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.
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