Unique Down to Our Microbes—Assessment of an Inquiry-Based Metagenomics Activity

Metagenomics is an important method for studying microbial life. However, undergraduate exposure to metagenomics is hindered by associated software, computing demands, and dataset access. In this inquiry-based activity designed for introductory life science majors and nonmajors, students perform an...

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Autores principales:	Thomas B. Lentz, Laura E. Ott, Sabrina D. Robertson, Sarah C. Windsor, Joshua B. Kelley, Michael S. Wollenberg, Robert R. Dunn, Carlos C. Goller
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	American Society for Microbiology 2017
Materias:	Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Biology (General) QH301-705.5
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/aa6229ced8d04eedad1fb974084e43fb
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:aa6229ced8d04eedad1fb974084e43fb2021-11-15T15:04:06ZUnique Down to Our Microbes—Assessment of an Inquiry-Based Metagenomics Activity10.1128/jmbe.v18i2.12841935-78851935-7877https://doaj.org/article/aa6229ced8d04eedad1fb974084e43fb2017-09-01T00:00:00Zhttps://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.v18i2.1284https://doaj.org/toc/1935-7877https://doaj.org/toc/1935-7885Metagenomics is an important method for studying microbial life. However, undergraduate exposure to metagenomics is hindered by associated software, computing demands, and dataset access. In this inquiry-based activity designed for introductory life science majors and nonmajors, students perform an investigation of the bacterial communities inhabiting the human belly button and associated metagenomics data collected through a citizen science project and visualized using an open-access bioinformatics tool. The activity is designed for attainment of the following student learning outcomes: defining terms associated with metagenomics analyses, describing the biological impact of the microbiota on human health, formulating a hypothesis, analyzing and interpreting metagenomics data to compare microbiota, evaluating a specific hypothesis, and synthesizing a conceptual model as to why bacterial populations vary. This activity was implemented in six introductory biology and biotechnology courses across five institutions. Attainment of student learning outcomes was assessed through completion of a quiz and students’ presentations of their findings. In presentations, students demonstrated their ability to develop novel hypotheses and analyze and interpret metagenomic data to evaluate their hypothesis. In quizzes, students demonstrated their ability to define key terms and describe the biological impact of the microbiota on human health. Student learning gains assessment also revealed that students perceived gains for all student learning outcomes. Collectively, our assessment demonstrates achievement of the learning outcomes and supports the utility of this inquiry-based activity to engage undergraduates in the scientific process via analyses of metagenomics datasets and associated exploration of a microbial community that lives on the human body.Thomas B. LentzLaura E. OttSabrina D. RobertsonSarah C. WindsorJoshua B. KelleyMichael S. WollenbergRobert R. DunnCarlos C. GollerAmerican Society for MicrobiologyarticleSpecial aspects of educationLC8-6691Biology (General)QH301-705.5ENJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education, Vol 18, Iss 2 (2017)
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 Thomas B. Lentz Laura E. Ott Sabrina D. Robertson Sarah C. Windsor Joshua B. Kelley Michael S. Wollenberg Robert R. Dunn Carlos C. Goller Unique Down to Our Microbes—Assessment of an Inquiry-Based Metagenomics Activity
description	Metagenomics is an important method for studying microbial life. However, undergraduate exposure to metagenomics is hindered by associated software, computing demands, and dataset access. In this inquiry-based activity designed for introductory life science majors and nonmajors, students perform an investigation of the bacterial communities inhabiting the human belly button and associated metagenomics data collected through a citizen science project and visualized using an open-access bioinformatics tool. The activity is designed for attainment of the following student learning outcomes: defining terms associated with metagenomics analyses, describing the biological impact of the microbiota on human health, formulating a hypothesis, analyzing and interpreting metagenomics data to compare microbiota, evaluating a specific hypothesis, and synthesizing a conceptual model as to why bacterial populations vary. This activity was implemented in six introductory biology and biotechnology courses across five institutions. Attainment of student learning outcomes was assessed through completion of a quiz and students’ presentations of their findings. In presentations, students demonstrated their ability to develop novel hypotheses and analyze and interpret metagenomic data to evaluate their hypothesis. In quizzes, students demonstrated their ability to define key terms and describe the biological impact of the microbiota on human health. Student learning gains assessment also revealed that students perceived gains for all student learning outcomes. Collectively, our assessment demonstrates achievement of the learning outcomes and supports the utility of this inquiry-based activity to engage undergraduates in the scientific process via analyses of metagenomics datasets and associated exploration of a microbial community that lives on the human body.
format	article
author	Thomas B. Lentz Laura E. Ott Sabrina D. Robertson Sarah C. Windsor Joshua B. Kelley Michael S. Wollenberg Robert R. Dunn Carlos C. Goller
author_facet	Thomas B. Lentz Laura E. Ott Sabrina D. Robertson Sarah C. Windsor Joshua B. Kelley Michael S. Wollenberg Robert R. Dunn Carlos C. Goller
author_sort	Thomas B. Lentz
title	Unique Down to Our Microbes—Assessment of an Inquiry-Based Metagenomics Activity
title_short	Unique Down to Our Microbes—Assessment of an Inquiry-Based Metagenomics Activity
title_full	Unique Down to Our Microbes—Assessment of an Inquiry-Based Metagenomics Activity
title_fullStr	Unique Down to Our Microbes—Assessment of an Inquiry-Based Metagenomics Activity
title_full_unstemmed	Unique Down to Our Microbes—Assessment of an Inquiry-Based Metagenomics Activity
title_sort	unique down to our microbes—assessment of an inquiry-based metagenomics activity
publisher	American Society for Microbiology
publishDate	2017
url	https://doaj.org/article/aa6229ced8d04eedad1fb974084e43fb
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Unique Down to Our Microbes—Assessment of an Inquiry-Based Metagenomics Activity

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