Metabolism in Motion: Engaging Biochemistry Students with Animation

Abstract

Metabolism, including cellular respiration, encompasses a large component of the topics covered in foundational biochemistry and life science undergraduate courses. The difficulty in instruction and student retention of this topic lies in the conceptualization of the numerous enzymatic reactions involving various substrates/products and their regulation. Learners typically end up focusing on memorizing individual metabolic pathways and their subcomponents (e.g., enzymes, substrates, and products) rather than developing a high-level understanding of the interplay and regulation occurring between pathways and appreciating the real-life application of this knowledge. To address this challenge, we created a 3D animation that introduces students to the fundamental concepts of glucose and fat metabolism, energy production by the citric acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, as well as the major points of regulation that emphasize the integration and flux of these metabolic pathways. Survey feedback from cohorts of University of Toronto second-year undergraduate life science students and School of Continuing Studies learners indicated that the animation increased their engagement with the material and confidence in understanding the connectivity between competing pathways and the regulation of metabolism.

Traditional, Mixed-Mode, and Online Instruction for Microbial Metabolism Before and During COVID-19

“…Alternatively, a case-based approach may work, as it connects the individual steps of metabolic cycles to real-world medical conditions and has been shown to be effective for learning biochemistry and metabolism (Thibaut & Schroeder., 2022;García-Ponce et al, 2021;Joshi et al, 2014;Kulak & Newton, 2014;Nair et al, 2013). Beyond this, additional media and representation methods can help cement student understanding of metabolic cycle content (Long et al, 2021;Wikandari et al, 2021). While it is unclear why students performed the worst on the exam covering these metabolic cycles, there may be individual student factors which can explored to improve understand of processes like the electron transport chain (Darabi et al, 2015).…”

Pedagogical chemistry sensemaking: a novel conceptual framework to facilitate pedagogical sensemaking in model-based lesson planning

“…PedChemSense may consequently be so tailored to the VCI that theoretical adjustments are likely necessary to enable better fit for other teacher learning contexts. However, we note that the use of particulate animations, modelling practices, and Johnstone's triangle are still popular endeavors for chemistry education research (e.g., Ovens et al, 2020;Long et al, 2021). PedChem-Sense also has useful applications for other PD programs that heavily feature molecular visualizations.…”

Developing a Stop-Motion Animation in Improving Junior Secondary Students’ Learning in Chemistry Lab: An Exploratory Study

“…In chemistry education, digital visualization technologies play a pivotal role in aiding students’ comprehension of abstract concepts that cannot be directly observed, , such as weak acids, crystal lattice structures, and metabolic processes . While numerous online animation resources exist, they often fall short in terms of accessibility, functionality, or alignment with teaching requirements.…”

“…In chemistry education, digital visualization technologies play a pivotal role in aiding students' comprehension of abstract concepts that cannot be directly observed, 1,2 such as weak acids, 3 crystal lattice structures, 4 and metabolic processes. 5 While numerous online animation resources exist, they often fall short in terms of accessibility, functionality, or alignment with teaching requirements. Consequently, it becomes imperative for chemistry educators to possess the digital competence necessary for designing, developing, and utilizing tailored digital learning materials, a foundational skill in their professional development.…”