Engaging students into their own learning of foundational genetics concepts through the 5E learning cycle and interleaving teaching techniques

ABSTRACT

Students in a mixed majors undergraduate microbiology class often struggle with basic genetics concepts, generating gaps in their overall understanding of genetics. This can be a result of employing the traditional block style of instruction that focuses on teaching skills and concepts one topic at a time. Here I present a simple, yet innovative active learning model that uses interleaving teaching techniques in a 5E learning cycle. The genetics module starts with the concept of ‘central dogma of genetics’ in an inquiry-based manner to increase student curiosity, while making links to the students’ prior knowledge of genetics (1st E-Engage). This is followed by a ‘genetics puzzle’ activity that engages students in their own learning through deciphering the genetic code in small groups (2nd E-Explore). Gene expression regulation in bacteria through operons is taught through instructor modelling and a student drawing activity (3rd E-Explain). Next, students delve further into inducible and repressible operons through instructional videos, think-pair-share activities and problem-based learning (4th E-Elaborate). Lastly, students evaluate their own learning by completing activities throughout the learning cycle intermixed with instructor-led assessments (5th E-Evaluate). This lesson addresses concepts identified in The American Society for Microbiology Recommended Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Microbiology.

KEYWORDS:

• 5E learning cycle
• interleaving
• genetics
• undergraduate microbiology
• puzzle activity
• active learning

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Kathryn Ylostalo and Dr Kaleb Heinrich for reviewing this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.