Enhancing student retention of prerequisite knowledge through pre-class activities and in-class reinforcement

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry Education
• Chemistry-Biochemistry Integration

Background:

• Biochemistry requires strong foundational knowledge in general and organic chemistry.
• Students often struggle to connect prerequisite chemistry concepts to biochemistry.
• Bridging this gap is crucial for effective biochemistry learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and assess educational activities linking general and organic chemistry to biochemistry.
• To evaluate the impact of these activities on student learning gains and long-term retention.
• To determine the effectiveness of these interventions in diverse academic settings.

Main Methods:

• Created activities connecting general/organic chemistry to biochemistry for pre-class or recitation use.
• Assessed learning gains via pre/post-tests on prerequisite concepts and biochemistry exams.
• Incorporated clicker and discussion questions to supplement activities.
• Evaluated long-term retention with a comprehensive exam.

Main Results:

• Pre-class exercises combined with integrative questions significantly improved student performance.
• Positive learning gains were observed in both short-term and long-term assessments.
• The effectiveness of the interventions was consistent across large research institutions and smaller liberal arts colleges.

Conclusions:

• Integrating prerequisite chemistry concepts into biochemistry education enhances student learning.
• A combination of pre-class activities and in-class questions is an effective pedagogical strategy.
• These findings support the broader applicability of such integrated approaches in biochemistry instruction.