COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The aim of the Experiential Learning in Microbiology Teaching course is to (i) educate students to use different approaches to experimental learning, using readily available, non-infectious materials to illustrate the invisible world of microbes and their importance to life on earth; (ii) educate students about the importance of popularising scientific topics to prevent misconceptions from arising and to eliminate existing misconceptions.
COURSE CONTENT:
LECTURES (short theoretical introductions into microbiological topics that would be the subjects of seminar workshops):
1. The importance of teaching and promoting microbiology
2. Experience-based approach in microbiology teaching
3. Microbe populations (number, diversity, replication)
4. Microbe populations (evolution, natural selection)
5. The role of microbial communities in the biosphere
6. Microbial ecology
7. Microbes and human health, human microbiome
8. Infectious diseases
9. Antimicrobials
10. Biofilms
11. Microbial metabolism
12. Microbes and food production
13. Future microbiology (bioremediation, genetic engineering)
14. Safety rules for working with microbes
15. Extracurricular activities in microbiology teaching
SEMINAR CLASSES:
The presentation of workshops using different approaches in experience-based microbiology teaching:
1. Microbes on the tree of life (to develop a classification scheme based on the structural features of organisms and then use it to classify newly discovered organisms)
2. The visualization of evolutionary history, large numbers of microbial populations, microbial population growth and the effects of natural selection
3. The development of understanding of the comparative sizes of microbial life
4. Biosphere in a mud sample (to investigate microbes that exist in a specific ecological niche and the role of external factors in their survival)
5. Yeast as a model organism (the role of environmental factors on fungi growth, development, energy and carbon dioxide production)
6. Personal hygiene in reducing the number of microbes
7. Testing antimicrobials in reducing the number of microbes
8. The effects of different surfaces on biofilm forming
9. Natural food conservation
The design and presentation of experience-based project workshop on given scientific topic in microbiology:
10. - 11. Presentation and elaboration of the project proposals
12.-15. Project presentations, discussion, and evaluations
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