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Using Pop‐It Beads in the Classroom to Enhance Student Comprehension of Enzyme Catalysis and Reaction Rate
Author(s) -
Gehret Austin
Publication year - 2016
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.30.1_supplement.662.2
Subject(s) - kinesthetic learning , comprehension , chemistry , catalysis , substrate (aquarium) , psychology , reaction rate , mathematics education , organic chemistry , computer science , biology , ecology , programming language
A classroom activity was devised to introduce associate‐level deaf and hard‐of‐hearing (DHH) students to the concepts of enzyme activity and catalysis of reaction rate. Students’ hands manipulated Pop‐It Beads as the catalytic event and their progress was directly compared to the reaction progress in the absence of student manipulation (no catalysis). This kinesthetic approach also allowed students to experience first‐hand the effect of substrate depletion on their catalyzed reaction rate. Exam results suggested that students understood the targeted learning outcomes and survey responses revealed self‐perceived gains in knowledge. The potential, and benefit, of adapting the activity to explore Michaelis‐Menten kinetics is discussed.