Online discussions in biochemistry to increase peer interactions and student interest

Abstract The online environment poses a number of challenges, including creating opportunities for students to interact and get to know each other. I propose adding online discussions that can allow students to explore the real-world implications of biochemistry to provide course context, build the classroom community, diversify student assessment, and practice communication and information literacy skills. Utilizing current events and elements of students' daily lives can help students interconnect what they are learning and increase student interest in the course. These discussions ask students to explore a topic, reflect on what they would like to learn, find information, and report back on what they have learned. Herein I provide an example of a discussion prompt, a table of other potential discussion topics that are aligned with common biochemistry course topics, and results from student survey supporting discussion format.

Creator

• Wilson, Kristy J.

Publisher

• International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Identifier

• DOI: 10.1002/bmb.21487

Stichwort

• malnutrition
• interest
• discussion
• biochemistry

Date created

• Revised: 21 October 2020
• Accepted: 8 December 2020
• Received: 31 August 2020

Related URL

• Available from the publisher website:  https://iubmb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bmb.21487
• Available for access or request from the library catalog:  https://marianunivindianapolis.on.worldcat.org/oclc/45409187

Resource type

• Article

Source

• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 2020:49.2

Rights statement

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/