| Product Name: |
Biochemistry - A Metabolic Challenge (previously Interactive Biochemistry - Metabolism) |
| Level: |
Second Year Tertiary |
| Platform: |
PC - Windows / Windows 95 / Windows NT |
| Supplied Information: |
The Interactive Biochemistry - Metabolism CD-ROM has been developed with the aim of improving students understanding of basic biochemistry and to promote the development of learning skills.
It contains two interactive computer exercises which require students to think logically in order to resolve metabolic issues. These exercises are complemented by a set of thirteen self-paced tutorials covering the fundamentals of metabolism. |
| Possible Use: |
This product is suitable for Second Year Tertiary courses for use by students without supervision. |
| Price: |
$50.00 single, $500.00 site licence |
| Developer/s: |
Marie-Paule Van Damme, M. Kaye Trembath, Jonathon Gould |
| Review: |
The CD-ROM, "Interactive Biochemistry - Metabolism", has been developed by the staff of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Monash University. The package is directed at students studying in that department, but also has been designed with a view to the South East Asian market. The format comprises a series of tutorial exercises on the following topics: Role of Water in Biology, Metabolic Release of Energy, Biosynthesis of Carbohydrates and lipids, Amino Acid Metabolism and Integration and Regulation of Metabolism. Each tutorial contains a mixture of static text screens, interactive screens, and animated diagrams such as those in the Electron Transport topic within the Metabolic release of Energy tutorial. Here there are excellent representations of the movement of electrons between the redox carriers, the movement of protons from the mitachondrial matrix to the inner-membrane space, and the synthesis of ATP occurring as the protons move back to the matrix via the F0F1 - ATPase. Cell signalling mechanisms, covered in the Integration and Regulation of Metabolism tutorial, are also depicted using excellent animations.
In addition to the tutorial topics, there are two exercise sections. The first, "The Great Metabolic Race", tests the students' understanding of the catabolism of carbohydrates and lipids. The second, "The After Race Banquet" deals with the synthesis of carbohydrates and lipids.
Students are tested in a number of ways: answer true/false questions, "drag and pull" answers to the correct answer and type in the answer. Points are awarded in these exercises. There is also a separate section of multiple choice questions, but the student is advised whether or not their answer was correct.
Several of my students have "reviewed" the CD for me. Without exception they enjoyed using the programme, found that it was easy to use, and that they would like to have access to the programme at uni. They all saw it as supplementing their lectures, rather than replacing lecture material.
The content in the topics is comprehensive, and some universities may not cover all the material available on the CR-ROM in their lectures. However, my students readily identified what was applicable to their course. There is reference to a set of notes that accompany the computer programme, but I did not receive these with the CD-ROM.
I believe the package to be an excellent aid to studying Metabolism. It gives a visual dimension to what can be difficult conceptual ideas. For example, it leads students through metabolic pathways step by step, showing the changes happening in a dynamic way.I believe students would benefit from having access to the programme. In fact, I liked it so much I ordered it for myself. |
|
Louise Brown, University of Western Sydney |
| |
| Supplier: |
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
Monash University
Clayton 3168 AUSTRALIA |
|
http://www.med.monash.edu.au/biochem/ |
|
phone: (03) 9905 3740 |
|
fax: (03) 9905 4699 |
| Date Record Last Modified: |
3/5/99 |
