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Addressing Undergraduate Misconceptions about Antimicrobial Resistance: A Two-Phase Study of Student Reasoning and Community Engagement

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Title: Addressing Undergraduate Misconceptions about Antimicrobial Resistance: A Two-Phase Study of Student Reasoning and Community Engagement
Language: English
Authors: Kyle S. Schutz (ORCID 0009-0009-0633-6721), Andrea Gaccetta, Sandhya Krishnan, Teresa M. Bilinski
Source: Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education. 2026 27(1).
Availability: American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Microbiology, Undergraduate Students, Student Attitudes, Thinking Skills, Community Involvement, Misconceptions, Biology, Introductory Courses, Community Attitudes, School Community Relationship, Misinformation, Student Centered Learning, COVID-19, Pandemics
ISSN: 1935-7877
1935-7885
Abstract: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, misconceptions about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) were widespread among undergraduates. Since then, few studies have reexamined students' thinking about AMR, and even fewer have offered strategies for educators to address these misconceptions. In this study, we assessed undergraduate conceptions of AMR using an adapted Cognitive Construal Framework. We then examined two pedagogical strategies for addressing students' AMR misconceptions. Inquiry-based learning positioned students at the center of the process, giving them flexibility to analyze data from communities beyond their own, while community-based learning (CBL) required students to identify issues within their own communities and engage directly with the problems shaping them. We hypothesized that CBL would best prepare students for taking action to correct misconceptions outside the classroom. We found that both student-centered approaches significantly improved students' conceptual understanding of AMR, but CBL marginally increased a student's likelihood of engaging with misconceptions beyond the classroom. Notably, the incorporation of CBL (i.e., connecting AMR concepts to students' own communities) increased student engagement and promoted students' sense of responsibility to act on public health issues outside the classroom. These findings highlight the importance of contextualizing microbiology curricula in ways that are personally meaningful to students and provide a foundation for future research on post-pandemic science education and the enduring impact of COVID-19 on student thinking.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1504852
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Addressing Undergraduate Misconceptions about Antimicrobial Resistance: A Two-Phase Study of Student Reasoning and Community Engagement
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kyle+S%2E+Schutz%22">Kyle S. Schutz</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0009-0009-0633-6721">0009-0009-0633-6721</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Andrea+Gaccetta%22">Andrea Gaccetta</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sandhya+Krishnan%22">Sandhya Krishnan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Teresa+M%2E+Bilinski%22">Teresa M. Bilinski</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Microbiology+%26+Biology+Education%22"><i>Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 27(1).
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  Data: American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
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  Data: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, misconceptions about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) were widespread among undergraduates. Since then, few studies have reexamined students' thinking about AMR, and even fewer have offered strategies for educators to address these misconceptions. In this study, we assessed undergraduate conceptions of AMR using an adapted Cognitive Construal Framework. We then examined two pedagogical strategies for addressing students' AMR misconceptions. Inquiry-based learning positioned students at the center of the process, giving them flexibility to analyze data from communities beyond their own, while community-based learning (CBL) required students to identify issues within their own communities and engage directly with the problems shaping them. We hypothesized that CBL would best prepare students for taking action to correct misconceptions outside the classroom. We found that both student-centered approaches significantly improved students' conceptual understanding of AMR, but CBL marginally increased a student's likelihood of engaging with misconceptions beyond the classroom. Notably, the incorporation of CBL (i.e., connecting AMR concepts to students' own communities) increased student engagement and promoted students' sense of responsibility to act on public health issues outside the classroom. These findings highlight the importance of contextualizing microbiology curricula in ways that are personally meaningful to students and provide a foundation for future research on post-pandemic science education and the enduring impact of COVID-19 on student thinking.
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      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 17
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Microbiology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
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      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Thinking Skills
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      – SubjectFull: Community Involvement
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      – SubjectFull: Misconceptions
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      – SubjectFull: Biology
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      – SubjectFull: Misinformation
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      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
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      – TitleFull: Addressing Undergraduate Misconceptions about Antimicrobial Resistance: A Two-Phase Study of Student Reasoning and Community Engagement
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