5Gasque, C E (1989) A Manual of Laboratory Experiments in Cell. Biology, Wm C Brown, ... textbooks in which clinical correlations are used with this aim .2.
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Table 3 The Stage 1 laboratory practical programme Skills
Example of practicals
Theory units supported
Preparation of solutions and their dilution
'Dry' exercises involving manipulation of concentrations and haemoglobin standard curve
Colorimetry and spectrophotometry
Haemoglobin standard curve: absorption spectra of plant pigments; glucose estimation; biuret assay
Measurement of pH
pH titration of amino acids; preparation of buffers; pH of soils
Techniques for studying enzymes
Enzyme activation energy; reaction kinetics; restriction endonucleases; lac operon
Microscopy
Light microscopy: phase contrast, fluorescence; micrometry Observation of microorganisms Electron microscopy
Ecology
Aseptic techniques
Culture of microorganisms and of animal tissues
Genetics
Handling and studying the physiology of cells
Culture of microorganisms and of animal cells; active transport and complementation in yeast
Separation techniques
Gel filtration; ion exchange chromatography; gel electrophoresis; paper chromatography; centrifugation
practical class programme used with Stage 1 (first year) undergraduate students attending modular courses in the Life Sciences. Full-time students attend four, part-time students two, dedicated practical units which fully integrate into their respective courses. A major aim of this programme is to develop practical skills in core biological areas, with most emphasis being on Biochemistry and Cell & Molecular Sciences, although other aspects of Biological Sciences are addressed. The development of transferable skills is also an important aim of the practical programme. The system is operated by staff from a number of Biological disciplines and is flexible, and could easily be modified to reflect different emphases within the Life Sciences. The system we have adopted has proved cost-effective, despite the recent large increase in student numbers, and, more importantly, the student reaction has generally been favourable. References ~Clark, J M and Switzer, R L (1977) Experimental Biochemistry, Second edition, W H Freeman & Son, San Francisco 2Wood, E J (1984) Biochem Educ 12, 123-126 3Boyer, R (1986) Biochem Educ 14, 12-14 4plummer, D T (1987) Introduction to Practical Biochemistry, Third edition, McGraw Hill, London 5Gasque, C E (1989) A Manual of Laboratory Experiments in Cell Biology, Wm C Brown, Dubuque, Iowa ~'Wood. E J (199(I) Biochem Educ 18, 9-12 7Bregman, A (1990) Laboratory Investigations in Cell and Molectdar Biology, Third edition. John Wiley & Son. New York xJones, A, Reed, R and Weyers, J (1994) Practical Skills in Biology, Longman, Harlow, Essex "Various Authors Biochem Educ. Experimental Section, all issues U'Walklins, L (1991) The Assessment of Performance and Competence, Stanley Thornes, Cheltenham, UK ~tGaffney, J J. Attwell. R W, Dawson, M M, Graham, l, Smith, C A and Willcox, J (1994) Biochem Educ 22, 18-2(I
BIOCHEMICAL
E D U C A T I O N 23(2) 1995
Biochemistry and molecular biology Biodiversity Cell Structure and function
Physiology
0307-4412(94)00171-5 A Full P r o b l e m - s o l v i n g Biochemistry P r o g r a m AGUSTIN VICEDO TOMEY HERN./~NDEZ FERNANDEZ
and
ROLANDO
A.
Department of Biochemistry Higher Institute of Medical Sciences Avenida 31 y Calle 146 Cubanacdm, Playa Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba Introduction The use of problem-solving methods in teaching has been encouraged particularly because with their use students can experience deeper motivation and participation, more solid learning and better training for self-education. Biochemistry teaching could benefit from the problemsolving approach and there are propositions for problemoriented learning of some relevant topics I and even textbooks in which clinical correlations are used with this aim .2 Nevertheless, we believe that there are two main drawbacks that interfere with a wider use of these methods in biochemistry teaching. First, there is a justified fear that in a full problem-solving program some important parts of biochemistry could become marginal or even not be included at all. Second, there is a lack of decision by teachers to abandon more traditional teaching methods. Teaching Biochemistry to Nurses In recent years our department has faced some difficulties in teaching biochemistry to nursing students. In the main they were not motivated, not interested in this subject and
72
we realized that a major change in our teaching methods was necessary. For this reason the program was redesigned and we decided to produce a new program totally based on problem-solving activities. To overcome the first difficulty mentioned above we analysed the contents of biochemical knowledge that we believed to be really necessary for nursing and subsequently we selected a set of health problems that would allow learning of this information in a rational way. It hardly needs saying that the selected problems should satisfy the requirements of being frequently encountered and relevant for nurses. At the end of the re-design process the Biochemistry Course was organized into two five-month periods based on six and five problems, respectively (Table 1). As can be seen, they assure a fairly good coverage of the parts of biochemistry that are more relevant for Nursing. In relation to the second difficulty mentioned we agreed that this program could not be taught using traditional lectures and seminars. Consequently we organized the course employing two non-traditional learning activities: the Orientation Meeting and the Workshop. Every week the students have an Orientation Meeting of one hour in which some tasks are clarified and the sources of information are suggested. Also, different alternatives in the problem-solving process are considered and the progress of each student is assessed. Sometimes any particular topic of special difficulty are explained thoroughly. The Workshops also take place once a week and last four hours. In the Workshop some topics are studied under the professor's guidance and discussed, students may ask for help in specific difficulties and there is an interchange of information among them. Some passages of selected bibliography are analyzed and commented upon and sometimes practical activities are carried out. At the end, the solutions for each problem are presented, discussed and evaluated. Active Learning In any case, emphasis is directed towards an active participation of students, and teachers must keep this in mind in order to avoid the temptation of acting as direct sources of information. Instead they should be trying to guide self-education by the students. This program is now in its third year and the results have really exceeded our expectations. It must be pointed out in the first place that the students showed great interest in this subject and participated actively in solving the problems, making use of ideas and procedures that even were not considered previously by teachers. They expressed their satisfaction with the method and, in reality, there was a radical change from the former situation regarding the learning of biochemistry by these students. The selected problems are appropriated to us but could be changed by others according to the situation of each country and place, provided they allow the learning of relevant topics. Now we are considering a similar modifiB I O C H E M I C A L E D U C A T I O N 23(2) 1995
Table 1 Health problems and biochemistry contents Problem No.
Health probh'm
Content in Briel
I
Acute diarrhoea (metabolic acidosis)
Water properties, pH. Buffer systems. Acid-Base control. Alterations and Correction. Protein structure and properties. Genetic determination. Haemoglobin structure and function. Haemoglobinopathies. Treatment. Genetic counselling. Enzyme structure and properties. Inborn error of metabolism. Prophylaxis and treatment. Cell respiration. Mitochondrial ATP generation. Effects of toxic substances. Carbohydrate digestion. Production. storing and utilization of glucose. Metabolic control. Protein digestkm. Metabolism of amino acids. Ammonia detoxification. Woxicit~ mechanism. Dietary prophylaxis. Nutritional allowances. Main sources of nutrients and carencial syndromes.Fat digestion, deposition and utilization. Correction of nutritional imbalances. Cholesterol metabolism Atherogenesis. Role of lipoproteins. Prophylaxis. Ketone body metabolism. Integration of metabolism. Role of hormones. Catabolism of haem groups and bilirubin excretion. Different kinds of jaundice.
Thrombo-haemolyric crisis (drepanocytosis)
3 4 5
Phenylpyruvic oligophrenia (phenylketonuria) Suicide attempt (ingestion of barbiturates) Hypoglycemia (type I glycogenosis) Anlnlonia intoxication (cirrhotic encephalopathy) Obesity and kwashiorkor (primary nutritional alterations
8 c) I(I
11
Heart attack (coronary alherosclerosis) Ketosis (diabetic acidosis) Syringe-transmitted jaundice (hepatocellular icterus) Child acute leukaemia (neoplastic cell growth)
Cell cycle and molecular genetics. Replication, transcription and transduction. Mutations. Oncogenes. Antiproliferative drugs.
cation in the Biochemistry program for Medicinal students. In any case we think that the set of problems presented in this paper is a good starting point because they fulfill the initially stated requirements. References i Brosemer, R W ( 1991 ), Case study on diabetes mellitus, Biochem Educ 19, 193-195 -'Devlin, T M (1992) Textbook o] Biochemistry with Clinical Correlations, John Wiley and Sons, New York
