A blended learning experience for teaching microbiology.
OBJECTIVES: To create a virtual laboratory system in which experimental science students could learn required skills and competencies while overcoming such challenges as time limitations, high cost of resources, and lack of feedback often encountered in a traditional laboratory setting. DESIGN: A blended learning experience that combines traditional practices and e-learning was implemented to teach microbiological methods to pharmacy students. Virtual laboratory modules were used to acquire nonmanual skills such as visual and mental skills for data reading, calculations, interpretation of the results, deployment of an analytical protocol, and reporting results. ASSESSMENT: Learning achievement was evaluated by questions about microbiology case-based problems. Students' perceptions were obtained by assessment questionnaire. CONCLUSION: By combining different learning scenarios, the acquisition of the necessary but otherwise unreachable competences was achieved. Students achieved similar grades in the modules whose initiation was in the virtual laboratory to the grades they achieved with the modules whose complete or partial initiation took place in the laboratory. The knowledge acquired was satisfactory and the participants valued the experience.