A game to help students comprehend enzyme structure and mechanism of action

Abstract

Conference-recitation periods may successfully serve to review and integrate lecture material, but they often fail to excite and motivate student. In searching for alternative techniques with which a biochemistry lecture course can be supplemented, I have found that active participation of students in a game is an efficient and enjoyable way for them to comprehend enzymology. The game is presented here to encourage others to use this technique. The students were enrolled at University of Michigan in a one-semester introductory biochemistry course either for undergraduates or for students in Integrated Premedical-Medical Program. Prior to playing game, students had listened to lectures and read chapters in textbooks on proteins and enzymology, including structure and mechanism of action of proteases. Two groups of ten students played game at one time. Each group was placed in a small room with a set of space-filling molecular models, instructions on how to use models, a previously built backbone of an a-helix, and biochemistry textbooks. The instructor explained that ten students were being asked to accomplish a task as a group, and that other group was working on same problem. It was stressed that in order to complete exercise in one hour, they would have to rapidly organize themselves and m a k e efficient use of their collective knowledge, deductive abilities, and creativity. Each student was directed to read Information and Instruction Sheet and then to proceed according to its directions. The instructur left room until work was well underway and during remainder of hour helped only in techniques of model building. The instructor insured that groups had selected one or two speakers for oral presentations which were subsequently made to combined groups. A visiting expert along with instructor, moderated session, corrected errors, reminded students to distinguish between deduction and hypothesis, and kept criticism and arguments under control. Each time this game was played during past five years, majority of students became intensely involved in exercise and learned a great deal from one another. The excitement apparently stems from group dynamics and strong competition which quickly arises between two groups. Results of questionnaires returned anonymously by 85% of students during past two years showed that 66% considered that the enzyme game was fun and an effective learning device, while 23% disagreed with this statement. From having worked with these ideas and models, students may very well retain knowledge longer and have a better sense of reality of enzymes. I recommend this technique as an effective way to reinforce lecture material. The usefulness of technique appears to be limited only by quality of game presented to class. The variations for such biochemical games are clearly Unlimited.