Of biofilms and beehives: An analogy-based instructional tool to introduce biofilms in school and undergraduate curriculum.

ABSTRACT: The concept of biofilms and biofilm-based research is largely absent or minimally described in school and undergraduate life science curriculum. While it is well-established that microbes, such as bacteria and fungi, most often exist in multicellular biofilm communities, descriptions in standard biology textbooks continue to focus on the single-celled form of microbial life. We have developed an analogy-based instructional tool to introduce and explain biofilms to school and undergraduate students. The module employs an analogy with beehives, given that biofilms and beehives are both 'superorganism' states, to explain key biofilm features such as development and structure, chemical communication, division of labor and emergent properties. We delivered this analogy-based learning tool to a

SUBMITTER: Kadam S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8752906 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature