Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education最新文献

{"title":"Beyond emergency remote teaching: student engagement rebounds in planned online STEM laboratory courses in fall 2020.","authors":"Emma R Wester, Lisa L Walsh, Sandra Arango-Caro, Elena Bray Speth, Kristine Callis-Duehl","doi":"10.1128/jmbe.00098-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00098-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Students' engagement in STEM coursework during the COVID-19 pandemic underwent significant changes as institutions adapted to online learning. While previous research documented the immediate impacts during the emergency transition to remote learning in Spring 2020, this study examines how student engagement evolved during Fall 2020-the first full semester where both faculty and students could prepare for online instruction. Using Fredericks et al.'s framework of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional engagement (12), we surveyed 240 undergraduate students in an introductory biology laboratory course at a public R2 university. Analysis of pre- and post-semester responses revealed significant improvements in cognitive engagement (self-efficacy; sense of belonging) and emotional engagement, while behavioral engagement remained stable. Notably, students in quarter-length courses showed greater improvements in perceived course value compared to those in semester-length courses. No significant differences were found across gender or PEER (Persons Excluded from STEM due to Ethnicity or Race) status, suggesting equitable course design. These findings contrast with Spring 2020's emergency remote teaching, where emotional engagement declined significantly. Our results indicate that intentionally designed online courses can effectively support student engagement, though challenges remain in fostering active participation in virtual environments. This study provides insights for developing resilient educational approaches that can maintain student engagement during future disruptions to traditional instruction.</p>","PeriodicalId":46416,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":"e0009825"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145114663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Undergraduate students exploring microorganisms in fermented milk products using basic microscopes and smartphone cameras.","authors":"Soumyodeep Das, Ayushi Raturi, Mohammad Khalid, Sadhan Das, Vidya Devi Negi, Shravan Kumar Mishra","doi":"10.1128/jmbe.00162-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00162-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Students of an undergraduate class were trained to explore microorganisms in milk products. Fermented curd/yogurt prepared at home was compared with commercial milk products for the presence of bacteria and yeast. Students visualized Gram-stained samples with a basic microscope and captured images by adjusting their smartphone on the eyepiece. They estimated the dimensions of the organisms using the images, after factoring in the smartphone's magnification and the microscope's field of view (FOV). Students could appreciate the health benefits of fermented milk products prepared at home by monitoring the prevalence of Gram-positive bacilli. Undergraduate teachers can readily adopt this pedagogy approach to give hands-on training to students in large labs, even within economically constrained setups.</p>","PeriodicalId":46416,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":"e0016225"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145070732","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A case study of ChatGPT-assisted building of a microbiome-based machine learning model for biologists.","authors":"Huan Yang, David Xie, Ping Wei, Jinzhan Ge, Yudong Li","doi":"10.1128/jmbe.00082-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00082-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Machine learning is a widespread technology that is shaping how biologists interact with data. However, there are many practical challenges in teaching machine learning to biology students, who often do not have a strong programming background. To address these challenges, we present an educational study utilizing publicly available salivary microbiome data sets to develop a machine learning model using Python. With the assistance of ChatGPT, most students successfully built a simple random forest model. Evaluation metrics, such as accuracy and area under the curve, indicated that the overall performance of the model was favorable and accurately predicted oral malodor diseases. This work establishes a pedagogical framework for integrating machine learning into biology curricula, bridging the gap between data science and life science education.</p>","PeriodicalId":46416,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":"e0008225"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145034419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating gains in student self-efficacy in scientific literacy associated with a brief curricular intervention.","authors":"Radhika Reddy, Olivia M Ainsworth, MacKenzie J Gray, Andrea Hildebrand, Jazzmine Waugh, Jennifer Lindwall, Javier Huerta, Thomas E Keller","doi":"10.1128/jmbe.00126-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00126-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>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.</p>","PeriodicalId":46416,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":"e0012625"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145034481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thoughts on the prerequisite courses for microbiology.","authors":"Yijun Kang, Min Shen, Yanzhou Zhang","doi":"10.1128/jmbe.00154-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00154-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper conducts an in-depth investigation and analysis of 25 microbiology course outlines from 23 domestic universities in China, focusing on the structure of prerequisite courses. The study finds that microbiology course outlines typically include basic course information, objectives, content, teaching methods, resources, assessment, and scheduling. Reasonable prerequisite course settings are vital for clarifying logical relationships among courses in talent training programs, organizing key and challenging knowledge systems, and enhancing university course quality. The paper proposes recommendations for microbiology prerequisite course design, including identifying core prerequisites, ensuring logical sequence rationality, setting appropriate numbers of prerequisites, and considering professional specificities. These suggestions offer a reference for optimizing microbiology course outline design and improving biological talent cultivation quality. The paper also explores the selection frequency and number of prerequisite courses. The top three selected courses are biochemistry, general biology, and genetics, while the least selected are biostatistics, physiology, and ecology. It is recommended that universities carefully consider course logical sequences and students' actual learning needs when setting microbiology prerequisite courses to ensure students build a solid knowledge foundation and smoothly transition to microbiology learning.</p>","PeriodicalId":46416,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":"e0015425"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145030986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Teaching critical histories of microbiology: two case studies.","authors":"Aida Arosoaie, Elizabeth Hennessy","doi":"10.1128/jmbe.00210-24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00210-24","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In recent years, microbiologists have emphasized the importance of understanding the historical relation between microbiomes and public health as a means of contributing to social equity. Consistent with critical engaged and anti-racist pedagogical practices, we developed a curricular intervention-<i>HEALing the Sciences</i>-that centers critical histories of science as means to educate scientists about how science has contributed to and replicated inequities in society. Here, we describe two case studies that our interdisciplinary team designed, implemented, and assessed specifically for a module on the history of microbiology. Both case studies, \"Germs and Jim Crow\" and <i>\"</i>Ghosting Race,\" encourage participants to think critically about the field of microbiology's historical contributions to the maintenance of racial disparities in ways that remain relevant to the present. In this manuscript, we expand on the implementation and assessment of the case studies, suggesting possible modifications that would enable instructors to adopt and adapt the research design we have developed. We have taught these case studies via remote synchronous instruction to a cohort of microbiologists, including graduate students, faculty, and research staff, who provided extensive qualitative feedback through surveys that suggest both the effectiveness of the material and possible modifications for improvement. We hope these case studies will provide STEM educators in microbiology and beyond with useful pedagogical tools to advance anti-racist efforts in the academe.</p>","PeriodicalId":46416,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":"e0021024"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145030931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A cross-disciplinary hands-on genomics curriculum adaptable for high school to undergraduate education.","authors":"Sophie Zaaijer, Simon C Groen","doi":"10.1128/jmbe.00136-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00136-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>DNA literacy is becoming increasingly essential for navigating healthcare, understanding pandemics, and engaging with biotechnology-yet genomics education remains limited at the secondary level of education. We present a modular, hands-on curriculum designed for high school and early undergraduate students (ages 14-21) that introduces key genomics concepts through an experiment on fermentation, a process that is key to food preservation and medicine. Students follow a complete scientific process: exploring what DNA is and how microbial succession works, analyzing real DNA sequencing data, and writing a formal scientific report. The course integrates molecular biology, bioinformatics, and data analysis obtained from portable nanopore sequencing technology (Oxford Nanopore MinION), giving students access to authentic data sets. Activities such as microbial species identification using taxonomic IDs foster skills in observation, experimental design, and quantitative reasoning. The curriculum aligns with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Vision and Change (V&C) frameworks, supporting interdisciplinary learning and scientific literacy. By making molecular biology visible and relatable, this curriculum equips diverse learners with the tools to engage meaningfully in a genomics-driven world.</p>","PeriodicalId":46416,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":"e0013625"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145013400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mental FLOSS for faculty: effects of an inter-institutional community of practice on faculty mindset and inclusive teaching in higher education.","authors":"Jennifer L Imamura, Tamara L Mau, Erica L Wildy, Joshua Povich, Pieter J de Haan, Jenny Hazlehurst, Timothy J Herrlinger, Julianne M Winters","doi":"10.1128/jmbe.00015-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00015-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Upon entering college, students from marginalized identities are equally as likely as their peers to declare an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). However, many of these students leave STEM before graduation, leading to underrepresentation in academia and the workforce. In the Faculty Learning Optimizes Student Success (FLOSS) Program, we sought to reduce this disparity by introducing faculty to the diversity of needs and perspectives of their students, educating them on best practices for inclusive teaching, and fostering a community of practice to support implementation of these practices. We assessed the program by surveying faculty before and after participation on their (i) role and responsibilities in building classroom equity and inclusion, (ii) knowledge and confidence to build inclusive learning environments, and (iii) sense of belonging within a teaching community. As a result of participating in FLOSS, faculty were less likely to assign deficits to students' individual characteristics (e.g., academic preparation), and more likely to recognize deficits in their own teaching and/or the academic environment. Faculty also reported increases in their knowledge of inclusive teaching strategies and their confidence in implementing them, as well as a strong sense of belonging to a teaching community.</p>","PeriodicalId":46416,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":"e0001525"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144973754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Not just an afterthought: the essentiality of professional development for STEM teaching assistants.","authors":"Emma C Goodwin, Karen A Santillan, Petra Kranzfelder, Jeffrey T Olimpo","doi":"10.1128/jmbe.00161-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00161-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants (TAs) have become increasingly responsible for facilitating coursework in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Yet, they often receive limited, if any, professional development (PD) to support them in this endeavor and to accelerate their growth as educators. This themed issue on STEM TA PD reflects a concerted effort to address this concern, with the articles comprising the issue representing a wide array of topical contributions by authors with a diversity of roles across institutions/organizations.</p>","PeriodicalId":46416,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":"e0016125"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144973786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An interdisciplinary approach in teaching RNA secondary structure prediction to first-year undergraduate students using an automated deep learning RNA 3D model prediction tool.","authors":"Kamanasish Bhattacharjee, Adi Idris","doi":"10.1128/jmbe.00139-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00139-25","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in biologics drug design is interlaced into the fabric of the drug discovery pipeline for many in the biotechnology industry. The use of AI tools in RNA therapeutic drug design has gained traction in recent years to develop more effective therapeutics in a short period of time, revolutionizing rapid-response therapeutics. Indeed, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) are streamlining RNA therapeutic design in ways we never thought were possible just a decade ago. These advances are accompanied by a plethora of new AI tools for drug design that continue to barrage the research space at unprecedented speed. As biology educators, we bear the responsibility for keeping up with technological advances in the biotechnology space, as it is up to us to prepare and equip the next generation of scientists with the use of AI platforms in this space. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutic design remains a complex challenge, despite several of them being currently in clinical use for various genetic diseases. The application of AI and ML models can predict potent and longer-lasting siRNA drug candidates for therapeutic development. Additionally, it is imperative that siRNA candidates are screened for their propensity to form secondary structures, as this can reduce targeting efficacy and result in unwanted immune responses. Though siRNA technology is commonly taught at the undergraduate level across life sciences disciplines, there remains a disconnect between the use of AI and siRNA design in the teaching curriculum. We previously described an innovative approach for teaching students the use of a generative AI tool called Biomod AI to design siRNAs. Here, we designed an inquiry-based non-wet-lab workshop for students to explore the use of an automated DL-based RNA 3D structure prediction tool called trRosettaRNA to determine the secondary structures of siRNAs. Importantly, the interdisciplinary design of this activity amalgamates both AI and RNA science concepts in a simplified format in a single workshop tailored for first-year health sciences undergraduate students.</p>","PeriodicalId":46416,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":"e0013925"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144973761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}