Using Collaborative Projects to Promote Active Learning of Microbial Skin Diseases and Their Impact on Everyday Lives

Abstract

One of the most daunting aspects of introductory clinical microbiology is learning details about a vast number of different microbial diseases that can infect humans. Each of these diseases has different causative agents, diagnostic procedures, and optimal treatment options. Allied health professions, such as nursing, dentistry, and clinical lab science use this integrated knowledge on a daily basis as they work with patients, physicians, and clinical staff. This lesson plan uses collaborative learning to demonstrate the impact and importance of microbial disease in everyday life. Designed to summarize and give context to prior learning, students research and present key findings about an infectious disease of the skin to classmates. The lesson requires each student to contribute within their group to research a microbial disease as if they were clinical professionals. This lesson is best suited for use in the last month of class, as it requires students to activate prior learning to describe the progression, diagnosis and treatment of their disease in the context of course materials. Learning about microbial diseases and the impact on everyday life helps students appreciate the relevance of concepts learned throughout the semester. <em>Primary Image:</em>&nbsp;Microbial Skin Disease Symptoms. Decorative image of common symptoms associated with skin diseases: rash and pruritus. Prepared using BioRender.