A Quick Guide for Computer-Assisted Instruction in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics

Introduction: Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (CBB) are indispensable components in the training of life scientists [1–3]. Current curricula in the life sciences should prepare graduates who master quantitative and computer skills for increased levels of performance [4–6]. Equally important is that the application of the curricula is driven by an appropriate instructional paradigm and effective learning experiences. Teaching and learning with computers bring specific issues that should be considered beforehand by any instructor. The following Quick Guide for Computer-Assisted Instruction (CAI) outlines ten principles for effective teaching. The principles are aligned with current developments on human cognition and learning [7] and have been drawn from our own experience using CAI in seminars, tutorials, and distance education, in courses on Molecular Life Sciences at the undergraduate level, taught to majors in biology or in other subjects (e.g., nutrition, teaching of physics and chemistry, teaching of biology, sports). The Guide refers to the preparation, presentation, and assessment of CAI. It should be an aid for those who teach CBB with CAI in class, and it is expected to stimulate student motivation and deeper learning in CBB, thus making class time more effective and improving satisfaction of both students and instructors

Biochemistry and molecular biology education in Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula - Part 2

[Excerpt] This is the second issue of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education (BAMBED) focusing on innovations and research on Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) education from Latin America, Portugal and Spain. The first issue with this focus is published in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, Volume 37, Issue 5 (2009). The manuscripts in these special issues resulted from an invitation disseminated through the mailing lists of national BMB societies and were processed according to the journal’s regular editorial peer review. The initiative was implemented to encourage the research and communication of educational experiences in Latin America and Iberia. Therefore this is an opportune moment to analyze the experience and draw implications for the future. The publication of these two special issues with original reports from the aforementioned regions confirms that there are contributions of education in Molecular Life Sciences from different areas of our flat world that are out there waiting for an opportunity or motivation to be written. Some of the reports published here are authored by molecular life scientists with no previous educational publications indexed in the ISI. We are hopeful that these authors will act as part of the transduction cascade that will diffuse and amplify the message that faculty can learn how to apply scientific research principles to their teaching and contribute relevant findings to an international audience. [...

AMPc - Intracellular signaling: an educational software

Chemicals binding to membrane receptors may induce events within the cell changing its behavior. Since these events are simultaneous and hard to be understood by students, we developed a computational model to dynamically and visually explore the cAMP signaling system to facilitate its understanding. The animation is shown in parts, from the hormone-receptor binding to the cellular response. There are some questions to be answered after using the model. The software was field-tested and an evaluation questionnaire (concerning usability, animations, models, and the software as an educational tool) was answered by the students, showing the software to be a valuable aid for content comprehension.48949

A Peer Reviewed Digital Library: New feature in RBEBBM

The  RBEBBM  publishes  papers  on  Biochemistry  and  Molecular  Biology  Education  mostly,  but  not  research  papers exclusively. The RBEBBM readers are not only interested in research papers but also in any kinds of resources that are  useful  to  improve  their  classes.  In  order  to  fulfill  the  biochemistry  community  needs  expressed  in  the  2004 Workshop on Biochemistry Education, that took place at the 2004 SBBq annual meeting, new features were added to the RBEBBM. Started in March 2006, a digital library that publishes several kinds of materials, such as software, images, thesis and monographs,  were  incorporated  to  the  RBEBBM  collection.  In  its  new  format,  every  submitted  content  is  peer reviewed before it is published. Another improvement was the offer of new tools for both authors and users, such as statistics  of  views  and  downloads,  and  interaction  tools  between  authors  and  users,  including  a  discussion  forum exclusive to every resource published and user evaluation. We  have  obtained  an  innovative  model  for  digital  libraries  which  includes  peer  review,  user  evaluation  and communication channels. This model brings users to the development of a more active role when using these tools

INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE: A CURRICULUM APPROACH

International and national institutions concerned with higher education recommendthe inclusion in curriculum of strategies to promote development of aditional skills thentraditionals memorazing habilities and contents reproduction. Between this, specialattention is given to stimulating the critical capacitie. To develop this skills, was given aproject, included into the Biochemistry discipline, with freshmen students in the Nutritioncourse of the Saúde Pública College of USP. The project consisted into the scientificarticles analysis and in the elaboration of research projects at the Scientific Initiation level.The first part presented the way how Science is divulged and the second, the mold that thescientific knowledge is generated. All activities was always conducted by activecommunication strategy. The general goal was bring near the students of scientificproceedings, contribute to developed scientific attitude, that is to say, critical sense. Theproceeding was evaluated by quantitative methods (questionnaire) and qualitative(interview with differents participant) and the results point for a significative increase ofknowledge of scientific job and a developed of yerned skills

Introducing Undergraduate Students to Science

Understanding the scientific method fosters the development of critical thinking and logical analysis of information. Additionally, proposing and testing a hypothesis is applicable not only to science, but also to ordinary facts of daily life. Knowing the way science is done and how its results are published is useful for all citizens and mandatory for science students. A 60-h course was created to offer undergraduate students a framework in which to learn the procedures of scientific production and publication. The course`s main focus was biochemistry, and it was comprised of two modules. Module I dealt with scientific articles, and Module II with research project writing. Module I covered the topics: 1) the difference between scientific knowledge and common sense, 2) different conceptions of science, 3) scientific methodology, 4) scientific publishing categories, 5) logical principles, 6) deductive and inductive approaches, and 7) critical reading of scientific articles. Module II dealt with 1) selection of an experimental problem for investigation, 2) bibliographic revision, 3) materials and methods, 4) project writing and presentation, 5) funding agencies, and 6) critical analysis of experimental results. The course adopted a collaborative learning strategy, and each topic was studied through activities performed by the students. Qualitative and quantitative course evaluations with Likert questionnaires were carried out at each stage, and the results showed the students` high approval of the course. The staff responsible for course planning and development also evaluated it positively. The Biochemistry Department of the Chemistry Institute of the University of Sao Paulo has offered the course four times

Biochemistry of the Envenomation Response-a Generator Theme for Interdisciplinary Integration

The understanding of complex physiological processes requires information from many different areas of knowledge. To meet this interdisciplinary scenario, the ability of integrating and articulating information is demanded. The difficulty of such approach arises because, more often than not, information is fragmented through under graduation education in Health Sciences. Shifting from a fragmentary and deep view of many topics to joining them horizontally in a global view is not a trivial task for teachers to implement. To attain that objective we proposed a course herein described Biochemistry of the envenomation response aimed at integrating previous contents of Health Sciences courses, following international recommendations of interdisciplinary model. The contents were organized by modules with increasing topic complexity. The full understanding of the envenoming pathophysiology of each module would be attained by the integration of knowledge from different disciplines. Active-learning strategy was employed focusing concept map drawing. Evaluation was obtained by a 30-item Likert-type survey answered by ninety students; 84% of the students considered that the number of relations that they were able to establish as seen by concept maps increased throughout the course. Similarly, 98% considered that both the theme and the strategy adopted in the course contributed to develop an interdisciplinary view.CNPqFAPES

Radicais livres de oxigênio: um software introdutório Oxygen free radicals: an introductory software

<abstract language="eng">Though Free Radicals is one of the most frequently explored scientific subjects in mass communication media, the topic is absent of many Biochemistry introductory courses, especially those in which the students do not have a good chemical background. To overcome this contradictory situation we have developed a software treating this topic in a very simple way. The software is divided in four sections: (1) definition and description of free radicals, (2) production pathways, (3) mechanism of action and (4) enzymatic and non enzymatic protection. The instructional capacity of the software has been both qualitative and quantitatively evaluated through its application in undergraduate courses. The software is available in the INTERNET at the site: http://www.unicamp.br/ib/bioquimica/ensino

Basic concepts for the understanding of the Michaelian kinetics

Abstract of the panel presented at the SBBq annual meeting (see attachament).</p