Mapping antibiotic-resistant bacteria across a landscape: A collaborative ecological experience for high school students, undergraduates, and faculty

Background/Question/Methods Tiered learning was a mainstay of one-room school houses, yet this approach is under-used today in higher education. Our study demonstrates how a tiered dynamic can produce positive outcomes at each level of learning and contribute to scientific advancement. We involved high school and undergraduate students in a project examining the large-scale distribution of antibiotic resistance in soil bacteria. Prior to and during the study period, we mentored undergraduate students in the leadership and operational skills needed to conduct an ecological research project, including appropriate techniques, planning, and support. The undergraduates served as team leaders in direct supervision of high school students, who were competitively selected by the Earthwatch Institute.

Results/Conclusions The high school students actively participated in the process of science by collecting, processing, and analyzing samples. By staying with the high school students in residential halls and overseeing research activities, undergraduates learned valuable leadership skills and served as role models for research and college life experiences. The concentrated effort by everyone allowed the collecting and processing of a greater number of samples in a shorter amount of time than could have otherwise been accomplished. Our research documented current levels of resistance in the environment and provided an initial assessment of variables affecting that resistance. And as we made this scientific contribution, we provided a unique learning experience for high school students and the opportunity for undergraduates to both lead and learn.