An authentic inquiry-based laboratory module for introducing concepts about volatile-mediated communication resulted in stronger students' self-efficacy

Volatile-mediated impacts of microbes on plants have aroused interest among scientists in the life science field. This study describes an inquiry-based laboratory module named “Microbial Talk”, which related to microbial volatile-mediated communication, including the process of design, implementation, and assessment. First-year biology students in this course were allowed to complete authentic microbiology research using both typical experimental techniques and knowledge related to interspecies communication. The instructor provides continued guidance and support to ensure that students are aware of their knowledge and of the choices they encountered. Pretests and posttests were implemented to evaluate the efficacy of the “Microbial Talk” and the students' experimental design ability. Assessment of the module showed that students gained self-efficacy in executing experiments and interpreting data. In conclusion, this module is cost-effective and it can be used to help guide students in their future when they encounter situations that need these scientific skills.