TY - JOUR
T1 - Laboratory biosafety and biosecurity related education in Pakistan
T2 - Engaging students through the Socratic method of learning
AU - Muneer, Sahrish
AU - Kayani, Hammad Afzal
AU - Ali, Kashif
AU - Asif, Ehtesham
AU - Zohra, Raheela Rehmat
AU - Kabir, Furqan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - Background: Laboratory biosafety is currently a major global issue in clinical research and academic laboratories. To alleviate these concerns, subject-specific education of standardized laboratory practices is essential and should be delivered in a comprehensible, interactive, and appealing manner. The objective of the present study was to engage university-level students in laboratory biosafety and biosecurity related education through the Socratic method of learning. A pre/post-test model was implemented to assess the knowledge improvement after the workshop. Methods: Two workshops were conducted individually at a public and private educational institute in October 2019 and December 2019, respectively. Important concepts were delivered in an interactive engagement format to ensure substantive understanding. Pre- and post-training scores were computed, and a paired t-test was used to assess knowledge gain. Results: Out of the 357 students from both institutes, 320 (90%) provided consent and completed the pre- and post-test questionnaires. The participants lacked a baseline knowledge of laboratory biosafety. A statistically significant increase (14% to 84%) in knowledge was reported among students, with a p-value of < 0.001. Scores improved in the post-test assessment, where 87% were high performers, and only 1% were low-performing students. The difference between the pre- and post-test mean scores was indicative of a substantial 70% improvement in education. Students exhibited high levels of satisfaction with the Socratic method of teaching style. Conclusion: The study highlighted the significance of the Socratic style of learning for engaging students and improving their knowledge and awareness of laboratory biosafety in academic settings in Pakistan.
AB - Background: Laboratory biosafety is currently a major global issue in clinical research and academic laboratories. To alleviate these concerns, subject-specific education of standardized laboratory practices is essential and should be delivered in a comprehensible, interactive, and appealing manner. The objective of the present study was to engage university-level students in laboratory biosafety and biosecurity related education through the Socratic method of learning. A pre/post-test model was implemented to assess the knowledge improvement after the workshop. Methods: Two workshops were conducted individually at a public and private educational institute in October 2019 and December 2019, respectively. Important concepts were delivered in an interactive engagement format to ensure substantive understanding. Pre- and post-training scores were computed, and a paired t-test was used to assess knowledge gain. Results: Out of the 357 students from both institutes, 320 (90%) provided consent and completed the pre- and post-test questionnaires. The participants lacked a baseline knowledge of laboratory biosafety. A statistically significant increase (14% to 84%) in knowledge was reported among students, with a p-value of < 0.001. Scores improved in the post-test assessment, where 87% were high performers, and only 1% were low-performing students. The difference between the pre- and post-test mean scores was indicative of a substantial 70% improvement in education. Students exhibited high levels of satisfaction with the Socratic method of teaching style. Conclusion: The study highlighted the significance of the Socratic style of learning for engaging students and improving their knowledge and awareness of laboratory biosafety in academic settings in Pakistan.
KW - Bio-risk management
KW - Biosecurity
KW - Laboratory biosafety
KW - Philosophy of containment
KW - Socratic method of learning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85112779404&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jobb.2021.03.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jobb.2021.03.003
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85112779404
SN - 2588-9338
VL - 3
SP - 22
EP - 27
JO - Journal of Biosafety and Biosecurity
JF - Journal of Biosafety and Biosecurity
IS - 1
ER -