Making connections: teaching and learning bioelectrochemistry

Advances in bioelectronic and renewable energy technologies make it important for undergraduate students to learn about bioelectrochemistry, and courses in the chemical and biological sciences provide opportunities for them to do so. This review surveys the ways in which bioelectrochemistry appears in these degree programs and evaluates effective educational practices in each case. Three key pedagogical challenges are identified: bioelectrochemical concepts are often abstract, the terminology is confusing and variable, and relevant material is fragmented across the curriculum. The review makes five recommendations to address these challenges. Educators are advised to (1) signpost connections across the curriculum to promote topic integration, (2) provide explicit guidance on terminology to pre-empt confusion, (3) use vivid biological examples to capture student attention and interest, (4) use active learning techniques to strengthen conceptual links, and (5) adopt published laboratory exercises that allow students to put bioelectrochemical theory into practice. In each case, examples are given to support implementation and enhance undergraduate student appreciation of the field.