Night Gallery: An Innovative Multimedia Strategy for Delivering a General Microbiology Lecture

In delivering a core science course to pre-health-related majors, we sought ways to engage students, make material relevant to life-long learning, and present it in a memorable way. Our goals were to present scientific content fused with history, ethics, public policy, and art in such a way that the students would be provided a unique lecture experience. As co-instructors of Molecular Biosciences General Microbiology (MBIOS 302) at Washington State University, we took creative initiative and presented a Halloween lecture based on Rod Serling's early 1970s television series Night Gallery. In the original television series, Mr. Serling introduced three dramatic stories, with three corresponding paintings. We modeled this structure during a 75-minute lecture that included three stories about microbiological research gone astray. The 1970s television show was reproduced in the classroom. Phil Mixter impersonated the late Rod Serling, using dialogue and three paintings to introduce the stories with moral imperatives. John Dahl delivered the lecture content using a PowerPoint presentation combined with video clips. Each of the three stories delivered information regarding the microbiology of an infectious organism, the epidemiology of persons infected with this organism, the social and political ramifications of these disease-related events, and some ethical perspectives. We hypothesized that students would be more engaged compared to other lecture formats and more effectively retain presented material. Using students' responses from online end-of-course evaluations, students reported this material as most memorable compared to other lecture material presented in a traditional lecture format within the same course. Students claimed that it was unlike any classroom experience during their previous years at WSU. Students noted that this format made them consider the subject material in a context outside of the classroom. Some students reported negative outcomes, failing to take notes on the information presented. While the assessment data was anecdotal and most limited in scope, we conclude that this approach enhanced the relevancy of lecture material, piqued interest, and fostered retention. Background: Night Gallery As many people may remember, Night Gallery was a television series created and hosted by Rod Serling, following his success with The Twilight Zone. The setting for the show was a shadowy art museum in which each week Mr. Serling revealed three disturbing paintings that, accompanied by his dour prose, would introduce a trilogy of frightful stories. Guest writers and directors included H.P. Lovecraft and Steven Spielberg (Skelton & Benson, 1999). It was hoped that Rod Serling might be able to visit our classroom to host a Washington State University version of Night Gallery. However, since Serling died in 1975 from complications of open heart surgery, it became challenging (although not impossible) to arrange for his visit to Pullman, Washington. In tribute to Serling's unique storytelling, we re-created the Night Gallery setting, used an impersonator to convey his presence, and found the environment most conducive to memorable education. Educational Goals Our goals in using this lecture format were to alter both the typical content and the delivery style of our lectures. We teach from a microbiology textbook that, like many newer editions, continues to swell in scientific content while, at the same time, atrophying in topics of history, ethics, and public policy (Mathews, 1992, 1994). While not diminishing microbiology context, we wished to deliver a lecture infused with all of the above elements. Whereas our Night Gallery lecture was not simply a lecture on the history of microbiology the science (Eichman, 1996), it was a lecture demonstrating how microbiology influences history (Turco & Byrd, 2001). To accomplish our second goal of experimenting with delivery methods, we intentionally invoked different learning styles by complementing the lecture with a live theatrical performance, original works of art, and depictions of certain historical events in film. …