Biochemistry in poetry: A teaching experience using collaborative learning methodology to learning Biochemistry at the Medical School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Generally, the learning of is too hard for college student. required the abstract thinking to understanding the molecular level the metabolism of living and it demands a great capacity for imagination that the cell habitat is. OBJECTIVES: The Biochemical learning experience carried out connecting and Literature to provide a collaborative learning method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The students of the School of Medicine, PUC-PR, that course the disciplines of Medical II, was organized in 33 groups each with 3-4 students and they had to write a poem with a specific theme related to Biochemistry, that was selected: lipid metabolism, metabolic integration, dyslipidemia and atherogenesis, pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus disease, diabetes mellitus complications, metabolic syndrome and obesity. The groups had to: write the poem and presents it to class orally and to expose a poem’s banner at the wall in the University for about one month. Instead that they had to fill an evaluation sheet and finally, all groups together had to organized a printed book titled Biochemistry in poetry. DISCUSSION AND RESULTS: Many groups pointed out to elaborate own texts and used academic vocabulary about theme were too hard and hard, respectively. 73% of the groups said the activity help them to learning a new thing and 79% agree that the activity help them to learning the specific topic. Other points to evaluated for groups. CONCLUSION: This demonstrates the need of activities that exercise writing on biochemical topics collaborating with the scientific growth of the college students. This activity promoted major learning about specific theme and the development to others desired skills in the profile of that the course proposes, like to collaborative work and to present your work in public. Instead that, to use a different learning methodology helps students develop the abstract thinking necessary for learning.