Editorial: The Present and Future of Immunology Education

Bottaro, Andrea; Brown, Deborah M.; Frelinger, John G.

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2021.744090

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 3 publications

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“…Furthermore, although immunology has shown improvement in training needs since 2018, according to the recent ABPI report, there is an ongoing need for high-quality teaching in the discipline (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry [ABPI], 2022). Critically and rather surprisingly, these studies and others (Bottaro et al, 2021) make only minor reference to dry-lab simulations of major immunology tools such as ELISA and flow cytometry. Although some commercial packages exist for simulating laboratory techniques, such as LearnSci and Labster, there is an associated cost and limited scope for customisation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The virtual flow cytometer: A new learning experience and environment for undergraduate teaching

Francis

Ruckley²,

Wilkinson³

2022

Front. Educ.

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BackgroundThe use of simulations has been steadily rising in popularity in the biosciences, not only due to the COVID-19 pandemic restricting access to physical labs and equipment but also in the face of rising student numbers. In this study, we describe the development and implementation of a novel, open-access interactive simulation used to not only supplement a laboratory class but to enhance the student learning experience. The simulation provides students with the opportunity to interact with a virtual flow cytometer, design a simple experiment and then critically analyse and interpret raw experimental data.ResultsResults showed that this highly authentic assessment used a much broader range of the mark scheme acting as an excellent discriminatory for student ability compared to simple recall as assessed by multiple-choice questions. Overall, the student response to the new assessment was positive, highlighting the novelty of the assessment, however, some students did experience technical issues when the simulation was used for the first time.ConclusionSimulations can play a crucial role in the student learning cycle by providing a rich, engaging learning environment, however, they need to be used to supplement other hands-on experiences to ensure that students acquire the necessary kinematic skills expected of a successful science graduate.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The virtual flow cytometer: A new learning experience and environment for undergraduate teaching

Francis

Ruckley²,

Wilkinson³

2022

Front. Educ.

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The increasing relevance of immunobiology within a connected animal science curriculum

Meade

2023

Translational Animal Science

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Modern technological agriculture emerged in the 20 th century and has expanded into a global enterprise occupying approximately 38% of the earth’s land area and accounting for over 40% of the world’s workforce. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that to feed a world population of 9 billion people in 2050 will require an almost doubling of overall food production, including meat, dairy and egg production over 2010 levels. However, our collective ability to meet this demand cannot be taken for granted. Despite many successes, global agricultural systems now face multiple unprecedented challenges including a dearth of new treatments for livestock diseases. The discovery of antibiotics led to a complacency now reflected in a dependency on exogenous antimicrobials and a growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Developments within the field of immunobiology had led to significant breakthroughs in understanding of human health and disease. However, despite over 60% of infectious diseases being zoonotic in nature and non-human animals acting as an important disease reservoir, research in livestock immunobiology has not been as resourced. As a direct result, recalcitrant animal diseases continue to threaten sustainability of animal production systems, security of the food chain and human health. It is within the context of collective One Health action that ambitious innovation in the connectivity of animal science undergraduate curricula is urgently required, specifically to include threshold concepts in immunobiology. Fostering transformative learning is critical to equip future generations of animal scientists with the knowledge and interdisciplinary skills to counter these existential challenges of our time.

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The ImmunoSkills Guide: Competencies for undergraduate immunology curricula

Pandey,

Elliott,

Liepkalns

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Immune literacy garnered significant attention in recent years due to the threat posed by emerging infectious diseases. The pace of immunological discoveries and their relevance to society are substantial yet coordinated educational efforts have been rare. This motivated us to create a task force of educators to reflect on pedagogical approaches to teaching immunology and to draft, develop, and evaluate key competencies for undergraduate immunology education. The research questions addressed include: 1) Which competencies are considered important by educators? 2) Are the illustrative skills clear, accurate and well aligned with the core competencies listed in the Vision and Change report?; 3) What are the concerns of immunology educators about competencies and skills? We collected data on the draft competencies using surveys, focus groups, and interviews. The iterative revision phase followed the community review phase before finalizing the framework. Here, we report a hierarchical learning framework, with six core competencies, twenty illustrative skills, and companion immunology-specific example learning outcomes. Predominant themes from interviews and focus groups, which informed revisions of this framework are shared. With the growing need for immunology education across the sciences, the ImmunoSkills Guide and accompanying discussion can be used as a resource for educators, administrators and policymakers.

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Editorial: The Present and Future of Immunology Education

Cited by 3 publications

References 3 publications

The virtual flow cytometer: A new learning experience and environment for undergraduate teaching

The virtual flow cytometer: A new learning experience and environment for undergraduate teaching

The increasing relevance of immunobiology within a connected animal science curriculum

The ImmunoSkills Guide: Competencies for undergraduate immunology curricula

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