Plants versus animals in the dining hall: A problem‐based learning problem

White, Harold B.

doi:10.1002/bmb.2002.494030050106

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…In this context, the literature provides interesting examples, all reporting good results for learning: i) restructuring of contents by adoption of comprehensive themes and active learning settings [42,43]; ii) support by tutorials and open-ended questions [44]; iii) use of problems or questions especially built to facilitate the teaching of complex and interdisciplinary issues [45,46]. The novelty of the present research is the detailed record of development, application, refinement, and reapplication of teaching materials which implies both individual immersion and cooperative work group, based on hardly ever addressed themes in textbooks and/or scientific articles with didactic purposes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel study guides for biochemistry meaningful learning in biology: a design-based research

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Galembeck

2017

Rev. Ens. Bioq.

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To address the usually decontextualized transmission of information in biochemistry teaching, three interventions in a discipline (Metabolism) for Biology majors were applied as innovative study guides. We describe the development, application, and evaluation of two study guides, contextualized with a real problem or an integrative view, using broad themes like evolution and metabolic adaptation. In order to evaluate the impact of both interventions on interest, motivation, and learning of the metabolic pathways, a design-based research with cycles of application and assessment was carried out, by means of classroom observation, grade analysis in written exams, and students' interviews. Analysis and interpretation of the results point to benefits for teaching and learning, with helpful information to guide elaboration and refinement of new teaching materials and to make active learning more meaningful.Keywords: Study guide; Biochemistry; Design-Based Research. ResumoPara lidar com a transmissão em geral descontextualizada da informação no ensino de bioquímica, foram aplicadas três intervenções na disciplina Metabolismo para Biologia, na forma de estudos dirigidos inovadores. Descrevem-se a construção, aplicação e avaliação de dois estudos dirigidos, contextualizados como um problema real ou uma visão integrativa, usando temas amplos como evolução e adaptação metabólica. A fim de avaliar o impacto de ambas as intervenções sobre o interesse, motivação e aprendizagem das vias metabólicas, foi realizada uma pesquisa baseada em design com ciclos de aplicação e avaliação, por meio de observação em sala de aula, análise de notas em provas e entrevistas com estudantes. A análise e a interpretação dos resultados indicam benefícios para o ensino e a aprendizagem, com informações úteis para orientar a elaboração e o refino de novos materiais de ensino e para tornar a aprendizagem ativa mais significativa.Palavras-chave: Estudo dirigido; Bioquímica; Pesquisa baseada em design.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel study guides for biochemistry meaningful learning in biology: a design-based research

Costa

Galembeck

2017

Rev. Ens. Bioq.

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“…I know that some educators agree and argue that students need to have the answers to provide positive feedback and help them learn. That may be true in certain contexts, but my experience is different.A couple of years ago in this journal, I published one of my favorite problem-based learning (PBL) 1 problems, Plants versus Animals in the Dining Hall [1]. It used the story of a first year college student as the context for learning amino acid metabolism.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…A couple of years ago in this journal, I published one of my favorite problem-based learning (PBL) 1 problems, Plants versus Animals in the Dining Hall [1]. It used the story of a first year college student as the context for learning amino acid metabolism.…”

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confidence: 99%

Commentary: Problems without answers

White

2005

Biochem Molecular Bio Educ

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Over the years I have made my old examinations available to students, but I do not supply the answer keys. I offer to discuss answers with them individually and at review sessions. I explain why I do not provide answers by telling them there is a difference between "knowing" the answer and "understanding" the answer. Still some students want the answers. I know that some educators agree and argue that students need to have the answers to provide positive feedback and help them learn. That may be true in certain contexts, but my experience is different.A couple of years ago in this journal, I published one of my favorite problem-based learning (PBL) 1 problems, Plants versus Animals in the Dining Hall [1]. It used the story of a first year college student as the context for learning amino acid metabolism. The student had become vegetarian during her first semester and returned home at Thanksgiving to confront a golden brown turkey and her exasperated mother. For each of the five stages, I provided a set of teaching notes that described my rationale for how I developed the problem, the difficulty students had with the problem, and my expectations for student learning. I also included a particularly well done concept map produced by students and a discussion of acceptable answers. Subsequently, I have suffered for my indiscretion.The next time I used that problem in an intermediary metabolism course, the students got much less out of it than students in previous classes because the problem was now on-line. It did not take long for someone in the class to find it and leak the news to the rest of the class that the "answers" were available. This immediately shortcircuited the PBL process, and students were deprived of working through the various stages, thinking about the issues, searching for relevant information, and formulating responses based on their understanding. With my commentary available to the world, the students no longer had to exercise their higher order thinking skills. Their interest in getting a good grade (having the right answer) trumped the PBL process (achieving a deeper understanding).A colleague of mine had a similar experience when her students discovered the answers to their PBL problem on a course website at another school that had used the same problem. Although the Internet enabled the unwanted dissemination of answers in both cases, the demand for answers transcends the Internet.For example, recently I engaged briefly in an aborted effort to generate one PBL problem for each chapter in a well known biochemistry textbook. The task, by its nature, compromised the PBL process, which values problems as a way to introduce content rather than to review content at the end of a chapter. Furthermore, PBL problems should be complex and integrate content from multiple chapters, other courses, and diverse sources rather than tie in too closely with a particular book chapter. However, the most compromising expectation was that the solutions manual needed an answer key. Based on my experience of how a...

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“…PBL traditionally involves problems written for a specific set of topics that student work on for a short period of time. Many such problems are now available [5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. I use a unique variation of this method: using a single problem to teach an entire semester of biochemistry.…”

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confidence: 99%

Introductory course based on a single problem: Learning nucleic acid biochemistry from AIDS research

Grover

2004

Biochem Molecular Bio Educ

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In departure from the standard approach of using several problems to cover specific topics in a class, I use a single problem to cover the contents of the entire semester-equivalent biochemistry classes. I have developed a problem-based service-learning (PBSL) problem on HIV/AIDS to cover nucleic acid concepts that are typically taught in the second semester of a biochemistry class. Use of research articles on a specific topic allows developing problems such as one discussed here. The implementation of this problem is similar to teaching literature-based courses but is tailored to undergraduate work. Details of designing and setting up this problem, along with the pros and cons of this approach, are discussed here.Keywords: Problem-based learning (PBL), service-learning (SL), problem-based service-learning (PBSL), active learning, HIV/AIDS problem, research-based undergraduate classroom.We all use primary research articles in our courses to bring special topics into classes and value a researchbased experience. However, it is not easy to incorporate these into introductory courses. Problem-based learning (PBL) 1 provides one way that undergraduates can be involved in a research-based experience from early on in their education [1,2]. PBL problems can energize students by making the material relevant; it teaches them to ask questions and learn to research a topic in depth [3,4]. PBL traditionally involves problems written for a specific set of topics that student work on for a short period of time. Many such problems are now available [5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. I use a unique variation of this method: using a single problem to teach an entire semester of biochemistry. Here I will discuss the problem, its organization and implementation, and advantages of using a single-problem approach.At Colorado College, we teach one course at a time. Four courses are taught sequentially in one semester. A semester's worth of information is covered in each course in three-and-a-half weeks, with class meeting 5 days a week. Each day on this plan is equivalent to 1 week on a semester plan. Students work exclusively on one class during this time.

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Plants versus animals in the dining hall: A problem‐based learning problem

Cited by 4 publications

References 21 publications

Novel study guides for biochemistry meaningful learning in biology: a design-based research

Novel study guides for biochemistry meaningful learning in biology: a design-based research

Commentary: Problems without answers

Introductory course based on a single problem: Learning nucleic acid biochemistry from AIDS research

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