The Small World Initiative (SWI) aims to enhance STEM retention by engaging students in antibiotic discovery through research courses, addressing the antibiotic crisis caused by bacterial resistance. The initiative provides adaptable curriculum materials and leverages evidence-based teaching practices to improve student outcomes in STEM fields. SWI has expanded globally, incorporating over 135 instructors across various institutions, producing significant student engagement and retention results.

1. Crowdsourcing
Antibiotic Discovery
The Small World InitiativeTM (SWI)
Ana Maria Barral
National University, CA

2. Workshop goals
1. Describe the history of SWI and its
current framework
2. To present examples of SWI courses
3. To discuss how to join
4. To evaluate if SWI could be a match for
your school

3. Scientific teaching

4. Addressing the STEM
workforce needs
Focus on 1st two years of college for one million more
STEM professionals because…
• <40% of college students intending to major in STEM
complete a STEM degree
• Even fewer for certain ethnic minority groups
• 1st two years actively discourage students from
pursuing STEM degrees
• they are common to all types of colleges and
universities
• retaining more STEM majors is the lowest-cost, fastest
policy option to meet the labor force needs

5. “Engage to Excel”Recommendations
1. Use evidence-based teaching practices.
2. Replace lab courses with research courses.
3. Launch a national experiment in math education.
4. Diversify pathways to STEM careers using stakeholder
partnerships.
5. Create a Presidential council on STEM ed.

6. Jo Handelsman
HHMI Professor of
mol/cell/developmental biology at Yale
Associate Director for Science at the
Office of Science and Technology Policy
In 2012 developed the course: Microbes
to molecules at Yale, highly successful
2013-2014 – 30 Colleges in the US
2014-2015 – 60 Colleges in 5 Countries
2015-2016 – 108 Schools in 9 Countries,
including official US High School Pilot
Program

7. Goal of SWI
Engage students in research to improve STEM
career retention
Train students to think like scientists
Inspire the scientists of tomorrow
With research courses, students are are more likely :
■ to persist in STEM majors
■ to receive better grades
■ to complete degrees more quickly
Based on results from multiple studies

8. A current problem: Antibiotic
crisis
• Bacteria becoming
resistant
• Less antibiotics
being developed
• Limited scope of
new antibiotics
• Shorter time
between Abx
introduction &
observation of
resistance

9. The rise of resistance
Kai Kupferschmidt Science 2016;352:758-761
Published by AAAS

10. More urgent than ever…

11. Antibiotics from the soil
• 75% of antibiotics in clinical use derived from soil
bacteria
• Estimated 100,000 natural products made by
Streptomyces (most prolific genus)
• Most remain undiscovered –
• Most bacteria in soil are unculturable
• Many pathways for secondary metabolism are “cryptic”

12. Pedagogic focus of SWI
• Scientific teaching
• Active learning (no cookbook labs)
• Backward design: align learning
outcomes with summative and formative
assessments
• Focus on assessment (IRB required)
• Focus on diversity (inclusive teaching)

13. Backward Design:
Outcomes drive assessment and instruction
What should
students know or
be able to do
by the end of
your course?
How will you
know if they
get there?
What will you
do to get
them there?
Learning goals Assessments Learning
activities
Know your objective: Bloom’s taxonomy can help

14. “Ongoing assessment plays a key role –
possibly the most important role –
in shaping classroom standards and
increasing learning gains.”
Black and Wiliam, 1998

15. How do we assess SWI?
• Emphasis on assessment using different
tools (CURE, SPARST, CA critical thinking
skills test) => ongoing work

16. Long-term scientific goal of
SWI
• To find new antibiotic leads
• Currently in the process of establishing a
central repository at the University of
Connecticut

17. Becoming scientists and contributing to
the discovery of new antibiotics
Choose an environmental
soil sample
Isolate microbes Visualize antibiotic
production
Purify and solve antibiotic
structure
Prioritize microbes
Identify and characterize
Extract antibiotics

18. Course materials
• Curriculum adaptable to different courses:
o microbiology
o general biology (majors/non majors)
o molecular biology
• Modules can be also implemented.
• Lab manual (modular, customizable)
• Instructor manual
• Lab protocols, best practices
• Online student data repository

19. SWI partner schools
• >135 instructors in 108 schools, across 33 states, PR, &
9 countries (adding 2 more this year, India & Spain)

20. Community colleges that
have adopted SWI
• Baton Rouge CC (LA)
• Danville Area CC (IL)
• Johnson County CC (KS)
• McLennan CC (TX)
• North Hennepin CC (MN)
• Northwestern Connecticut CC (CT)
• Scott CC (Eastern Iowa)
• Tulsa CC (OK)

21. Baton Rouge Community
College
• 2-year Institution
• 31 degree programs
• 723 in ASGS
• Slides adapted from
Mary Miller, Asst. Prof.

22. Results Over the past 2
Semesters
• 98% Retention Rate
• Recruited 3 students into Research
Programs
• Reviews:“Best lab experience”
“I don’t want to leave this class”
“I wish mine produced antibiotics”
“I feel comfortable about speaking in front of
people now”

23. Students Communicate
Scientific Findings!

24. TCC and SWI
• Largest community college in Oklahoma
• 4 main campuses
• 235 degree and certificate programs
• 2012 - 2013 enrollment: 28,926
• 56% age 24 and under
• 34% full-time (>12 hours)
• SWI piloted Spring 2014: Introduction to Microbiology (BIOL 2164)
• 4 sections X 24 students = 96 students
• Sophomores, majority Pre-Nursing
• Prerequisites: General Biology for Majors & Chemistry I
• SWI integrated into existing laboratory curriculum
• Weekly: two 80-min. lectures & two 80-min. labs
• Adapted from Neil Enis, Tulsa CC
http://pir.tulsacc.edu/

25. • Pre/post surveys completed by Fall 2013
students in “traditional” course sections
• Recruited Spring 2014 students via word-
of-mouth, flyers & posters
• SWI taught in parallel with traditional
curriculum
• Students worked in pairs
• Failure was (not) always an option
• Summative assessments:
• Comprehensive laboratory exam
• Poster competition
Implementation at TCC

26. Small World Initiative
Experiments
• Soil Sampling
• Serial Dilutions & Spread Plating
• Patch Plating
• Isolation Streaking
• Retesting of Isolates
• PCR
• Electrophoresis
• Bioinformatics
• Metabolite Extraction
General Microbiology Experiments
• Orientation & Safety
• Microscopy & Prokaryotic Morphology
• Positive Stains
• Negative Stains
• Selective & Differential Media
• Metabolic Assays
• Kirby-Bauer Testing
• Fungi
• Parasitic Protozoa
Implementation at TCC

27. National University
• Private, non-profit, accelerated
• Pilot partners of SWI (2013)
• Implemented in our8-week Introductory
Microbiology course (pre-nursing, pre-allied
health)
• San Diego
• Costa Mesa (OC)

28. SWI National University class
2014

29. What is the likelihood that you
will become a …
Research
scientist?
College
educator?
PRE
POST

30. NU: student voices
• Learned a lot from lab technique, to record keeping, to
analysis and synthesis of data
• Really enjoyed the SWI project as it gave a clear cut
goal to use the knowledge we learned in class instead of
just memorizing vocabulary
• I feel as if I've done a project that would make me
definitely more comfortable and better equipped to
complete future projects in school, and I would not be as
intimidated in doing a professional research project

31. SWI now
• SWI is its own nonprofit now
• President: Erika Kurt
• Website: http://www.smallworldinitiative.org/
• To join, please fill an online application form
available on SWI's website. Annual training
workshops (this year June 21-26 at UConn). On a
case-by-base basis, certain instructors may be
permitted to waive the in-person training.

32. SWI in your school?
• Course to implement: new or existing?
• What subject?
• Enrollment?
• Training?
• IRB?
• Instrumentation?

33. Acknowledgments
• Erika Kurt (SWI)
• Nichole Broderick (Uconn)
• Mary Miller (BRCC)
• Neil Enis (TCC)
• Huda Makhluf (NU)
• Jo Handelsman
• ASM

34. SWIPIs & students
ASMCUE 2015

35. Connect with us!
• Find us on Facebook! Group and page.
• Follow us on Twitter @Team_SWI
• Follow us on Instagram @Team_SWI
• If at the ASM 2016 General Meeting, visit our
events