Chemotaxis on the Move – Active Learning Teaching Tool

Abstract

In Microbiology courses, concepts such as chemotaxis can be difficult to visualize for students. Described here is a short visual playacting activity where students simulate E.coli moving towards an attractant source using a biased random walk. This short interactive activity is performed in the lecture course of General Microbiology that contains mostly Biology major juniors or seniors prior to the lecture on the subject of chemotaxis and flagellar movements. It is utilized to help students (class of 30–40) understand and visualize the process of chemotaxis and the concepts of random walk, biased random walk, runs, tumbles and directed movement of flagella in response to attractants and repellents.