Methods and Strategies of Teaching Microbiology in Nigerian Higher Institutions: Problems and Remedies

Abstract

One of the fundamental biological sciences, microbiology is crucial to understanding life's processes and has been at the forefront of study in this area. Many of the significant discoveries made over the past few decades that have served to clarify the basic ideas of molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics came from research with microorganisms. Employers of labor are quite concerned about the quality of microbiology graduates coming out of our educational schools and their lack of readiness for employment. They contend that academic standards have significantly declined over the years and that a certificate, OND/HND, or BSc from a university does not imply that the holder is technically or communicatively competent. A few techniques have been used to improve instruction. Several techniques have been used to enhance the teaching of microbiology, including the use of posters and PowerPoint presentations, social networking sites (such as Facebook and ASM Connect), virtual simulators, and service learning techniques. Lack of money, subpar teaching facilities, a reduction in staff quality, and out-of-date curricula are all barriers to teaching microbiology. To reverse this situation and improve the effective teaching and learning of microbiology in higher institutions, measures such as effective funding of microbiology departments, improvement organizations of teacher's training and workshops, and use of electronic tools for teaching should be put into place. The current microbiology teaching materials may be digitalized and made freely available online, which would greatly expand the learning opportunities for both students and microbiology educators of medically related courses of study. Emphasis is also placed on teaching microbiology in an advanced manner, making use of all the benefits that contemporary techniques and methods offer. Results and criticism related to advancements in microbiology teaching techniques could be networked and disseminated among stakeholders.