METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT “EVALUATION OF MICROBIOLOGICAL STATE IN SCHOOL PREMISES”
Authors: Paškevičienė Daiva , Paškevičius Algimantas 
Published: June 2021

The article presents methodological recommendations for the implementation of the project of a microbiological nature. The urgency of the project is undoubted, as it has been noticed that school classes were overcrowded with pupils and almost not ventilated in winter, thus, schoolchildren often suffered from respiratory illnesses. Besides, secondary school programs include many themes in which the concept of microorganisms is used, however, pupils usually lack practical knowledge about isolation of microorganisms in a laboratory and their distribution in the air.
The main aim of this work was to evaluate microbial contamination of school premises as well as to provide pupils with knowledge about biological peculiarities of various systematic groups (bacteria, micromycetes and yeast-like fungi) and their macro- and micro-morphological peculiarities. To achieve the aim, the following tasks were set: 1) to develop pupils’ abilities to make experiments and develop their initial skills in research; 2) to form their cognitive experience of the surrounding world while performing team tasks; 3) to develop pupils’ creative-organizational abilities as an integral process of theoretical and practical actions.
Due to lack of equipment and conditions, it is not easy to perform microbiological projects in schools. Furthermore, a teacher should have competence, though due to this, in the article much attention is paid to the methods of project performance. Necessary labware and nutritive media for project implementation are indicated. Possible variants of an experiment scheme are discussed and the stages of the experiment are presented coherently. Preparation of microscopical mounts and microscopy methods are described in detail. It is pointed out that the identification of microorganisms is a very hard work, so teachers should be trained in microbiological methods. Handbooks, which can be used for the identification of some microorganisms, are indicated.
Much attention is paid to the presentation of experiment results, as pupils participating in the project get much information about microorganisms. Participants get familiarized with the size and shape of bacterial cells and fungal macro-morphological (colony colour, shape, size and colour of colony reverse) and micro-morphological (a shape of conidia and mycelium) peculiarities. Pupils observe reproduction ways of yeast-like fungi (budding and binary fission) and determine yeast cell shape, size and other characteristic properties. While describing microorganisms isolated from school indoor air, pupils indicate a systematic group to which a microorganism (a bacterium, micromycete and yeast-like fungus) belongs. When the opportunities to identify microorganisms exist, pupils point out a genus and a species to which a microorganism is ascribed. Possible variants of systematizing the obtained results (tables and pictures, etc.) are discussed.
The implementation of the project in schools has undoubted theoretic and practical significance, because pursuing the project the pupil’s abilities to make an experiment are developed and initial skills in research and cognitive experience of the surrounding invisible world are formed. Execution of the project induces pupils’ creative-organizational abilities as an integral process of theoretical and practical actions. Later the pupils willingly participate in competitions and conferences of young researchers – naturalists, write papers, prepare a wall newspaper about microbial contamination of school indoor air and give recommendations about improvement of school sanitation. While performing team tasks, participants get knowledge about microorganisms of various systematic groups (bacteria, micromycetes and yeast-like fungi), their isolation under laboratory conditions and distribution in the indoor air. Pupils can use obtained knowledge in the lessons of the course “A Man and his Health” (9th grade) as well as in ecology and general biology (11th – 12th grades) lessons.
Key words: microorganisms, distribution, air of school premises.