Design of a Semester-Long Case-Based Active Learning Curriculum for Medical Biochemistry Courses During COVID-19

Abstract

posed new challenges to undergraduate medical biochemistry instructors, providing an opportunity of exploring novel approaches online through methods such as case-based learning curriculum. In this study, an entire curriculum was created for medical biochemistry teaching online using case-based learning including the standards, time for lessons, cases, and methods behind teaching in an online format. To evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum, student case study question results, grades on exams, and perception were analyzed. The results show that 40 students enrolled in the case-based learning curriculum had an average final exam score of 10.33% (95% CI [3.539, 17.112], p = 0.004) higher compared to the traditional curriculum students (d = 0.861, 95% CI [0.269, 1.444]). No significant difference was found between exam scores on any other exam in the course. Due to the final exam being a cumulative exam, the results suggest that the case-based learning curriculum improved student retention of information long-term but had no discernible effect on individual exams. This study provides all the tools necessary for instructors to immediately use a medical biochemistry case-based learning curriculum supported by research without the necessary time investment of creating their own cases from scratch.

Methods of biotechnology Biotech BioBrawl: A competition‐based learning approach to biotechnology

“…Zhang et al 10 ,11 ,12 have also demonstrated success in improving student problem solving, teamwork, communication, and experimental skills through the Microbe Competition, which requires design and implementation of an experiment in microbiology. With the COVID‐19 pandemic forcing science courses around the world towards mixed mode or online formats, novel active learning approaches demonstrated value in promoting student participation and engagement 13–15 …”

“…With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing science courses around the world towards mixed mode or online formats, novel active learning approaches demonstrated value in promoting student participation and engagement. [13][14][15] A team-based competition was incorporated in the University of Central Florida Methods in Biotechnology (MCB4721C/MCB5722C) 16 course agenda Fall of 2021. With a class vote, this competition was titled "Biotech BioBrawl."…”

A Snapshot of Chemistry Teaching and Learning Practices in UK Higher Education as It Emerges from the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…For the teaching of chemical theory, there have been many examples of replacing the face-to-face experience with online alternatives. One of simplest pivots has been to replace in-person lectures with online synchronous delivery. ,,, Prior to the pandemic some instructors have used asynchronous screencasts to deliver content, usually as part of a flipped approach. , Many instructors chose to deliver content through asynchronous videos during the pandemic, which students preferred due to increased flexibility over when they can learn content. Asynchronous videos were supplemented with interactive synchronous online classes.…”

Active learning strategies on organic nomenclature using digital tools and collaborative work

“…Including this new methods plus learning patterns of students had driven research to find ways of for students to own their knowledge on any science field (Allan et al, 2013;Watson, 2001). Specifically, on chemistry, which many times shows itself as abstract, difficult, monotonous, detach, and far from professional or real life experiences (Gutierrez Mosquera and Barajas Perea, 2019), that is why it becomes necessary to bring modern like gaming (Buendía-Atencio et al, 2022;Jääskä and Aaltonen, 2022;NOURI and Rahimi Meroei, 2021;Porto et al, 2020;Sousa Lima et al, 2019), class Ludic (Maila-Álvarez et al, 2020Zaragoza Ramos et al, 2016); flipped classroom (Nappa et al, 2021;Peralta-Benítez et al, 2021), video-based learning (Hernández et al, 2014;Londero Balza, 2014); digital content usage (Figueiredo et al, 2016;Liu et al, 2022;Thibaut and Schroeder, 2022), and interactive platforms (Athavan Alias Anand, 2021;Christiansen, 2021;Dabke et al, 2022), that allowed revitalize the learning of concepts as well as to heal the wrong and "a priori" concept of chemistry as a difficult science.…”