Premium
Use of student interviews to identify and refine threshold concepts for biochemistry (618.23)
Author(s) -
Lin Sara,
Loertscher Jennifer,
Minderhout Vicky,
Green David,
Lewis Jennifer
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.618.23
Subject(s) - coursework , context (archaeology) , curriculum , meaning (existential) , mathematics education , psychology , chemistry , medical education , pedagogy , medicine , biology , paleontology , psychotherapist
Threshold concepts are fundamental concepts that require mastering in order to progress towards a deeper understanding of a discipline. Despite their importance in teaching and curriculum reform efforts, threshold concepts have not yet been identified for biochemistry. Using an iterative approach involving over 75 faculty members and over 40 students from diverse institutions nationwide, we have developed a list of candidate threshold concepts, which will inform the design of new active learning materials and assessment tools. Student interviews, conducted with biochemistry and organic chemistry students from five different institutions, were essential in refining the pilot list developed by faculty. Each focus group interview probed student understanding of two of the three candidate threshold concepts: dynamic equilibrium, intra‐ and intermolecular interactions, and individual versus populations of molecules. Analysis of interview transcripts revealed wide variability in student understanding of these concepts that could be due to differences in major, prerequisite coursework and/or amount of biochemistry coursework completed. Despite the variability, trends were observed including an inability to articulate the meaning of steady state in a biological context, difficulty articulating the basis of intermolecular interactions in any context, and recognition that moving between thinking about individual versus populations of molecules is an important and challenging part of learning biochemistry. Grant Funding Source : National Science Foundation NSF‐DUE 1224868