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Microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature and are central to human, animal, environmental, and planetary health. They play a particularly important role in the food chain and the production of high-quality, safe, and health-promoting foods, especially fermented foods. This important role is not always apparent to members of the public. Here, we describe Kefir4All, a citizen science project designed to provide the general public with an opportunity to expand their awareness, knowledge, and practical skills relating to microbiology, introduced through the medium of producing fermented food, i.e., milk kefir or water kefir. During the course of Kefir4All, 123 citizen scientists, from second-level school and non-school settings, participated in a study to track changes in the microbial composition of kefirs, by performing and recording details of milk kefir or water kefir fermentations they performed in their homes or schools over the21-week project. At the start of the study, the citizen scientists were provided with milk or water kefir grains to initiate the fermentations. Both types of kefir grain are semi-solid, gelatinous-like substances, composed of exopolysaccharides and proteins, containing a symbiotic community of bacteria and yeast. The experimental component of the project was complemented by a number of education and outreach events, including career talks and a site visit to our research center (Kefir Day). At the end of the study, a report was provided to each citizen scientist, in which individualized results of their fermenting activities were detailed. A number of approaches were taken to obtain feedback and other insights from the citizen scientists. Evaluations took place before and after theKefir4All project to gauge the citizen scientist's self-reported awareness, knowledge, and interest in microbiology and fermented foods. Further insights into the level of citizen science participation were gained through assessing the number of samples returned for analysis and the level of participation of the citizen scientists throughout the project. Notably, the survey results revealed a self-reported, increased interest in, and general knowledge of, science among the Kefir4All citizen scientists after undertaking the project and a willingness to take part in further citizen science projects. Ultimately, Kefir4Allrepresents an example of the successful integration of citizen science into existing education and research systems.

The importance of teaching the Luria-Delbrück experiment to biology students is increasingly recognized by educators, and improved pedagogical methods for teaching the classic experiment have been proposed and tested in the classroom. However, there are still obstacles that impede the proper teaching of the classic experiment. This note proposes two strategies to further improve the teaching of the classic experiment. The first strategy is to be frank with an inherent limitation of the classic experiment, and instructors should explain from a logical point of view why the classic experiment cannot be used to refute the possibility of directed mutation. The second strategy is to emphasize the pioneering work of Delbrück on developing the mutant distribution that enables researchers to estimate microbial mutation rates using data generated by fluctuation experiments, and instructors should shift their attention to the overlooked essential role of the mutant distribution.

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in authentic research and generally increase the participation rate of students in research. Students' participation in research has a positive impact on their science identity and self-efficacy, both of which can predict integration of students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), especially for underrepresented students. The main goal of this study was to investigate instructor-initiated CUREs implemented as upper-level elective courses in the Biomedical Sciences major. We hypothesized that these CUREs would (i) have a positive impact on students' scientific identity and self-efficacy and (ii) result in gains in students' self-assessed skills in laboratory science, research, and science communication. We used Likert-type surveys developed by Estrada et al. (14) under the Tripartite Integration Model of Social Influence to measure scientific identity, self-efficacy, and scientific value orientation. When data from all CUREs were combined, our results indicate that students' self-efficacy and science identity significantly increased after completion. Students' self-assessment of research and lab-related skills was significantly higher after completion of the CUREs. We also observed that prior to participation in the CUREs, students' self-assessment of molecular and bioinformatic skills was low, when compared with microbiological skills. This may indicate strengths and gaps in our curriculum that could be explored further.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has underscored the importance of mRNA vaccines. The mechanism for how such vaccines work is related to the core biology topic of the central dogma, which students often misunderstand despite its importance. Therefore, we wanted to know whether students can apply their biology knowledge of central dogma to the real-world issue of how mRNA COVID vaccines work. Accordingly, we asked college biology students of different expertise levels how the COVID vaccine worked. Later, we cued them by telling them the vaccine contains mRNA and asked them what the mRNA does. We used thematic analysis to find common ideas in their responses. In the uncued condition, fewer than half of the students used central dogma-related ideas to explain what was in the vaccine or how the vaccine worked. Inaccurate ideas were present among all groups of biology students, particularly entering biology majors and non-biology majors, including the idea that the COVID vaccines contain a weakened, dead, or variant form of the COVID virus. After students were cued, many more students in all expertise groups expressed central dogma-related themes, showing that students could apply the knowledge of central dogma if prompted. Advanced biology majors were much more likely to state that the vaccines code for a viral protein, indicating their advanced application of central dogma concepts. These results highlight inaccurate ideas common among students and show changes in the ability to apply knowledge with student expertise level, which could inform future interventions to support student learning about vaccines and central dogma.

This study aims to: Produce teaching materials in the form of microbiology e-books based on research results on the isolation of styrofoam degrading soil bacteria. Testing the effect of using e-books on improving students' science process skills. The e-book preparation method refers to the Lee and Owens development model and is implemented in learning with the PBL model in the experimental and control groups. The results showed that: e-book material feasibility, e-book teaching materials and e-book practicality with very valid criteria. E-books are proven effective in improving students' science process skills with high criteria, so e-books are suitable for use as teaching materials to support learning. Can be used to solve problems that may be encountered in everyday life.

Health literacy should be developed from early ages, but students, including preservice teachers, hold misconceptions about micro-organisms. The objective of this study was to analyse the knowledge that a sample of 102 Early Childhood Preservice Teachers (PST) had about micro-organisms and about cystitis. The PSTs performed a series of activities that included an inquiry-based laboratory activity. Their knowledge about micro-organisms was assessed by pre- and post-questionnaires, and about cystitis, by analysing the responses to an open-ended pretest, the inquiry reports and the performance of the PSTs when changing nappies on dolls. Results show a better understanding about the micro-organisms at the end of the study. In the case of cystitis, in the pretest PSTs did not identify bacteria as agents, but they did after the inquiry activity, and they also mentioned the proliferation of bacteria. Nevertheless, only 32% of PSTs changed nappies coherently with the knowledge.

Bringing Research into the Classroom (BRIC) engaged rural K-12 science teachers in sustained, mentored science research. BRIC's goal was to equip teachers with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to provide high-quality biomedical research opportunities for K-12 students and teachers. Programmatic elements included authentic, place-based, microbiology outreach in K-12 classrooms, summer teacher research academies focused on content knowledge and research, and a capstone symposium. Over 9,000 Montana students collected and tested environmental samples to isolate new-to-science bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria). University scientists, faculty, and students mentored K-12 teachers and students during classroom outreach visits and teacher research academies. BRIC aimed to increase teacher and student bacteriophage content knowledge and research skills through meaningful, mentored research projects. BRIC researchers hypothesized greater program impacts from intensive teacher professional development combined with classroom outreach, compared to classroom outreach visits alone. Program evaluation compared two cohorts of teachers, which each received all programmatic elements through a four-year, staggered rollout. Teachers and students were assessed for gains in knowledge, skills, and science attitudes. A subset of our evaluation instruments and outcomes, program dissemination, lessons learned, and recommendations for replicating the BRIC model are discussed.

A main goal of academic courses is to help students acquire knowledge and skills that they can transfer to multiple contexts. In this article, we (i) examine students' responses to test question templates (TQTs), a framework intended to facilitate transfer, and (ii) determine whether similar transfer-promoting strategies are commonly embedded in published biology lessons. In study 1, in surveys administered over several academic quarters, students consistently reported that TQTs helped them transfer course content to exams and the real world; that multiple (two to five) examples were generally needed to understand a given TQT, leading >40% students to create their own additional examples; and that TQTs would be helpful in other science courses. In study 2, among 100 peer-reviewed lessons published by CourseSource or the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science (NCCSTS), less than 5% of lessons gave students advice about exams or helped students create additional practice problems. The latter finding is not meant as criticism of these excellent lessons, which are a boon to the biology education community. However, with TQT-like prescriptions generally absent from peer-reviewed lessons, biology instructors may wish to supplement the lessons with TQT-like strategies to explicitly connect the material to subsequent exams.

Science literacy has many personal and societal benefits that allows for better informed decision-making. Although the importance of science literacy is recognized globally, there are many challenges associated with its promotion. Scientists are more frequently engaging with nonscientific audiences through public outreach activities and with increasing support from institutions and professional societies. This is especially true regarding microbiologists and other related professionals since the start of the global 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic heightened the need to convey novel and rapidly evolving scientific information to lay audiences. The means by which professionals engage with these audiences affect the efficacy of the relay of scientific information. One method of engagement is the "ambassador approach," which aims to establish dialogue among different groups of people and scientists. In this perspective article, we discuss this approach, highlighting activities for the promotion of science literacy organized by the American Society for Microbiology Ambassador Program and similar programs of other scientific societies. We discuss the benefits and challenges of implementing an ambassador approach, propose potential improvements that could be made to existing programs promoting science literacy, and ultimately advocate for increased implementation of science ambassador programs. [This article was written on behalf of the Young Leaders Circle of the American Society for Microbiology.]

Understanding molecular processes and coordinating the various activities across levels of organization in biological systems is a complicated task, yet many curricular guidelines indicate that undergraduate students should master it. Employing mechanistic reasoning can facilitate describing and investigating biological phenomena. Biofilms are an important system in microbiology and biology education. However, few empirical studies have been conducted on student learning of biofilms or how students utilize mechanistic reasoning related to systems thinking to explain biofilm formation. Using mechanistic reasoning and the theory of knowledge integration as conceptual and analytical frameworks, we examined the features of 9 undergraduate biology students' mechanistic models of a specific transition point in biofilm development. From these data, we constructed a model of knowledge integration in the context of biofilms, which categorizes students' knowledge based on features of their descriptions (e.g., entities, correct connections, and the nature of connections). We found that 4 of 9 students produced a fragmented model, 4 of 9 students produced a transitional model, and 1 student produced a connected model. Overall, students often did not discuss cell-cell communication mechanics in their mechanistic models and rarely included the role of gene regulation. Most connections were considered nonnormative and lacked important entities, leading to an abundance of unspecified causal connections. We recommend increasing instructional support of mechanistic reasoning within systems (e.g., identifying entities across levels of organization and their relevant activities) and creating opportunities for students to grapple with their understanding of various biological concepts and to explore how processes interact and connect in a complex system.

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are tools used to introduce students to authentic participation in science. Several specific CUREs have been shown to benefit students' interest and retention in the biological sciences. Nevertheless, CUREs vary greatly in terms of their context, methodology, and degree of research authenticity, so different types of CUREs may differently influence student outcomes. This programmatic diversity poses a challenge to educators who want to better understand which course components and features are reliably present in a CURE curriculum. To address these issues, we identified, catalogued, and classified 112 potential features of CUREs across the biosciences. To develop the list, we interviewed instructors experienced with teaching individual and large networked CUREs across a diversity of the biological disciplines, including: Squirrel-Net (field-based animal behavior), SEA-PHAGES (wet lab microbiology and computational microbiology), Tiny Earth (environmental and wet lab microbiology), PARE (environmental microbiology), and the Genomics Education Partnership (eukaryotic computational biology). Twenty-five interviewees contributed expert content in terms of CURE features and classification of those items into an organized list. The resulting list's categories encompasses student experiences with the following: (i) the scientific process; (ii) technical aspects of science; (iii) the professional development associated with research; and (iv) building scientific identity. The most striking insight was that CUREs vary widely in terms of which features they contain, since different CUREs will by necessity have different approaches to science and student involvement. We also identified several features commonly thought to be crucial to CUREs yet have ambiguous definitions. This ambiguity can potentially confound efforts to make CUREs research-authentic and aligned with the central goals of science. We disambiguate these terms and represent their varied meanings throughout the classification. We also provide instructor-friendly supplementary worksheets along with considerations for instructors interested in expanding their CURE course design, instruction, and equity.

There is evidence that education levels have an impact on people's attitudes toward vaccination. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to maximize vaccinations - one of the most efficient ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Young individuals play a major role in disease transmission due to their intense social life and frequent asymptomatic infections. In this study, a survey of upper secondary school students in Poland was conducted to assess their microbiological awareness depending on subjects that they studied on the extended level and COVID-19 vaccination willingness. Participants learning biology and chemistry on the extended level had significantly higher microbiological awareness. Clear proof of microbiological awareness's influence on vaccination willingness was not found. Although studying biology did not significantly influence students' willingness to be vaccinated, their place of residence did. Students from bigger cities were more willing to get vaccinated. These results show that while science education raises microbiological awareness among upper secondary school students, place of residence, likely through social pressure, is a more important factor influencing vaccination willingness. It is suggested that more effort should be put into educating society as a whole and encouraging vaccination particularly.

The world is changing: both a conventional and a vaccine passport are now needed to travel internationally. Mask mandates, and social distancing are the new norm in a rapidly changing society. These measures were put in place to control the spread of the highly infectious and often fatal COVID-19, caused by a viral agent, a microorganism, a zoonosis, and the cause of death for over 6 million people around the world. Considering this, maintaining biosecurity is important around the world to ensure public health. Biosecurity in New Zealand supposes that people including young people understand different pests and diseases that can harm public health. This qualitative study was conducted to gauge the biosecurity knowledge of 171 young people (14-15-year-olds). Young people were tested on their knowledge about biosecurity related plants, animals, and microorganisms. This paper reports specifically on the results of knowledge of microorganisms of young people. Results show that negative anthropocentric views dominate adolescents understanding of microorganisms and anthropomorphism is widely used to explain microorganism activity. An educational programme, targeted at developing a conceptual understanding about microorganisms starting at primary education may help develop a more educated global citizen, one versed in understanding the biology of microorganisms.

The Microbiology Concept Inventory is an assessment tool derived from the fundamental statements created by the American Society for Microbiology. This two-tier, multiple-choice question inventory requires students to choose the most correct answer for each question and provide a brief justification of their reasoning. Educators can utilize this tool to identify common misconceptions held by students and adjust curriculum to address and prevent the persistence of student misconceptions. Over the course of 5 years, the Microbiology Concept Inventory was annually administered to undergraduate students enrolled in entry-level, mid-level, and senior capstone microbiology courses at a mid-western rural university. Analysis was completed to compare course, year, majors and minors, gender, ethnicity, and cumulative GPA. Results of this study showed a significant difference in Microbiology Concept Inventory scores between students with high cumulative GPAs (3.5-4.0) and students with comparatively lower cumulative GPAs (2.5-2.99, 3.0-3.49). Results between the other demographic categories revealed statistically different scores in favor of white students, but no differences in scores between genders. The results suggest evidence of ethnic bias, but no gender bias as measured by the Microbiology Concept Inventory. Additionally, significant differences in scores across cohorts are indicative of improvements in the curricula due to prior targeted changes. Analysis of concept inventory results can guide curriculum changes for course instructors. Implementation of curriculum changes can enrich students' academic success.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown was particularly challenging for elementary students who experienced disruptions in almost all aspects of their daily activities. Our study addressed a dearth of U.S. studies documenting the adverse effects the pandemic created and continues to have for children by analyzing their drawings. This study was conducted post-lockdown after students resumed normal school operations. The Mosaic Approach framed this case study research that was conducted using drawings created by sixteen students in grades prekindergarten through fifth grade (ages 4 to 10 years old). Students drew what came to mind when thinking of COVID-19. We conducted a content analysis of the data and determined four dominant themes: (1) symptoms related to COVID-19, (2) evidence of psychological or emotional responses, (3) health and safety precautions, and (4) depictions of the virus cell. We assert children's drawings as a useful tool for educators to create opportunities to connect with students and potentially reduce their anxieties about issues, including those beyond the pandemic. This will be of interest to educators who may not have considered the power of children's drawings as a means to provide voice about current issues. It will also add to the global knowledge base about children's perceptions of COVID-19 and the resulting lockdown.

After a time away from the classrooms and laboratories due to the global pandemic, the return to teaching activities during the semester represented a challenge to both teachers and students. Our particular situation in a Microbial Physiology course was the necessity of imparting in shorter time, laboratory practices that usually take longer. This article describes a 2-week-long laboratory exercise that covers several concepts in an interrelated way: conjugation as a gene transfer mechanism, regulation of microbial physiology, production of secondary metabolites, degradation of macromolecules, and biofilm formation. Utilizing a Quorum Quenching (QQ) strategy, the Quorum Sensing (QS) system of "Pseudomonas aeruginosa" is first attenuated. Then, phenotypes regulated by QS are evidenced. QS is a regulatory mechanism of microbial physiology that relies on signal molecules. QS is related in "P. aeruginosa" to several virulence factors, some of which are exploited in the laboratory practices presented in this work. QQ is a phenomenon by which QS is interrupted or attenuated. We utilized a QQ approach based on the enzymatic degradation of the "P. aeruginosa" QS signals to evidence QS-regulated traits that are relevant to our Microbial Physiology course. Results obtained with the same test performed by a random group of students before and after the activities show the positive effectiveness of the approach presented in this work.

Retrieval practice has been proven effective in conceptual science learning, and retesting has been applied in retrieval practice and has been shown to lead to significant improvements in learning outcomes. In this study, retesting was employed in an online microbiology course to evaluate the attitudes and behaviors of college students about this approach. The students were offered the same course materials and requirements except for three different options: retesting of exams without practice quizzes, retesting of practice quizzes with points, or retesting of practice quizzes without points. Our data indicate that retesting improved the exam grades, especially for exams with a longer interval period between two consecutive testing attempts. Not surprisingly, the practice quizzes that used points encouraged more students to take practice quizzes, and their exam grades were improved. We found that not all students would utilize the retesting opportunities to enhance their retention of information, which could indicate a lower level of engagement in distance learning.

This article outlines the results from an investigation on elementary school students designed to find out whether the coronavirus pandemic had an impact on their conceptualisation of microorganisms. We compared 9- to 11-year-old children's drawings and answers to questionnaires conducted before the pandemic (during 2017 and 2018, N = 137) with those conducted after the pandemic (during 2022, N = 94). We found that the impact has been deep. On the one hand, the post-pandemic group not only reinforced their negative image about microorganisms but assimilated the group of microorganisms to that of viruses. Moreover, most of their representations showed great similarities to the images of the typical sphere-with-peaks coronavirus presented in public media. On the other hand, the tendency to associate microorganisms predominantly with human beings decreased in this group at the expense of an increase in the notion of their ubiquity. These results are a starting point to design new didactic strategies to capitalise on informal learning during the pandemic and channel it towards scientifically correct models.

Undergraduate institutions serve as stepping stones to students' careers. Teaching and learning in science classrooms require quality and integrated teaching-research learning experiences that prepare students to advance their careers. Using publicly available data sets and open-access data analyses software can be impactful for engaging students in meaningful research experiences while keeping institutional expenses associated with implementing and supporting research opportunities low. In this article, we share two examples of student-led data research that utilized open data and software to analyze microbial sequence data. As part of this process, we also recognized the need for discipline-specific databases that can hold a record of publicly available data. Such a setup will support undergraduate educators and students in accessing data relevant to their requirements, thereby narrowing the gap between data availability and accessibility. Finally, both examples illustrate the benefits of using open resources in supporting student learning, with the possibility of using such resources to develop course-based undergraduate research experiences as part of course curricula.

Undergraduate research experiences are key to preparing STEM students for a range of careers and graduate programs, and to impacting retention in STEM. Providing undergraduate research experiences can be challenging for institutions due to the high cost associated with equipment and reagents, lab space, and research mentors. In this study, we present an upper-level microbiology seminar course that does not require these resources, as each student chooses and performs their own research project using data obtained from publicly available datasets. The faculty member provides hands-on instruction and regular feedback to mentor the cohort of students through all stages of their research projects, from honing a research question, to choosing a dataset, to data analysis and visualization. Students build science communication skills through each writing a scientific paper, and creating and presenting a scientific poster. These papers and presentations, along with results from student pre- and post-surveys, demonstrate that students built research and communication skills, while also building their confidence and interest in science careers. To access this research experience, students only need to register for this course; no application or selection is required, and no prior research experience is expected. The use of publicly available data makes this course a low-cost way to integrate authentic research projects into the college curriculum, and can be adapted to courses in any discipline. Such "low-cost CUREs" (course-based undergraduate research experiences) can be used to build capacity for undergraduate research experiences that are so crucial to preparing students for opportunities in and beyond college.

As research of benefits and detriments of pesticides and biocides progresses, people's knowledge needs to be updated. This study takes an audience perspective on how practitioners may improve communication. Through online focus group discussions of how and why Danes acquire knowledge of pesticides and biocides, we find that focusing on improving people's knowledge structures, heuristics and self-efficacy may improve people's ability to acquire such knowledge and in turn improve their motivation. This paper provides suggestions for how practitioners may create more effective communication.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surfeit of information and misinformation in the media about it. The lockdown in England meant that schools were closed from March to June, meaning that students had limited access, in school, to ask questions and discuss the biology of the novel virus (SARS-CoV-2) or the impact of the pandemic on themselves, their families and friends. In this small-scale exploratory study, we decided to ask students (15- to 16-year-olds) on their return to school in June 2020 and in September 2020, what they wanted to know about COVID-19. Findings show that their questions were similar at both time points, indicating that students wanted to know the same things. This suggests that despite the high volume of information available in the media, some of the students' questions had not been answered or that sources of information were confused and at times contradictory. Interestingly, the questions they asked were based on reliable sources of news rather than fake news, and this finding seems to contradict the literature that indicates young people are prone to believing misinformation. The implications for teaching and learning about COVID-19, and other zoonotic diseases as socio-scientific issues are discussed.

Science museums are key locations for informal education. They also enable research that explores how families structure their activities and conversations and how these contribute to learning experiences. The aim of this exploratory study, using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, was to analyse the process of family interactions during visits to a Brazilian science museum focused on microbiology and how their conversations mediated their learning experiences. Four groups, each consisting of a single family with children, participated in the study. Their visits were recorded using a subjective camera, and the audiovisual data were analysed regarding types of interactions and conversational content, based on an analysis protocol. The results reveal that the interactions and social dynamics that family groups engaged in during their visit provided cognitive and social learning experiences. The study also offers evidence on the role of children, the importance of conversations with adults during the visits, and the relevance of objects on exhibition in promoting learning conversations.

This paper describes a teaching experiment in a Numerical Methods course for Master of Science students. The experiment uses scientific papers to develop modelling studies in the context of wine fermentation microbial interactions. The course involves theoretical and laboratory classes that focus on implementing numerical methods using Matlab for Initial Value Problems and Boundary Value Problems. The students are asked to formalise the mathematical model and build their own experiments using the information provided in the papers. Additionally, a parameter estimation experiment is organised, which involves generating synthetic data and computing noisy data to estimate the natural death rate of sensitive yeast. The results show that data noise significantly affects the parameter estimate and that scaling the data can help reduce the impact of measurement errors. The presented results can be used to investigate other possible assignments, such as how the evaluation of the Jacobian affects the estimation performance and compare different optimisation algorithms.

Decomposition of organic matter controls the flow of carbon and nutrients in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Several kinetic laws have been proposed to describe decomposition rates, but they neglect adaptation of the microbial decomposer to environmental conditions. Here we formalise decomposition as an optimal control problem by assuming that microorganisms regulate the uptake rate of a substrate to maximise their growth over the period of decomposition. The result is an optimal control problem consisting of two differential equations and auxiliary conditions that determine the optimal value of the control variable (the uptake rate), the remaining substrate at any given time, and the optimal completion time. This problem serves as a case study to illustrate the solution of differential equations and optimal control problems for students in undergraduate courses. The mathematical analysis of the problem requires rewriting the differential equations in reverse time along with the solution of a nonhomogeneous linear first order differential equation. We then return to modelling with some biologically motivated questions about how the parameters of the model representing environmental conditions and microbial functional traits affect the outcome. Finally, we discuss alternative ways to use the material with students.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, various misinformation circulating among the public has the potential to be a source of misconceptions. This study aimed to validate the online three-tier diagnostic instrument test for Virus and COVID-19 as well as analyze the level of misconceptions experienced by students. The Treagust model is used as a reference for the instrument development process. Three public high schools providing 187 second grade students who had previously studied Virus content were involved as research respondents, The data analysis techniques used were descriptive statistics. Construct and content validity obtained from expert validation reached 89.88% and 97.12%, respectively. The results of data analysis also inform that each item was valid and the instrument was reliable. The average percentage of students who experience misconceptions was 39.96%. The average percentage of students who understand the topic correctly was 32.10%. The percentage of lucky guess reached 14.83% and students with low level of knowledge reached 13.10%. The diagnostic test as overall, was successful in detecting students' misconceptions. To overcome misconceptions and improve the quality of learning during a pandemic, biology learning must apply creative learning models, methodologies, and teaching materials.

The gut microbiota was reported to differ between children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) children, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in preterm infants is common. Here, we explored the characteristics of gut microbiota in children born preterm with ASD. We performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing using stool samples from ASD children born preterm and TD children born preterm. Alpha diversity was significantly greater in the ASD group. A comparison of beta diversity showed different clusters. Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis revealed significantly more Firmicutes in the ASD group compared with the TD group. In conclusion, the gut microbiota in children born preterm differs between children with ASD and TD.

Students possess informal, intuitive ways of reasoning about the world, including biological phenomena. Although useful in some cases, intuitive reasoning can also lead to the development of scientifically inaccurate ideas that conflict with central concepts taught in formal biology education settings, including evolution. Using antibiotic resistance as an example of evolution, we developed a set of reading interventions and an assessment tool to examine the extent to which differences in instructional language affect undergraduate student misconceptions and intuitive reasoning. We find that readings that confront intuitive misconceptions can be more effective in reducing those misconceptions than factual explanations of antibiotic resistance that fail to confront misconceptions. Overall, our findings build upon investigations of intuitive reasoning in biology, examine possible instructional interventions, and raise questions about effective implementation of reading interventions in addressing persistent misconceptions about biology.

This study aims for students to comprehend the beneficial functions of bacteria with the traditional home yogurt leavening activity. Also, it aims to identify alternative concepts related to leavening and contribute to students' home yogurt consumption habits. The study is a case study. The study was conducted with 29 fifth-grade students studying at a public school in Istanbul in the 2019-2020 academic year and their parents. Questionnaire forms and student observation forms developed by the researchers were used as data collection tools. The obtained data were described by content analysis. Before the application, the participant students were given these three statements; microbes as a sample of microscopic creatures, yeast fungi caused yogurt formation, and yogurt is healthy because it was a dairy product. While after the application, participant students changed their statements to these three; the term microbe was not used as a sample of microscopic creatures, bacteria took part in the formation of yogurt, and yogurt is healthy because it contains microscopic creatures beneficial for the digestive system. The educational activities integrated into daily life contribute to students' conceptual learning.

This study aimed to probe whether using the backward summary technique led to reading comprehension enhancement among non-English major university students at the Islamic Azad University of Babol, located in Babol city, in the North of Iran. 120 B.S. level nursing and microbiology students were randomly selected from a population of non-English majors enrolled for the General English course, divided into four groups of 30, and were randomly assigned to two experimental and two control groups. A pre-test of reading comprehension was administered to all groups, and then, they were taught passages to read for eight sessions but with different methods. A one-way ANCOVA was run to investigate the impact of the intervention, while controlling for the pre-test. The results indicated statistically significant effects for the experimental groups on the post-test, regarding comprehension, retention, and organization of the key concepts.

The Prospect Park Biodiversity Project was a SENCER collaboration project between the Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Mathematics at the New York City College of Technology. The goal of this project was to enhance students' participation and learning in STEM disciplines through a civically engaged framework. The project utilized the eco-complexity of Prospect Park Lake in Brooklyn, New York for an interdisciplinary study on the water quality. The project, which involved ten students and four faculty mentors, integrated microbiology, chemistry, and mathematics perspectives using active-learning pedagogies, including hands-on exploration and collaborative learning.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to human health. Education on antibiotics is essential for AMR prevention, and training should be provided for undergraduate pharmacy students. This study evaluated the knowledge regarding antibiotic use and AMR among fourth-year Japanese pharmacy students and the effect of a lecture on treating infectious diseases with antibiotics had on their knowledge. A questionnaire survey was conducted, and the responses were recorded before and after participants attended the lecture. A small subset of the prelecture survey questions was used for the postlecture survey. From a total of 540 participants, 330 and 234 responses were collected before and after the lecture, respectively. In the prelecture survey, 39.4% of the participants incorrectly answered that antibiotics can effectively treat the common cold, 13.3% had taken leftover antibiotics, and 17.3% had taken antibiotics prescribed for their family members or others. Furthermore, the prelecture survey data showed that the mean number (± standard deviation) of correct answers across the eight questions on treatment and diagnosis of infectious diseases and antibiotics was 2.21 ± 1.64. However, in the postsurvey, this figure increased to 5.00 ± 1.82. Although the lecture improved their knowledge to some extent, the results suggested that fourth-year pharmacy students have inaccurate knowledge regarding the appropriate use of antibiotics and AMR. Therefore, it is necessary to improve early-year undergraduate pharmacy education on antibiotics in Japan.

Gateway college science courses continue to exclude students from science, disproportionately discriminating against students of color. As the higher education system strives to reduce discrimination, we need a deliberate, iterative process to modify, supplement, or replace current modalities. By incorporating antiracist, just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive (AJEDI) principles throughout course design, instructors create learning environments that provide an antidote to historically oppressive systems. In this paper, we describe how a community of microbiology instructors who all teach Tiny Earth, a course-based undergraduate research experience, created and rapidly integrated antiracist content and pivoted to an online format in response to the social unrest and pandemic of 2020. The effort strengthened an existing teaching community of practice and produced collective change in classrooms across the nation. We provide a perspective on how instructor communities of practice can be leveraged to design and disseminate AJEDI curriculum.

Undergraduate research experiences benefit students' scientific skills, and recent trends in undergraduate research and education include focusing on interdisciplinary projects and on place-based learning. Here we describe a semester-long pilot interdisciplinary undergraduate research program focused on local aquatic ecosystems, discuss perceived benefits of this research approach, and show how this program's structure could be modified for use at other undergraduate institutions. The program included nine undergraduate students and five faculty from multiple scientific disciplines (geography, virology, ecology, vertebrate and invertebrate zoology) and involved approximately half a day of research per student per week and weekly hour-long lab meetings of the entire group, followed by end-of-semester poster presentations to the university. Student self-assessment data indicated that the program improved students' perceptions of their scientific ability, as well as their comfort level at performing scientific skills. We suggest that bringing together faculty from multiple disciplines with projects focused on the same local ecosystem is a valuable technique for providing undergraduate students with not only hands-on research experience, but also with (1) exposure to a diversity of research areas and methods and (2) a better understanding of the ecosystems in and around their campus.

Leaky gut hypothesis is one of the well-known theory which tries to explain etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Unfortunately there is still a gap of evidence to investigate the corner points of the hypothesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the determinants of leaky gut in children with ASD, their siblings and healthy controls. Intestinal microbiota was found to be similar between ASD and sibling groups. Biological markers of bacterial translocation showed a significant difference in the sibling group, whereas the marker indicating local inflammation was not different between the groups. The findings from this study did not support the role of Gut microbiota or leaky gut on the etiology of autism.

The discovery of and research into penicillin resistance by Sir Edward Abraham and Sir Ernst Chain can be used to teach the concept of natural selection and also multiple nature of science (NOS) objectives associated with Next Generation Science Standards, such as "scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence" and "science is a human endeavor." After a brief history of Abraham and Chain's work, we share a detailed multiday lesson plan and rationale for use in an eighth-grade in-person life science classroom. The instructional strategies discussed include analysis of excerpts of Abraham and Chain's published work through a case study jigsaw using an explicit and reflective approach to teaching NOS. The explicit approach used here is the direct instruction of NOS concepts, while the reflective approach allows students to think about and reflect on what they are learning. Instruction includes close reading, direct instruction, small and large group discussions, and writing. Students are asked to create a scavenger hunt map at the end of the multiday lesson and are assessed with an online five-question pre- and post-assessment.

We developed labs on the evolution of antibiotic resistance to assess the costs and benefits of replacing traditional laboratory exercises in an introductory biology course for majors with a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE). To assess whether participating in the CURE imposed a cost in terms of exam performance, we implemented a quasi-experiment in which four lab sections in the same term of the same course did the CURE labs, while all other students did traditional labs. To assess whether participating in the CURE impacted other aspects of student learning, we implemented a second quasi-experiment in which all students either did traditional labs over a two-quarter sequence or did CURE labs over a two-quarter sequence. Data from the first experiment showed minimal impact on CURE students' exam scores, while data from the second experiment showed that CURE students demonstrated a better understanding of the culture of scientific research and a more expert-like understanding of evolution by natural selection. We did not find disproportionate costs or benefits for CURE students from groups that are minoritized in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The limitations of bacterial visualization media make bacteria consider as abstract and difficult material to study. Furthermore, the implementation of bacteria material and the integration of Islamic values are difficult to teach. This research aimed at developing and validating the BSB (Bacterial Set Box) media containing "fiqh al biah." The method used in this research was R&D (Research and Development) with 4D model (Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate) by Thiagarajan et al. The media developed was three dimensions (3D), which was packed up in a box which contained three packages. The first box was bacterial visualization; the second box was bacterial classification; the third box was 3D box containing "fiqh al biah." The field test was carried out in Al Azhar Islamic Public School 16 and MA Nurussalam Semarang. The results showed that the validation percentages were 94% (material expert), 79% (media expert), 96% (integration expert), 92% (biology teacher of Al Azhar Islamic Public School 16), and 86% (biology teacher of MA Nurussalam). A pilot scale test and a large scale test showed very feasible. It can be concluded that BSB media containing "fiqh al biah" is very feasible to use.

Purpose: This research aimed to examine the usefulness of a microbiology digital handout as a teaching material validated by experimental research in the improvement of science process skills and cognitive learning outcome of students. Methodology: The study comprises two methods: experimental research and development research. The experimental research at Microbiology laboratory of Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science State University of Malang, while the development of teaching material in the Department of Agricultural Industrial Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, UNITRI Malang. A digital learning model was devised with ADDIE approach and implemented along with PBL model on experimental and control groups. Findings: Findings revealed that the improvement in student's science process skills and cognitive learning outcome in the experimental class was higher than those in the control class. Implications for Research and Practice: Learning by using a digital handout could increase students' activities and achievements, particularly in scientific learning. It would be very useful to solve the problems that might be encountered in the daily life. It could trigger the curiosity of students to examine and observe more on problems in the real life.

Developing and communicating evidence-based explanations are regarded as essential skills in 21st-century learning. These skills are central to the process of scientific argumentation. Hence, teachers must adhere to a student-centered pedagogy that cultivates students' understanding and argumentation skills. This study investigated the effects of the Metacognitive Argument-Driven Inquiry (MADI) approach in promoting students' conceptual understanding of Antimicrobial Resistance and scientific argumentation skills. The study employed a mixed-method approach, which involved both quantitative and qualitative data. The participants were third-year Biological Science Education students (n=23) in a public university in Central Luzon, the Philippines. Quantitative data were obtained from the validated 30-item conceptual understanding test and six-point teacher-made written argumentation skills test, administered before and after students' four-week exposure to the MADI approach. Qualitative data from video-recorded sessions and focus group discussions were used to substantiate the quantitative findings. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to determine if there were significant improvements at the end of the study. Results showed that students' conceptual understanding and argumentation skills significantly improved after exposure to the MADI approach with large effect sizes. Students' development of argumentation skills was evident during the implementation of the study, as seen in their increasing mean scores in each activity. Moreover, students signified the efficacy of the MADI approach in facilitating substantial improvements in their conceptual understanding and argumentation skills. Thus, it is suggested for Biology teachers to integrate the MADI approach in delivering their lessons and designing inquiry-based activities to support students' development of understanding and argumentation skills.

Foodborne diseases are a global burden, are preventable, and young people are a key population for behaviour change as they gain autonomy. This study aimed to explore young people's needs across several European countries in relation to learning about and implementing food hygiene and food safety. Qualitative focus groups and interviews were conducted in rural and city regions across England, France, Hungary and Portugal. Data were collected to attain data saturation, transcribed, thematically analysed, and mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework. Twenty-five out of 84 schools approached (29.8%) participated, with data collected from 156 11-18-year-old students. Students had good knowledge of personal hygiene but did not always follow hygiene rules due to forgetfulness, lack of facilities or lack of concern for consequences. Students had limited understanding of foodborne microbes, underestimated the risks and consequences of foodborne illness and perceived the "home" environment as the safest. Young people preferred interactive educational methods. Addressing gaps in young people's food safety knowledge is essential to improve their lack of concern towards foodborne illness and motivate them to follow food hygiene and safety behaviours consistently. Findings have been used to develop educational resources to address gaps in knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs.

Reflection is critical for adolescents' problem solving and learning in game-based learning environments (GBLEs). Yet challenges exist in the literature because most studies lack a theoretical perspective and clear operational definition to inform how and when reflection should be scaffolded during game-based learning. In this paper, we address these issues by studying the quantity and quality of 120 adolescents' written reflections and their relation to their learning and problem solving with Crystal Island, a GBLE. Specifically, we: (1) define reflection and how it relates to skill and knowledge acquisition; (2) review studies examining reflection and its relation to problem solving and learning with emerging technologies; and (3) provide direction for building reflection prompts into GBLEs that are aligned with the learning goals built into the learning session (e.g., learn about microbiology versus successfully solve a problem) to maximize adolescents' reflection, learning, and performance. Overall, our findings emphasize how important it is to examine not only the quantity of reflection but also the depth of written reflection as it relates to specific learning goals. We discuss the implications of using game-learning analytics to guide instructional decision making in the classroom.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the views of Biology teachers and secondary education students on virus-related subjects taught in secondary education in Turkey. The study adopted the case study deign, one of the qualitative research methods. The participants, who were selected randomly, consisted of 26 Biology teachers and 51 secondary education students on voluntary basis. The data were collected via a semi-structured interview form on viruses that was developed by the researchers. The data were analysed using content analysis method. The results revealed that both student and teacher participants' responses to the question concerning "linking the subject with daily life" showed parallelism; student participants were well-aware that their life would be affected if the viruses were active in their environment, teachers' competencies were considered important for teaching virus-related subjects; and both student and teacher participants were of the opinion that virus-related subjects could be taught more effectively through visual materials.

Ehrlichiosis ("Ehrlichia chaffeensis"), a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks, and its complications are examined here in a case-based learning approach. This case scenario describes a person who was bitten by a tick while farming and the complications they experienced. Students are presented with a patient case scenario that entails a detailed assessment of the patient's physical status, medical history, vital signs, laboratory values, and treatment methods so as to provide a complete picture of the pathophysiology of ehrlichiosis. This case scenario can be used to teach physiology or pathophysiology of infection and inflammation topics in clinical courses such as nursing, physician assistant, pharmacy, and other allied health programs.

Humor is widespread in communication and its use in the context of science is no exception. Although science jokes are pervasive on social media, we are only beginning to understand the mechanisms through which humor affects people's attitudes, opinions, and perceptions of scientific topics. Here, we add to our understanding of how funny science content influences attitude formation and behavioral intentions; these results can help communicators make strategic decisions related to humor's use in real-world practice. Extending recent work in science communication, this study aims to understand the conditional nature of the mechanism by which funny images about three different scientific topics, combined with verbal humor, affects people's social media engagement intentions by eliciting mirth. Our results offer evidence that choices about which humor types to employ matter when it comes to communicating scientific topics. For two of the three topics, artificial intelligence and microbiomes, exposure to different humor types resulted in different levels of mirth and humor's effect on engagement intentions was moderated by respondents' need for humor. However, humor did not have the same effect on global warming engagement intentions. Our findings have implications for the practice of, training, and scholarship in science communication.