Students in a microbiology course required for non-majors from a relatively large group of diverse curricula uses computer presented case studies to understand the basic biology of microorganisms as well as the applied aspects of microbiology used in his or her career. The computer program presents a case study with digitized images to provide realism. To solve a case, the student must develop a hypothesis and test that hypothesis by interactively seeking pertinent data from the computer. The data are obtained when clinical tests are requested from a list of laboratory procedures available. Students are penalized for asking for irrelevant data because there is a "mock" charge for each test. The student's final evaluation is based on a written report that gives the reasoned arguments that led to the solution and the final "cost" of solving the case.
