ERIC Number: EJ1452994
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Dec
Pages: 5
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1935-7877
EISSN: EISSN-1935-7885
Available Date: N/A
A Case Study to Engage Students in Evolutionary Thinking around Antibiotic Resistance using the MEGA-Plate Experiment
Stephanie A. Carr; Stephanie L. Mathews; Justin A. Pruneski; Nikolas M. Stasulli
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, v25 n3 2024
In this article, we describe curricular materials developed to engage undergraduate students in evolutionary thinking around antibiotic resistance using the MEGA-plate experiment (Microbial Evolution and Growth Arena). This elegant and visual experiment, developed by the Kishony Lab, shows the development of antibiotic resistance on the timescale of hours and days. It not only provides important biological insights but also captures students' attention, making it a very useful tool for education. While a short video describing the method and major results has already been widely used in the classroom setting, our case study connects details of the methods and results of the MEGA-plate experiment and antibiotic resistance to core biological concepts. The interrupted case study consists of four major parts: 1) an opening hook activity to capture students' attention and introduce the antibiotic crisis, 2) a jigsaw activity to research different classes of antibiotic targets and the resistance mechanisms that can arise, 3) a discussion of antibiotic resistance in real-time using the MEGA-plate experiment video, and 4) three different options for students to dive deeper into the experimental data from the MEGA-plate research article. These components are modular and can be used in many different combinations to reach different audiences or connect to other topics related to microbiology, evolution, or genetics.
Descriptors: Biochemistry, Science Instruction, Laboratory Experiments, Drug Therapy, Undergraduate Students, Video Technology, Scientific Concepts, Cooperative Learning, Evolution, Genetics, Teaching Methods
American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1730317
Author Affiliations: N/A