The article below is based on a podcast interview with Clara Marcelín.
Are you an educator committed to enhancing your students’ learning experiences? Imagine having a classroom full of high school students who are enthusiastic and engaged as they explore and discover the concealed universe of microbes. Nonetheless, even the most dedicated educators encounter difficulties in capturing the attention of today’s learners. The constantly changing digital environment and the overwhelming abundance of information can make fostering engagement seem like a challenging task. If you’re seeking innovative concepts for your science class, continue reading.
Clara Marcelín, an experienced high school educator, joined me on the Joyful Microbe podcast and shared her insights into engaging students in the realm of microscopic life. Here, you’ll find a summary of our conversation and the main takeaways. If you’re passionate about sparking curiosity and shaping young minds, this article will help you refine your approach to microbiology education.
In this article, we delve into Clara’s hands-on teaching methods that bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Discover how to effortlessly weave real-life relevance into microbiology, captivating students’ attention and fostering a lifelong love for science. Uncover an approach to making abstract concepts tangible through personal connections. Also, learn the transformative power of empowering students to see microbes not as foes but as fascinating companions shaping our world. Keep reading to learn how to empower your students and create an environment where microbiology becomes an exciting exploration of life’s tiniest wonders.
Cultivating Engagement in Microbiology Education
Getting students interested in microbiology can be challenging. But after chatting with Clara, it’s clear that there are a few key tactics that will help get students excited and engaged in the microbial world so, ultimately, they can apply this important topic to the rest of their lives.
1. Relate microbiology to student lives
In the age of information abundance, engaging students goes beyond simply delivering facts. Clara highlights the challenge of capturing the attention of Generation Z students who are accustomed to accessing vast amounts of data instantly. While acquiring the information isn’t a problem, discerning its significance and application is.
Connecting microbiology concepts to students’ everyday lives by discussing topics like skincare and fermented foods can help students realize the relevance of microbiology in their personal experiences. Clara encourages student participation, facilitating discussions where students share their interests, which she then ties to microbiology. This approach not only engages students but also demonstrates the ubiquity of microbes in various aspects of life.
Additionally, tying microbiology to students’ future careers can make it even more tangible and applicable. Clara emphasizes that even seemingly unrelated career paths, such as pursuing professional athletics, can benefit from a foundational understanding of microbiology. This approach empowers educators to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, providing students with a clear vision of how microbiology enriches their chosen paths.
So, taking some time to understand students’ interests and aspirations allows for effective tailoring of lessons to connect with students on a personal level, showcasing the real-world relevance of microbiology.
2. Include hands-on learning
Hands-on learning has a profound impact in the sciences, particularly in a subject as tactile as microbiology. Using microscopes is a pivotal part of Clara’s teaching. She recounts the awe and excitement when her students witness microscopic organisms moving for the first time under a microscope, which I fully relate to from my microbiology lab teaching days. Incorporating microscopy sessions fosters curiosity and exploration among her students.
Teaching microbiology to a large student body can be logistically challenging, especially when it comes to laboratory sessions. To tackle this, Clara uses a powerful tool called the Foldscope, which is a microscope made from paper and a lens. Clara raves about its affordability and surprising capabilities. The Foldscope provides an accessible way for students to observe microscopic life, making it easier to organize engaging lab activities even in large classes. This tool has transformed the way students experience microscopy and enhanced their engagement with the subject.
3. Allow students to take photos to create a personal connection
Clara also leverages the power of visuals and personal experiences to captivate her students. In an age where every student carries a camera-equipped smartphone, Clara encourages them to capture the microscopic world they explore. This practice not only reinforces their engagement but also empowers them to share their discoveries with peers. The ability for students to document their findings enhances the accessibility of microbiology education, making it more relatable and inspiring.
4. Help students to embrace failure
When guiding students through experiments, Clara emphasizes the importance of embracing failure, which fosters resilience and curiosity in scientific exploration. It’s important to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical experience. So, allowing students to experience both successes and failures in their experiments can lead to deeper comprehension and a genuine appreciation for science.
5. Simplify for effective learning and long-term retention
Clara emphasizes the significance of simplicity in teaching microbiology, advising educators to avoid overwhelming students with complex terminology. Instead, she advocates for straightforward language and basic descriptions, enabling an accessible entry point into the subject. Her approach involves letting students use their own descriptive skills, fostering curiosity and exploration without rigid scientific vocabulary. This strategy promotes student progression, starting with simple concepts and gradually incorporating advanced terminology as their understanding grows. Clara’s philosophy also alleviates student stress by using relatable language, nurturing a sense of ownership over learning and fostering a growth mindset.
Shaping Students’ Perception of Microbes: A Paradigm Shift
Besides basic teaching techniques to help students understand the complex microbial world, when it comes to microbiology itself, the way people perceive microorganisms is undergoing a remarkable transformation. Science educators play a large role in conveying this transformation to students. Clara shares how her teaching focus encourages students to view microbes not as menacing entities as they have long been viewed but as fascinating and essential components of our world.
This focus on dispelling the misconceptions surrounding microbes is something Clara and I share with great enthusiasm. It’s crucial for K-12 science educators to understand and share the positive side of these tiny organisms, highlighting their role in everyday life. Clara says her students are commonly pleasantly surprised to realize that microbes are not merely pathogens to be feared but integral companions that contribute to human health, nutrition, and overall well-being. This change in perspective aligns with the evolving understanding of the human microbiome and its profound impact on our lives.
Clara underscores how her students are beneficiaries of the rapid advancements in microbiology. Educators like Clara play a vital role in conveying these updates to students. She recognizes that her students are fortunate to learn in an era when our understanding of microbes is expanding rapidly, and their generation will contribute to even greater revelations in the field.
Cultivate a love for microbiology in high school
In the dynamic landscape of microbiology education, hands-on learning, personalized connections, simplicity, and conveying the positive aspects of the microbial world can go a long way in inspiring students. Hopefully, Clara’s advice will help other educators to foster curiosity, resilience, critical thinking, discovery, and the pursuit of knowledge and lay the foundation for a lifelong love for science. Additionally, the upcoming generations of learners will likely hold more and more positive views of the microbial world, liberating them to explore and appreciate this important scientific field throughout their entire lives without fear.
Summary
Some helpful tips for high school science teachers from Clara:
- Relate microbiology topics to students’ personal lives, interests, and future careers to help them understand its importance
- Incorporate hands-on activities like using microscopes and doing fermentation experiments
- Allow students to take photos of their discoveries to create a personal connection and share it with others
- Encourage students through experimental failures to foster resilience and appreciation of real-world experimentation
- Start simple and allow students to describe things in their own words before introducing specialized vocabulary
- Emphasize that microbes are usually helpful rather than harmful
Further Reading
- Joyful Microbiology Activities ebook: 10 fun and simple microbiology activities you can do at home or in the classroom
- The Best Compound Microscopes for High School Students
- Microbiology Activities for High School Students: an interview with high school microbiology teacher Jessica Popescu
- Bringing Microbiology to Life: Affordable and Engaging Field Trips for High School Science Students
Teaching High School Microbiology with Passion and Purpose: Clara Marcelín
