Call for action: Paradigm shift in teaching microbiology in a community colleges
Kaustubha Qanungo Ph.D
Biological Sciences
Trident Technical College
7000 Rivers Avenue
Charleston
SC 29464
Project Course: BIO 225 Microbiology in a 7.5 week compressed format
In class activity
Time: 3 hours
SAT/SUN
MON
TUE
Out of class
mandatory activity
Time: 3 hours
Drive them crazy again
BIO225 Microbiology Objectives
BIO225:
BIO225: Microbial Genetics of infection objectives:
Students will
1. Be able to describe components and structure of the DNA and RNA
2. Be able to describe the components of the “Central Dogma”
3. Predict how mutations impact the “Central Dogma”
4. Describe how bacteria exchange genetic material
5. Be able to read a popular article on drug resistance and explain the
mechanism.
Project Course: BIO 225 Microbiology in a 7.5 week compressed format
3
4
5
SAT/SUN
MON
Formative assessment
1
Summative assessment
2
Project Course: BIO 225 Microbiology in a 7.5 week compressed format
3
4
5
SAT/SUN
MON
1. Watch video lecture with embedded
non-graded quiz with hints after a wrong
answer. Video resumes after answering
correct.
2
Component 1: Video lecture with embedded questions
Question: Why each strand of a double strand DNA molecule is antiparallel to each other ?
A. The phosphate groups are needed to be in opposite orientation to bond with phosphate group of the
complementary strand.
B. The strands are complimentary to each other so they needed to be antiparallel
C. The bases of the nucleotide are aligned in a complementary fashion and the bonding with the
complementary base pairs are only possible if the strands are antiparallel.
D. The DNA strands are antiparallel because it contains thymine instead of uracil.
Project Course: BIO 225 Microbiology in a 7.5 week compressed format
3
4
5
SAT/SUN
1. Watch video lecture with
embedded non-graded quiz with hints
after a wrong answer. Video resumes
after correct answer.
2. Take online warm up quiz with
lockdown browser.
MON
Component 2: Warm up quiz
Question:
The following is a DNA sequence 5`ATGCGATTCCATTAG3`. Predict the
complementary strand of the DNA shown.
A. 5`ATGCGATTCCATTAG3
B. 3`ATGCGATTCCATTAG5`
C. 5`TACGCTAAGGTAATC3`
D. 3`TACGCTAAGGTAATC5`
Project Course: BIO 225 Microbiology in a 7.5 week compressed format
3. Selected difficult topic lecture
with graded clicker questions.
4
5
SAT/SUN
1. Watch video lecture with
embedded non-graded quiz with hints
after a wrong answer. Video resumes
after correct answer.
2. Read Text and Lecture outline in
D2L. Take online warm up quiz with
lockdown browser.
MON
Component 3: In Class Lecture with Clicker Question
Question:
Why the DNA polymerase synthesize the 3`-5` strand discontinuously?
A. Because each DNA polymerase is too big of a molecule and need to be far apart from each other
B. The DNA polymerase can only synthesize DNA in the 5`-3` direction which is the complimentary strand
of the 3`-5`.
C. As DNA replication is semi-conservative, the DNA polymerase need to wait until the 5`-3` strand is
synthesized.
D. The 3`-5` strand of the DNA is synthesized discontinuously because it allows the tired DNA polymerase
to rest in-between so that it does not cause mistake leading to mutations
Project Course: BIO 225 Microbiology in a 7.5 week compressed format
3. Selected difficult topic lecture
with graded clicker questions.
4. Group assignment follweed by
individual grading.
5
SAT/SUN
1. Watch video lecture with
embedded non-graded quiz with hints
after a wrong answer. Video resumes
after correct answer.
2. Take online warm up quiz with
lockdown browser.
MON
Component 4: Group activity; Literature study, writing
Question:
Explain how the CRE (Carbapenam resistance bacteria) bacteria
acquired the ability to resist the action of the Carbapenam ?
Project Course: BIO 225 Microbiology in a 7.5 week compressed format
3. Selected difficult topic lecture
with graded clicker questions.
4. Group assignment with group and
individual peer grading.
5. Interactive class session to revisit
topics and quiz.
SAT/SUN
1. Watch video lecture with
embedded non-graded quiz with hints
after a wrong answer. Video resumes
after correct answer.
2. Take online warm up quiz with
lockdown browser.
MON
Component 5: Closing lecture and summative quiz
1.
2.
3.
Summary and closing lecture for 30 minute.
Encourage strong participation to revisit muddy areas.
Summative multiple choice quiz worth 20 points.
Question: The processes of the transcription and translation are similar in that they both __________.
A. Use DNA to produce their respective product
B. Produce mRNA
C. Have a initiation, elongation and termination
D. Require Amino Acyl tRNA
E. Take place in the nucleus
The Written Plan
Project Course: BIO 225 Microbiology in a 7.5 week compressed format
Project Chapter: Microbial genetics of infectious disease (Molecular Biology)
Component 1: Video lecture with embedded questions
1. Delivered thru Desire2Learn (D2L).
2. Hybrid video lecture: Voice over powerpoint with the face of the instructor in a
corner window
3. Scripted with close captioning
4. Embedded non-graded critical thinking quizzes; wrong answer will provide some
hint for correct answer.
5. Video resumes after correct answer
Question: Why each strand of a double strand DNA molecule is antiparallel to each other ?
A. The phosphate groups are needed to be in opposite orientation to bond with phosphate group of the
complementary strand.
B. The strands are complimentary to each other so they needed to be antiparallel
C. The bases of the nucleotide are aligned in a complementary fashion and the bonding with the
complementary base pairs are only possible if the strands are antiparallel.
D. The DNA strands are antiparallel because it contains thymine instead of uracil.
Component 2: Warm up quiz
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Students will read the assigned chapter from the text book.
They will take an online 10 point quiz which asks fundamental concepts from
that chapter
The quiz will be through D2L and the lockdown browser.
One question shown at a time.
Students have two chances to take the quiz.
The software will choose question random questions from a question bank.
Question: The following is a sequence of a DNA 5`ATGCGATTCCATTAG3`.
complementary strand of that DNA.
A. 5`ATGCGATTCCATTAG3
B. 3`ATGCGATTCCATTAG5`
C. 5`TACGCTAAGGTAATC3`
D. 3`TACGCTAAGGTAATC5`
Component 3: In Class Lecture with Clicker Question
1.
2.
3.
4.
Conventional class lecture with Powerpoint.
Embedded animations.
Embedded videos
The lecture part will include 5 point clicker question.
Question: Why the DNA polymerase synthesize the 3`-5` strand discontinuously?
A. Because each DNA polymerase is too big of a molecule and need to be far apart from each other
B. The DNA polymerase can only synthesize DNA in the 5`-3` direction which is the complimentary strand
of the 3`-5`.
C. As DNA replication is semi-conservative, the DNA polymerase need to wait until the 5`-3` strand is
synthesized.
D. The 3`-5` strand of the DNA is synthesized discontinuously because it allows the tired DNA polymerase
to rest in-between so that it does not cause mistake leading to mutations
Component 4: Group activity
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Heterogeneous student groups will be formed based on their academic ability.
Decided at the beginning of the semester. There will be four students per group.
A popular science literature (Scientific American level) on antibiotic resistance
will be provided in the print form to each student.
They will read the material and discuss the problem for 45 minutes.
Then they will write their answers in 15 minutes which will be graded.
There will be 10 points on this activity and will be graded based on a rubric
Question:
Explain how the CRE (Carbapenam resistance bacteria) bacteria
acquired the ability to resist the action of the Carbapenam in
the light of “Central Dogma”?
Component 5: Interactive revisit lecture and summative quiz
1.
2.
3.
Summary and closing lecture for 30 minute.
Encourage strong participation to revisit muddy areas.
Summative multiple choice quiz worth 20 points.
Question: The processes of the transcription and translation are similar in that they both __________.
A. Use DNA to produce their respective product
B. Produce mRNA
C. Have a initiation, elongation and termination
D. Require Amino Acyl tRNA
E. Take place in the nucleus
Project Course: BIO 225 Microbiology in a 7.5 week compressed format
Course Evaluation
1. Online quiz
2. Clicker questions
3. Group assignment points
4. In class quiz
Total point per chapter
(Drop worst one)
50 points X (15-1) 700 points
Lecture test X 4
50 points
Final test
Course total
10 points
10 points
10 points
20 points
200 points
100 points
1000 points