roecklein-Canfield, Michael R. Rubin, Takrima Sadikot, Jamie Siders Sanford, Maria Santisteban, Kenneth Saville, Stephanie Schroeder, Christopher D. Shaffer, Karim A. Sharif, Diane E. Sklensky, Chiyedza Small, Mary Smith, Sheryl Smith, Rebecca Spokony, Aparna Sreenivasan, Joyce Stamm, Rachel Sterne-Marr, Katherine C. Teeter, Justin Thackeray, Jeffrey S. Thompson, Stephanie Toering Peters, Melanie Van Stry, Norma Velazquez-Ulloa, Cindy Wolfe, James Youngblom, Brian Yowler, Leming Zhou, Janie Brennan, Jeremy Buhler, Wilson Leung, Laura K. Reed, Sarah C. R. Elgin. 2020. Facilitating growth through frustration: using genomics research in a course-based undergraduate research experience † . doi:10.1128/jmbe.v21i1.2005
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  • Abstract:
    

    A hallmark of the research experience is encountering difficulty and working through those challenges to achieve success. This ability is essential to being a successful scientist, but replicating such challenges in a teaching setting can be difficult. The Genomics Education Partnership (GEP) is a consortium of faculty who engage their students in a genomics Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE). Students participate in genome annotation, generating gene models using multiple lines of experimental evidence. Our observations suggested that the students’ learning experience is continuous and recursive, frequently beginning with frustration but eventually leading to success as they come up with defendable gene models. In order to explore our “formative frustration” hypothesis, we gathered data from faculty via a survey, and from students via both a general survey and a set of student focus groups. Upon analyzing these data, we found that all three datasets mentioned frustration and struggle, as well as learning and better understanding of the scientific process. Bioinformatics projects are particularly well suited to the process of iteration and refinement because iterations can be performed quickly and are inexpensive in both time and money. Based on these findings, we suggest that a dynamic of “formative frustration” is an important aspect for a successful CURE.

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