Efficiency of do-it-yourself slide-tape programs as an alternative to the lecture in medical biochemistry

The games biochemist play

“…Unfortunately, after only one term of biochemistry the students were unable to play biochemistry bingo as intended Because they took so long to recognise the structures, the spontaneity v~as lackang However, many students m groups of 2 --6 worked through a stack of small name cards with the formulae cards set out in front of them un~l they had sdentlhed all 36 formulae The students claimed to have gamed much benefit from the exercise and asked to do it again later m the year A new set of cards with less complex formulae zs being constructed Because of the adaptlon of well-known card games for teaching bzochemlstry, the students have no problems understanding the rules and httle time is lost introducing the games [Megarry (1976)] SuggesUons have been made here for producing graded vanaUons on the games for students of different abdzUes or for two sessions Arguments have been made recently for the m~roductlon of a variety of teaching methods to suit the various needs and interests of medical students [Wlute, Smith and Sulya (1973), Vohcer and Pehkan (1975)] These games have introduced a variation to the more traditional methods used m teaching at the Biochemistry Department of the Otago Umverslty Medical School A great advantage of tins method over audlov~sual techniques and computer assisted programmes [Sorhe and Jones (1975), Baggot, et al (1977), Macqueen, et al (1976] is the mmu'nal cost wzth no requwements for special facdstles, and the transportabdlty of the eqmpment Some commercially prepared games are avadable, e g Longman's Science games for seventh form students in physics, chemistry and biology, [Craven, et al (1976)] but It should be posszble for any teacher to create games to suit the students and subject being taught [Hultqmst (1976)] The following papers may be helpful to a teacher who wzshes to deszgn science games [Cowan (1974), and Megarry (1976) Can the mllallan fatty acid $ynthase be best described as a i~ltlfunctional po1ypeptlde?…”

The effects of computer simulation models on middle school students' understanding of the anatomy and morphology of the frog

“…Perhaps the most positive statements that can be made about computer simulations of dissections are that some studies show that use of computer-simulations improves students' learning, reduces students' learning time, and usually fosters development of a more positive attitude toward computers, compared with the traditional instructional approach (Flower & Brosius, 1968;Alexander, 1970;Bernard, 1972;Baggott, 1977;Jones, Olafson & Sutin, 1978;Strauss & Kinzie, 1994). A number of authors have suggested that computersimulations rqjresoit a real-life model in which the student plays a role and interacts with the 42 computer.…”