MicroMundo@UPorto: an experimental microbiology project fostering student's antimicrobial resistance awareness and personal and social development

We can do it - Empowering learning

We all need to adapt constantly in order to thrive in our ever-changing complex world. Thus, education and educators need to empower learners to develop a mindset and skills set of lifelong and lifewide learning. Papers from around the globe, reflecting the current drivers in education, were published in the FEMS Microbiology Letters virtual Thematic Issue 'Empowering learning' in October 2023. Its content is reviewed here to provide the context for further discussions within the professional community. The focus is on being inclusive, on lowering and removing barriers to learning, and fostering a sense of belonging. So learning communities can be established and connected in support of learning with and from each other for societal benefit, and this is discussed. Authentic learning approaches are highlighted with respect to the inherent opportunities for learners to take ownership for their learning, yet learn collaboratively, and develop resilience over time. Supporting learners in becoming self-regulated and realizing their full potential is truly worthwhile.

Absence makes the mind grow stronger - Educating in a pandemic and beyond

With more than one academic year into the pandemic, it is timely to consider the lessons we learnt, and how they could shape education in the future. Papers from around the globe, reflecting on the directions we took and could take, were published in the FEMS Microbiology Letters virtual Thematic Issue 'Educating in a pandemic and beyond' in October 2021. Its content is reviewed here to facilitate discussions within the professional community. Online platforms and tools, that allowed a rapid emergency response, are covered, as well as enhancing student engagement, complementing and blending in-person activities with online elements for more flexible and accessible learning opportunities, the need for educator training, and improving science literacy overall and microbiology literacy specifically. As we go forward, in order to benefit from blended and flexible learning, we need to select our approaches based on evidence, and mindful of the potential impact on learners and educators. Education did not only continue during the pandemic, but it evolved, leading us into the future.

Teaching microbiology in times of plague

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed several challenges and strains at all levels of the educational system, especially as a consequence of lockdown and social distance measures. After a period of exclusive use of the online educational environment, educators have adapted to the new circumstances and, by a combination of different strategies, have fought to overcome the limitations and deficiencies of virtual learning. Student motivation, productivity, and creativity continue to be the main pedagogical issues that have to be reached with the new didactic tools developed during the pandemic. At the same time, this pandemic has shown the importance of the inclusion of microbiology as a core element of the educational curriculum and the opportunity to raise public awareness of the importance of microbes to everyday life.