First and foremost, students should know and understand the safety standards in a science lab. Contamination, both before an experiment or after the conclusion of a procedure, must be avoided. The initial assessments are usually conducted to evaluate student’s knowledge in proper attire, preparation, procedures and cleanup through a multitude of formative assessments such as checklists, paper and pencil exams and demonstration. Risk assessment is an important aspect of a microbiology lab. Spill kits and notification protocol procedures should be assessed as well as first-aid and eye wash procedures.
Understanding the equipment and procedures in a lab is important. The use and setup of a microscope should be assessed, along with the proper use and calibration of pipettes and weight measures. The preparation of slide use is assessed, from the proper cleaning and disposal to how to perform various smears: a Gram stain, a wet mount or a hanging drop preparation. Assessment is conducted for a student’s understanding of different culture mediums such as Agar gels and culture dishes. Skill assessments utilizing proper sterilization techniques should be done prior to lab work. Skills are assessed in the area of sterile and aseptic transfer methods. Skill in the use of incubators, the proper lighting of the lab Bunsen burner is important, as is the use of the burner to flame the inoculating loop.
Before an experiment can be carried out, students must have a problem or question they need or want to answer. Learning to follow the procedures of the scientific method are necessary skills to properly carry out lab work. Students need to demonstrate the statement of a problem or question, the hypothesis, the objective, the variables, methods and materials needed to carry out the experiment. The correct use of data sheets, lab notebooks and completed lab reports should be assessed.
Once students are familiar with lab processes and procedures and understand the scientific method, a summative assessment of lab skills is often carried out. Assessments are often designed in a lab practical. The assessment is based on a simulated or mock scenario where students must demonstrate all skills from formulating the question or problem, designing the experiment, safety preparation, proper use of equipment, observation, data entry, analytical skills, lab report procedures, and proper disposal and cleanup of the lab.