“The Farmer’s Dilemma”—an Interrupted Case Study for Learning Bacterial Genetics in the Context of the Impact of Microbes on the Organic Food Industry and Biotechnology

Abstract

Case studies are well established pedagogical tools for engaging students in learning and offer the opportunity to use real world examples to give context to student learning. Finding a case study story that meets learning outcomes and resonates with students is a challenge. Our solution was an end-of-semester, capstone project for the honors students in our general microbiology course. “The Farmer’s Dilemma,” an interrupted case study with associated questions, was developed from a story line proposed by the students. The case and associated teaching notes indicate how we actively engage students in learning bacterial genetics via a story about the impact of microbes on the organic food industry and biotechnology