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...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 preand 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.展开更多
文摘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 preand 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.
