Microbial Model Construction Activity for Introducing Students to Microbiome and Metagenomic Fields

Area of Science:

• Biology Education
• Microbiology
• Genomics

Background:

• Integrating emerging scientific disciplines into high school curricula is crucial for modern biology teaching.
• Model construction in biology education helps students visualize and understand complex, invisible biological processes.
• Pedagogical strategies need to adapt to introduce students to rapidly advancing fields like microbiomes and metagenomics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and assess a two-component pedagogical activity for high school students on microbiomes and metagenomics.
• To enhance student understanding of host-microbe interactions and emerging biological sciences through active learning.

Main Methods:

• An introductory talk on microbiomes and host-microbe interactions was delivered to high school students.
• Students worked in teams to create oral presentations and physical models of microbiome interactions.
• Knowledge acquisition was measured using pre- and post-tests, alongside model evaluation.

Main Results:

• Overall participant knowledge increased by 43% from pre-test to post-test.
• Student understanding of metagenomics improved by 30%, and microbiomes by 49%.
• Students successfully defined and integrated concepts related to microbiomes and metagenomics.

Conclusions:

• The integrated educational strategy effectively increased student knowledge in emerging biological fields.
• Team-based model construction and presentation foster active learning in non-traditional science education.
• This pedagogical approach is vital for engaging students with current topics in microbiology and genomics.