Overheard at a conference: an in-class activity to foster classroom discussion on ethics and experimental systems in microbiology research

Abstract

Responsible conduct of research and ethics are key components of microbiology and are carefully considered at all steps from project conception, design, data analysis to publication, and post-publication use of samples. Yet stand-alone courses covering these topics are not always core components of undergraduate biomedical education curricula. Here, we describe a classroom activity for undergraduate students designed to promote increased understanding of ethics and experimental design in biomedical research.

Keywords: active learning; classroom activity; collaborative learning; ethics; microbiology education.

Fig 1

Overview of the activity timeline. Text in arrows indicates the steps in the activity and the time below indicates the time for each. Text in boxes below statements indicates the learner’s responsibilities.