The future of microbiology laboratory classes — wet, dry or in combination?

Baker, Neil and Verran, Joanna (2004) The future of microbiology laboratory classes — wet, dry or in combination? Nature reviews microbiology, 2 (4). pp. 338-342. ISSN 1740-1526

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Abstract

In recent years, the budgets available for microbiology practical classes have decreased in many university departments in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Although many microbiology educators are wary of the introduction of dry labs, the evidence indicates that, when used in combination with wet labs, dry labs can enhance student learning. In this article, we review the advantages and disadvantages of dry labs compared with wet labs and discuss some of the alternatives available.