Microbiology can be comic

Abstract

For microbiologists, the importance of microorganisms in our daily lives and their impact on our well-being is evident. However, microbiology literacy in our society is far from being enough for individuals to make informed choices and to demand actions based on that information. The vaccine hesitation movement and the alarming increase in antimicrobial resistance due to overuse and misuse of antibiotics are just two examples of how much work is needed to make our society literate in topics related to microbiology. Considering the challenges of communicating a discipline surrounded by misconceptions, which studies the role of living organisms that cannot be seen in plain sight, we need to explore different strategies to effectively contribute to microbiology literacy in our society. Here, we will comment on the use of comics for such a task.

Aprendizaje de microbiología experimental en un formato virtual en contexto de pandemia: una experiencia de implementación de actividades con la utilización de un set portátil en la formación de profesores de Biología y Ciencias Naturales

“…Cabe destacar que la enseñanza de la microbiología en aulas escolares mediante herramientas didácticas innovadoras se ha abordado en diferentes países de Latinoamérica. Se mencionan, a modo de ejemplo, un caso de Chile, con la implementación de laboratorios portátiles de microbiología y biología molecular en formato presencial (https://laboratoriosportatiles.cl/), y un caso de Uruguay, con la propuesta de la utilización de cómics para la enseñanza de la microbiología (Morel et al 2019;Scavone et al 2019).…”

Divulgación científica a través del lenguaje del cómic: la COVID-19

“…Se trata de un medio que ha demostrado ser muy eficaz para atraer especialmente a un público con un índice bajo de alfabetización científica y a jóvenes con escaso interés en la ciencia [17][18] , así como a la hora de explicar qué son los virus y cómo afectan a nuestra salud [19][20] .…”

Visualizing the invisible: class excursions to ignite children’s enthusiasm for microbes

“…Social media also provides a vehicle for teaching microbiology, using a range of approaches from informative cartoons to interactive courses (López‐Goñi et al , 2016). Comics, with their visuals, narrative and metaphors, are an enjoyable way to learn about microbiology (Scavone et al , 2019). There is a growing availability of games, such as Top Trump ‐style games, like Comic Bacteria’s Micro‐Match and the Eden Project’s Invisible Worlds, as well as online games, such as those developed by Public Health England’s e‐Bug initiative (Farrell et al , 2011), the Centre for Disease Control (Solve the Outbreak) and the American Museum of Natural History (Bacteria in the Cafeteria).…”