Proof of academic performance – biology practical for medical students: Prof. Dr. Georg Breier, Dr. Lydia Günther (#LG2)

Format

• Asynchronous and synchronous lecture (commentated PowerPoint presentation and Zoom, respectively)
• Asynchronous and synchronous practical (assignment/ live polling and Zoom, respectively)
• Asynchronous and synchronous integrative seminar (knowledge test and Zoom, respectively)
• Moodle was used to distribute resources and for submitting and correcting completed assignments.

Keywords

• Flipped classroom
• Blended learning
• Medical biology 
• Videos of practicals

Description

© Lydia Günther

In Medical Biology, we chose the blended learning approach of a flipped classroom to teach our core topics of the summer semester: genetic engineering and microbiology (see image). The students worked through the subject material themselves (asynchronous phases). The advantage of independent study is its flexibility in terms of time, learning needs and learning tempo. The phases of independent study were followed by synchronous phases where the students applied the content they had learned and we reviewed the results of the interim tests (live polling, knowledge tests).

We redesigned content from a total of 18 lectures, 20 practicals and 3 integrative seminars for this approach. We wanted to interact with the students as much as possible, create engaging virtual alternatives of the practical content and support the students in their autonomous learning process.

We used various methods and didactic approaches for this course:

• Video conferences for interaction
• Live polling and assignments as well as a knowledge test for a review of the content and to get an idea of the students’ level of knowledge
• Creation of films for visualizing practicals

You can find some examples at https://elearning.med.tu-dresden.de/moodle/course/view.php?id=374

As a substitute for the on-site examination, the results of the 3 assignments and the knowledge test (open-ended and multiple choice questions, see example) were used for evaluation. Student assistants at a more advanced phase of their medical studies who had more experience corrected the practical assignments with the aid of templates. Under normal circumstances, they would have supervised the practicals (peer teaching).

Contact

Prof. Dr. Georg Breier
Dr. Lydia Günther
Medical Biology Teaching Department   https://tu-dresden.de/med/mf/mbio

Voting ID

#LG2