The purpose of this research was to study learning retention in undergraduate biology students on the topic of enzyme properties by using simple enzyme activity from vegetables and fruits. A hands-on practical was dev...The purpose of this research was to study learning retention in undergraduate biology students on the topic of enzyme properties by using simple enzyme activity from vegetables and fruits. A hands-on practical was developed to simplify detection of enzyme activity of amylase, protease and lipase on starch agar, dry whole milk agar, and trihutyrin agar, respectively. The subjects of the study were 24 senior undergraduates who studied in the Program of General Science, Faculty of Science, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, in three semesters during 2007 - 2008. The basic concepts of enzymes, e.g., substrate specificity, how to detect enzymes and optimal enzyme conditions, were taught before the practical. The first enzyme, protease, was used in the second semester of 2007, and then changed to be lipase and protease in the first and second semesters of 2008, respectively. Ten open-ended questions were used to assess students in all semesters. In agreement with the constructivist learning model, it was demonstrated that students had learning retention and applied their prior knowledge to other enzyme experiments.展开更多
文摘The purpose of this research was to study learning retention in undergraduate biology students on the topic of enzyme properties by using simple enzyme activity from vegetables and fruits. A hands-on practical was developed to simplify detection of enzyme activity of amylase, protease and lipase on starch agar, dry whole milk agar, and trihutyrin agar, respectively. The subjects of the study were 24 senior undergraduates who studied in the Program of General Science, Faculty of Science, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, in three semesters during 2007 - 2008. The basic concepts of enzymes, e.g., substrate specificity, how to detect enzymes and optimal enzyme conditions, were taught before the practical. The first enzyme, protease, was used in the second semester of 2007, and then changed to be lipase and protease in the first and second semesters of 2008, respectively. Ten open-ended questions were used to assess students in all semesters. In agreement with the constructivist learning model, it was demonstrated that students had learning retention and applied their prior knowledge to other enzyme experiments.
