Improving undergraduate biochemistry curriculum using threshold concepts: an analysis of student understanding

Abstract

Threshold concepts (TCs) are concepts that, when mastered, represent a transformed understanding of a discipline without which the learner cannot progress. TCs have been identified in many fields with the goal of redesigning curricula to best benefit the learning of the student. Student data was collected for three of the five biochemistry TCs (steady state, the physical basis of interactions, and the thermodynamics of macromolecular structure formation). Responses were analyzed to determine ubiquitous and nuanced themes in student understanding. Integrative themes including electrostatic properties of molecules, entropic and enthalpic contributions, free‐energy, and kinetics of regulatory systems were investigated due to their importance in biochemistry learning. Our analysis reveals that students often exhibit limited understanding of these concepts, thus they lack the depth of knowledge to fully integrate ideas and apply them to varied biochemical contexts.Support or Funding InformationNSF‐DUE‐1224868