Learning Geomicrobiology as a Team Using Microbial Mats, a Multidisciplinary Approach

Microbial mats are one of the best suited laminar organo-sedimentary ecosystems for students from different educational backgrounds to visualize the direct relationship between microbes and minerals. We have used tropical hypersaline microbial mats from Puerto Rico as educational tools to promote ac...

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Autores principales:	Carlos Rios-Velazquez, Lilliam Casillas-Martinez, Pieter T. Visscher
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	American Society for Microbiology 2007
Materias:	Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Biology (General) QH301-705.5
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/70ad11d1d8334ec69e82ad991816882f
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:70ad11d1d8334ec69e82ad991816882f2021-11-15T15:03:04ZLearning Geomicrobiology as a Team Using Microbial Mats, a Multidisciplinary Approach10.1128/jmbe.8.1.28-35.20071935-78851935-7877https://doaj.org/article/70ad11d1d8334ec69e82ad991816882f2007-01-01T00:00:00Zhttps://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.8.1.28-35.2007https://doaj.org/toc/1935-7877https://doaj.org/toc/1935-7885Microbial mats are one of the best suited laminar organo-sedimentary ecosystems for students from different educational backgrounds to visualize the direct relationship between microbes and minerals. We have used tropical hypersaline microbial mats from Puerto Rico as educational tools to promote active learning of geomicrobiology introductory concepts for undergraduate students organized in multidisciplinary teams with biological and geological backgrounds. Besides field trips and independent research projects focused on microbial mats, four intensive workshops and one capstone activity were designed to expose students to the different geomicrobiology subdisciplines (microbiology, molecular biology, geology, and geochemistry). The teaching-learning process was assessed using pre- and posttests, group discussions, activities including Gallery Walks and exquisite cadaver’s, case studies, and focal interviews. While the posttest showed a significant difference in conceptual understanding, the Gallery Walk and the capstone activities demonstrated increase in the depth, coherence, and thoughtfulness in answering questions, including a clear integration of the different subdisciplines during their presentations. Finally, the main themes described by the students as important outcomes of their participation in the Research at Undergraduate Institutions: Microbial Observatory (RUI-MO) program were: (i) the opportunity to study and learn new and different science disciplines, (ii) the microbial mats were excellent tools to learn from and integrate different science disciplines, and (iii) working in multidisciplinary teams gave them the opportunity to learn from their peers’ discipline backgrounds. To our knowledge this is the first educational initiative that uses tropical hypersaline microbial mats to teach geomicrobiology in a multidisciplinary fashion.Carlos Rios-VelazquezLilliam Casillas-MartinezPieter T. VisscherAmerican Society for MicrobiologyarticleSpecial aspects of educationLC8-6691Biology (General)QH301-705.5ENJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education, Vol 8, Iss 1, Pp 28-35 (2007)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Biology (General) QH301-705.5
spellingShingle	Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Carlos Rios-Velazquez Lilliam Casillas-Martinez Pieter T. Visscher Learning Geomicrobiology as a Team Using Microbial Mats, a Multidisciplinary Approach
description	Microbial mats are one of the best suited laminar organo-sedimentary ecosystems for students from different educational backgrounds to visualize the direct relationship between microbes and minerals. We have used tropical hypersaline microbial mats from Puerto Rico as educational tools to promote active learning of geomicrobiology introductory concepts for undergraduate students organized in multidisciplinary teams with biological and geological backgrounds. Besides field trips and independent research projects focused on microbial mats, four intensive workshops and one capstone activity were designed to expose students to the different geomicrobiology subdisciplines (microbiology, molecular biology, geology, and geochemistry). The teaching-learning process was assessed using pre- and posttests, group discussions, activities including Gallery Walks and exquisite cadaver’s, case studies, and focal interviews. While the posttest showed a significant difference in conceptual understanding, the Gallery Walk and the capstone activities demonstrated increase in the depth, coherence, and thoughtfulness in answering questions, including a clear integration of the different subdisciplines during their presentations. Finally, the main themes described by the students as important outcomes of their participation in the Research at Undergraduate Institutions: Microbial Observatory (RUI-MO) program were: (i) the opportunity to study and learn new and different science disciplines, (ii) the microbial mats were excellent tools to learn from and integrate different science disciplines, and (iii) working in multidisciplinary teams gave them the opportunity to learn from their peers’ discipline backgrounds. To our knowledge this is the first educational initiative that uses tropical hypersaline microbial mats to teach geomicrobiology in a multidisciplinary fashion.
format	article
author	Carlos Rios-Velazquez Lilliam Casillas-Martinez Pieter T. Visscher
author_facet	Carlos Rios-Velazquez Lilliam Casillas-Martinez Pieter T. Visscher
author_sort	Carlos Rios-Velazquez
title	Learning Geomicrobiology as a Team Using Microbial Mats, a Multidisciplinary Approach
title_short	Learning Geomicrobiology as a Team Using Microbial Mats, a Multidisciplinary Approach
title_full	Learning Geomicrobiology as a Team Using Microbial Mats, a Multidisciplinary Approach
title_fullStr	Learning Geomicrobiology as a Team Using Microbial Mats, a Multidisciplinary Approach
title_full_unstemmed	Learning Geomicrobiology as a Team Using Microbial Mats, a Multidisciplinary Approach
title_sort	learning geomicrobiology as a team using microbial mats, a multidisciplinary approach
publisher	American Society for Microbiology
publishDate	2007
url	https://doaj.org/article/70ad11d1d8334ec69e82ad991816882f
work_keys_str_mv	AT carlosriosvelazquez learninggeomicrobiologyasateamusingmicrobialmatsamultidisciplinaryapproach AT lilliamcasillasmartinez learninggeomicrobiologyasateamusingmicrobialmatsamultidisciplinaryapproach AT pietertvisscher learninggeomicrobiologyasateamusingmicrobialmatsamultidisciplinaryapproach
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Learning Geomicrobiology as a Team Using Microbial Mats, a Multidisciplinary Approach

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