Richelle L Tanner, Nicholas P Burnett, Emily E King, Anne E Todgham
{"title":"Remodeling pedagogical evaluation tools to incorporate student self-efficacy and sense of belonging in scientific research.","authors":"Richelle L Tanner, Nicholas P Burnett, Emily E King, Anne E Todgham","doi":"10.1002/bmb.21881","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21881","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Curated undergraduate research experiences have been widely used at colleges and universities for decades to build student interest, technical preparation, and confidence in the pursuit of scientific careers. Educators often employ standardized survey instruments to evaluate learning outcomes for research experiences, but many of these assessments consider only technical skill development and career interests and are not rooted in discrete pedagogical theories. As higher education aims to create inclusive and equitable learning experiences for students, we argue that pedagogical assessment tools for undergraduate research experiences need to expand to consider outcomes such as increased science literacy, confidence in relational \"soft\" skills, and a sense of belonging to a community that values scientific inquiry. We report on and critique a survey instrument that uses validated metrics to evaluate student sense of belonging and the relational skills developed during an undergraduate research experience. We also provide a revised survey instrument that is founded in social and emotional learning principles and expectation disconfirmation theory. We describe best practices for remodeling the undergraduate research environment to prioritize these inclusive learning objectives alongside publishable research output that is sought by research advisors. Survey tools, like the one described here, are critical for helping colleges and universities train students in science while evolving to promote inclusivity, self-efficacy, and sense of belonging. Higher education programs will continue to produce scientists, but a focus on confidence-building and soft-skill development is essential for creating a general population that is scientifically literate and supportive and trusting of the scientific process.</p>","PeriodicalId":8830,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142943636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Potential of role play as an educational tool in biochemistry to facilitate medical education.","authors":"Archana Nimesh","doi":"10.1002/bmb.21876","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21876","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Commonly used traditional didactic lecture in biochemistry being non-interactive has several disadvantages which students find boring and difficult to retain. This study reviews the potential of role play to teach biochemistry effectively. Studies published till June 2024 on the topic role play in medical education and biochemistry were searched using 'Ovid Discovery' software showing studies available in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases. Studies having matched keywords like 'role play, roleplay, role-play, education, medical, biochemistry and genetics' appearing in title or text article were included while studies that were irrelevant, in non-English language or duplicated studies were excluded. Literature search revealed 8 studies for reviewing the topic. Studies that have tested effectiveness of role play in biochemistry have shown that it can bridge the gap between theory and practice. Role play is dramatization of a theme simulating real-life scenarios evoking learner's critical thinking process, activation of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. It creates lasting memory in retaining topics besides motivating student for self-directed learning. It also develops confidence, communication, and language skills among students. Role play can be a powerful tool to teach biochemistry for integrating knowledge of biochemistry with clinical concepts. The authors recommend that biochemistry lectures and practical sessions should be reinforced through role plays especially for topics having clinical relevance. The author proposes several applications of role play in biochemistry to demonstrate metabolic pathways, experimental skills, metabolic disorders, accidental emergencies in lab, do's and don'ts in labs, pre analytical errors affecting biochemistry lab results.</p>","PeriodicalId":8830,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2025-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142913801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Juan Carlos Vega-Garzón, Duverney Chaverra-Rodriguez
{"title":"An idea to explore: Using origami to learn molecular structure of biomolecules.","authors":"Juan Carlos Vega-Garzón, Duverney Chaverra-Rodriguez","doi":"10.1002/bmb.21871","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21871","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The COVID-19 pandemic affected a large range of in-person education activities in Colombia. This created great limitations in academic performance for students with reduced access to communication technologies and deepened the educational gaps in the country. This was particularly true for sciences such as biochemistry. In Colombia, molecular structure is a subject traditionally taught through 2D drawings and static diagrams because software and 3D artifacts are not available to all students. Thus, it is essential to develop and apply strategies to study molecular structure; especially tools that are accessible and can be easily built and used at home in rural areas of the country. Here, we propose the use of origami as a tool to teach molecular structure to second year college students in Colombia. We describe the development and the implementation of the tool adjusted to students' needs regarding their visual, tactile, and other experiential learning. We included serious game elements during the implementation to engage participation and teamwork. Students' perception about the use and utility of origami to study molecular structure was favorable, highlighting its simplicity and powerfulness to help them grasp key concepts in chemistry. This motivates us to propose this idea to explore and continue improving the strategy in the classroom.</p>","PeriodicalId":8830,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142906355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Liucai Yang, Ya Yang, Yingling Zhu, Hu Zhang, Feixiang Teng, Xiumei Cheng, Xuan Shen, Yougen Luo, Xuebin Qu
{"title":"Integration of online and offline teaching mode in biochemistry and molecular biology courses.","authors":"Liucai Yang, Ya Yang, Yingling Zhu, Hu Zhang, Feixiang Teng, Xiumei Cheng, Xuan Shen, Yougen Luo, Xuebin Qu","doi":"10.1002/bmb.21877","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21877","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To enhance the effectiveness of integrating online and offline teaching, 1545 clinical and preventive medicine students from 2019 to 2021 were randomly allocated to two groups, A and B. The curriculum was divided into two segments. Initially, two groups were established for the first segment, covering an introduction to Biomolecular and Material Metabolism. The group A adopted a teaching strategy incorporating \"massive open online course + a Social Media platform (WeChat) + Project/Problem-Based Learning + Flipped classroom\", integrating online and offline methods. The group B followed conventional teaching practices. In the second course segment, which included molecular biology and clinical biochemistry, the two groups had their instructional format switched. Comparative analysis of student satisfaction, learning attitudes, and academic performance between the groups was conducted. The satisfaction survey indicated that the group which adopted the online and offline mode outperformed the conventional teaching group in satisfaction rate, satisfaction scores, excellence rate, and total scores. While both groups exhibited an improvement in learning attitudes, the teaching reform group showed a significantly higher level of enhancement. Furthermore, the reform group achieved superior overall average scores, basic average scores, comprehensive average scores, and an increased rate of excellence compared to the conventional group. The results demonstrate that adopting a blended teaching model significantly improved instructional quality and positively influenced students' engagement and attitudes in biochemistry and molecular biology studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":8830,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142880670","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Quorum sensing inhibition evaluation method: An experiment-based microbiology laboratory course.","authors":"Ângelo Luís, Fernanda Domingues","doi":"10.1002/bmb.21874","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21874","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Bacteria have developed a cell-to-cell communication system called quorum sensing (QS), allowing them to regulate group behavior and synchronize the expression of virulence factors, responsible for increasing their infection capacity and resistance to antimicrobials. Although the control of microbial infections through the inhibition of microbial growth has traditionally been the basis of antimicrobial chemotherapy, the emergence of antimicrobial resistance has led to the search for new microbial control strategies, namely through the inhibition of QS. Among the agents studied to inhibit this bacterial communication are essential oils (EO), which are considered very effective QS inhibitors. When searching for new QS inhibitor agents, it is essential to have a cheap and easy-to-perform method that allows the evaluation of this activity. Chromobacterium violaceum is a Gram-negative bacterium that has been widely used as a model organism in QS research laboratories because it produces the violet-colored pigment violacein, which is regulated by QS and is an easily observable and quantifiable characteristic marker. The objective of this work is to describe a method to evaluate the inhibition of the QS using Cymbopogon martinii EO as a potential inhibitory agent for violacein production by C. violaceum, which can be applied in the Microbiology laboratory course as a part of the programs of several science degrees. The proposed method is inexpensive and does not require specific equipment, enabling its easy implementation by the laboratory team and professors.</p>","PeriodicalId":8830,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142880872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The elephant in the room—Should we be teaching coding to basic science students?","authors":"Walter Novak, Paul Craig, Michael Foster","doi":"10.1002/bmb.21873","DOIUrl":"10.1002/bmb.21873","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8830,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education","volume":"53 1","pages":"6-7"},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142871176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
R A Paggi, M C Ferrari, M Cerletti, M I Giménez, T S Schwarz, A Marchfelder, R E De Castro
{"title":"Practical laboratory class to assess gene silencing using CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) technology in the archaeon Haloferax volcanii.","authors":"R A Paggi, M C Ferrari, M Cerletti, M I Giménez, T S Schwarz, A Marchfelder, R E De Castro","doi":"10.1002/bmb.21872","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21872","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Perturbation of gene expression using RNA interference (RNAi) or CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) is a useful strategy to explore the function of essential genes. In the archaeon Haloferax volcanii, the CRISPR-Cas system has been adapted as a CRISPRi tool to silence the expression of specific genes. We developed a laboratory class (LC) to conceptualize gene silencing through inactivation of the H. volcanii LonB protease gene, a negative regulator of carotenoid pigments biosynthesis, using CRISPRi. This LC has been successfully applied in the Biology and Biochemistry of Microorganisms course for undergraduate students of Biology in 2022 and 2023. The following objectives were proposed: (a) generate H. volcanii mutant strains with reduced expression of the lonB gene using CRISPRi; (b) examine the effect of lonB gene silencing on cell pigmentation and growth rate; (c) assess lonB gene repression by Western blotting (WB). This LC allows students to obtain and screen CRISPRi silenced-mutants by means of simple procedures using a non-pathogenic organism as well as handle basic microbiology, biochemistry and molecular biology protocols. Additionally, the LC fosters social actions through collaborative work (experimental work), the interpretation and discussion of data and the ability to communicate outcomes orally and in a written format (scientific report).</p>","PeriodicalId":8830,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142852318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Comparison of case-based learning and traditional teaching methods in advanced breast cancer education for oncology residents in the standardized training.","authors":"Xinyu Gui, Anjie Zhu, Guohong Song, Huiping Li","doi":"10.1002/bmb.21875","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21875","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Case-based learning (CBL) is a learner-centric educational approach that fosters independent learning and exploration through case analysis, guided by teachers' heuristic instruction. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of CBL versus traditional teaching methods in advanced breast cancer education for residents. In this randomized controlled trial, 40 residents undergoing standardized training in the Department of Breast Oncology at Peking University Cancer Hospital were enrolled and were equally divided into CBL and traditional teaching groups. Their performance, self-assessment, and course satisfaction were evaluated through post-study examinations and questionnaires. Results showed that the CBL group achieved significantly higher overall scores than the traditional teaching group (88.10 ± 3.72 vs. 85.52 ± 3.27, p = 0.025), with a notable advantage in clinical practice scores (44.54 ± 2.25 vs. 41.83 ± 2.26, p < 0.001). However, theoretical knowledge scores did not differ significantly. Furthermore, the CBL group outperformed in clinical reasoning (p = 0.018), self-learning capabilities (p = 0.037), and problem-solving skills (p = 0.037). Satisfaction levels were higher in the CBL group (95%) compared to the traditional group (85%) without statistically significant difference. This study demonstrates the superiority of the CBL method in enhancing the education of residents in advanced breast cancer relative to traditional teaching approaches, supporting the broader application of CBL in medical oncology education.</p>","PeriodicalId":8830,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142862781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Representing DNA for machine learning algorithms: A primer on one-hot, binary, and integer encodings.","authors":"Yash Munnalal Gupta, Satwika Nindya Kirana, Somjit Homchan","doi":"10.1002/bmb.21870","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21870","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This short paper presents an educational approach to teaching three popular methods for encoding DNA sequences: one-hot encoding, binary encoding, and integer encoding. Aimed at bioinformatics and computational biology students, our learning intervention focuses on developing practical skills in implementing these essential techniques for efficient representation and analysis of genetic data. The primary goal of this study is to enhance students' understanding and practical application of DNA encoding methods, which are crucial for various computational analyses in bioinformatics. Our intervention consists of three key components: (1) a conceptual framework that contextualizes these encoding methods within broader bioinformatics applications, (2) an interactive Jupyter Notebook with Python code examples (https://github.com/yashmgupta/Representing-DNA/tree/main), and (3) a user-friendly Streamlit application for visualizing encoded sequences (https://dnaencoding.streamlit.app/) that also enables students to input their own DNA sequences and visualize the different encoding methods, further enhancing their understanding and practical experience. By combining conceptual overview with practical coding and visualization tools, our approach provides a comprehensive foundation for students to leverage these key DNA sequence encoding methods in their future work. This study contributes to bioinformatics education by offering effective, hands-on learning resources that bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in DNA sequence analysis, preparing students for advanced research and data analysis projects in the field.</p>","PeriodicalId":8830,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142778815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Improving the learning experience in an undergraduate course on microbial metabolism by using an illustrated story.","authors":"James B McKinlay, Katherine Kearns","doi":"10.1002/bmb.21869","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21869","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the classroom, metabolism is often approached and received as a mundane exercise in memorization. Teaching metabolism also faces the challenge of negative perceptions that can impede learning. We sought to improve the learning experience in an undergraduate lecture course on microbial metabolism by implementing an illustrated story that follows an Escherichia coli cell during a cholera outbreak. Feedback from students, compiled over four semesters of relatively minimal intervention, suggests that attitudes improved. Most students also thought that storytelling helped them learn. Exam scores suggested that the story could have had a positive performance impact for some questions that required students to apply correct details to specific situations. Our results suggest that a story could improve the learning experience in a course on a traditionally unpopular topic by both improving emotional responses to the subject matter and by providing a familiar framework upon which to contextualize details.</p>","PeriodicalId":8830,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142709165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}