Undergraduate Performance in Solving Ill-Defined Biochemistry Problems.

With growing interest in promoting skills related to the scientific process, we studied performance in solving ill-defined problems demonstrated by graduating biochemistry majors at a public, minority-serving university. As adoption of techniques for facilitating the attainment of higher-order learning objectives broadens, so too does the need to appropriately measure and understand student performance. We extended previous validation of the Individual Problem Solving Assessment (IPSA) and administered multiple versions of the IPSA across two semesters of biochemistry courses.

Stimulation of Critically Ill Patients: Relationship to Sedation.

Objectives: To describe the number and type of stimulation events and the relationship of stimulation to sedation level in patients receiving mechanical ventilation.

Methods: A 4-hour direct observation was conducted in 103 patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Stimulation events and sedation level before and after the stimulation were documented.

Gauging the gaps in student problem-solving skills: assessment of individual and group use of problem-solving strategies using online discussions.

For the past 3 yr, faculty at the University of New Mexico, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology have been using interactive online Problem-Based Learning (PBL) case discussions in our large-enrollment classes. We have developed an illustrative tracking method to monitor student use of problem-solving strategies to provide targeted help to groups and to individual students. This method of assessing performance has a high interrater reliability, and senior students, with training, can serve as reliable graders.

Teachers as learners in a cooperative learning biochemistry class.

Upper level college students majoring in biochemistry at the University of New Mexico have the opportunity to participate in an advanced biochemistry course entitled "Biochemistry Education." This course introduces theories of teaching and learning, provides opportunities for participation in course organization, design, and assessment strategies, and requires practice in lecturing, exam writing, and grading. One component of this course required the biochemistry majors to act as educational assistants, leading problem-based learning sessions in a cooperative learning introductory survey biochemistry course for nonmajors.

Comparison of student performance in cooperative learning and traditional lecture-based biochemistry classes.

Student performance in two different introductory biochemistry curricula are compared based on standardized testing of student content knowledge, problem-solving skills, and student opinions about the courses. One curriculum was used in four traditional, lecture-based classes (n = 381 students), whereas the second curriculum was used in two cooperative learning classes (n = 39 students). Students in the cooperative learning classes not only performed at a level above their peers in standardized testing of content knowledge and in critical thinking and problem-solving tasks (p < 0.

Support of a Problem-Based Learning Curriculum by Basic Science Faculty.

Although published reports describe benefits to students of learning in a problem-based, student-centered environment, questions have persisted about the excessive faculty time commitments associated with the implementation of PBL pedagogy. The argument has been put forward that the excessive faculty costs of such a curriculum cannot be justified based upon the potential benefits to students. However, the magnitude of the faculty time commitment to a PBL curriculum to support the aforementioned argument is not clear to us and we suspect that it is also equally unclear to individuals charged with making resource decisions supporting the educational efforts of the institution.