Learning occurs when students are motivated to learn:
Traditional education often relies on extrinsic motivators like grades and degrees. In my own experience as a student and as a teacher, plus my education in pedagogy, extrinsic motivators alone are insufficient and can sometimes suppress intrinsic motivators like curiosity. While grades and exams are an important part of our education system, and absolutely essential to ensure competencies are met, I endeavor to perform assessments an educative manner (Fink 2003). My goal as an educator is to facilitate intrinsic motivation to balance the extrinsic, through (1) helping the students value what they are learning and (2) helping students believe they can succeed, following the expectancy-value theory of education (Wigfield & Eccles 2002).
The key word there is “facilitate” – my role in the classroom is to guide and support learning, rather than simply download information into students’ brains. I cannot control students’ learning completely, but I can help them recognize how microbiology and immunology are useful to them in both their personal and professional lives. I do this by explicitly connecting course content to relevant examples, such as the common experience of getting strep throat as a child, or the professional responsibility they will have to prescribe antibiotics and counsel patients on taking them. I also aim to display my own passion for the subject. My genuine curiosity and enthusiasm can be as infectious as the diseases we are discussing.
Learning occurs in a supportive environment:
I also aim to foster learning by creating a safe and supportive environment, eliminating barriers to learning by (1) allowing for failure or mistakes, (2) promoting collaboration, (3) ensuring accessibility of materials for diverse learners, and (4) creating open dialog about controversial topics. I am honest about my own failures; if I make a mistake while teaching, I lead through example by owning and correcting it, without self-deprecation. We are all lifelong learners, and I want students to know that mistakes happen even for experts. And I continue to learn and adjust my teaching as I learn better ways to meet my teaching goals.
I aim to promote professional, compassionate, and collaborative relationships between students by doing group activities (graded and ungraded) so that students can help each other learn, and engage in active rather than passive learning. I want to encourage students to teach each other: some students enter with prior coursework in microbiology and immunology and they can help others who lack that prior knowledge, without feeling the need to compete with each other. Peer-teaching can build both confidence and competence in the content.
Accessibility is another core component of my teaching philosophy, and part of the aforementioned supportive environment. For example, scientific terminology is essential for the precision and efficiency of biomedical communication, but can be dense and create a barrier for students, especially those with English as a second language, dyslexia, or auditory processing challenges. To support accessibility while building fluency, I ascribe to the dual-coding theory (Paivio 1991) by providing terms both visually and verbally, using terms repeatedly in context, while also reinforcing definitions in clear, lay language even in advanced courses. This approach helps students develop confidence with scientific language, without getting lost in technicalities, and models clear communication with patients and their own future students.
I strive to apply the principles of Universal Design for Learning by presenting material through multiple modalities so that diverse learners can access and benefit from course content. Oral lectures are an important means, wherein I can inject my passion and convey important takeaways from lessons, accompanied by slides with mainly diagrams alongside important terminology. I also include activities, such as concept mapping, and interactive review activities such as matching exercises and practice questions. Whenever relevant, I like to include videos of animations of complex processes.
I believe historical context is an important part of teaching scientific content. History can both hook students’ interest, and cultivate an inclusive classroom. When that history is problematic, as much of medical history can be, particularly in the treatment of marginalized groups, I address it directly. For example, when discussing syphilis, it is important to acknowledge the Untreated Syphilis Study performed on Black men at Tuskeegee, and explain why it was unethical, what regulations we have in place now, and why such history may make people distrust medical institutions. While it is not strictly necessary to mention it for them to understand the bacterial infection, it puts the content within the context of our culture. And absence of this acknowledgement may make Black students feel less welcome in the classroom, as though I am white-washing or ignoring difficult aspects of the field’s history that negatively impacted their communities.
Goals beyond the content:
Beyond content mastery, I want my students to become (1) scientifically literate, (2) professional and responsible, and (3) compassionate individuals with integrity in clinical or research settings. I aim to balance grading for participation with grading for accuracy. Students must gain factual knowledge, as they will be required in future board exams and professional practice. At the same time, I treat mistakes made during case presentations or other in-class activities as opportunities for correction and growth rather than sources of shame. Future medical professionals need to be able to acknowledge mistakes and know how to learn from them.
I also encourage students to independently research topics not explicitly covered in class using reliable sources, while critically evaluating author bias and study limitations. Several of my classes include research article reading and interpretation skills. But I also discourage judgement towards peers or future patients who may not share the same scientific background. I want to prompt students to reflect on their own learning process and approach differing opinions and experiences with empathy. For example, when discussing vaccines, I present the extensive evidence supporting vaccine safety and efficacy, while also exploring reasons some patients may feel hesitant. I model calm, evidence-based communication that avoids disparaging patients’ morals or intelligence. Ultimately, I want students to leave my courses with confidence in their understanding of microbiology and immunology and with the skills and integrity needed to navigate their personal and professional lives responsibly.
References:
Fink, L.D. (2003) Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 109–132. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135153
Paivio, A. (1991). Dual Coding Theory: Retrospect and Current Status. Canadian Journal of Psychology/Revue Canadienne de Psychologie, 45, 255-287.
https://doi.org/10.1037/h0084295