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Background: Mitosis and meiosis are two crucial cellular division processes that happen in most eukaryotic organisms. In core biology and microbiology courses, students often are taught mitosis and meiosis with humans as a model organism with little inclusion of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms using bacteria, fungi, protozoa and algae. Microorganisms are extremely diverse and often have chromosome sets (or ploidy) that differ from humans and can provide great insight bridging qualitative biological processes to quantitative components of cellular division. This study implements and assesses a quantitative class activity that teaches students to use a mathematical approach to comparing the similarities and differences of genetic content during mitosis and meiosis using microorganisms as a model system. Research Questions: Does a newly developed microbial mitosis and meiosis teaching tool help clarify common misconceptions and content inaccuracy that students have in biology and genetics courses? Study design: Post-baccalaureate pre-medical and Master of Medical Sciences students at Agnes Scott College were assigned a validated concept inventory pre-survey that assessed their understanding of mitosis and meiosis (using a Likert-scale survey and open-ended questions) prior to being taught two lectures on mitosis and meiosis. Student groups then completed an innovative class activity that reiterated the core concepts of mitosis and meiosis while highlighting common misconceptions of chromosome structure and ploidy using prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms as model systems. A quiz and post-survey were administered to assess students’ understanding of mitosis and meiosis. The post-survey included all questions of the pre-survey and additional questions that aligned with the class activity objectives. Conclusion: Pre- and post-surveys had a 90% response rate. Students' understanding of mitosis and meiosis significantly improved by 85% after the standardized lectures and class activity. Additionally, students were able to articulate nuances of chromosome structure and ploidy in various organisms (microorganisms, animals and humans).
