Biochemical View: A Web Site Providing Material for Teaching Biochemistry Using Multiple Approaches

Computational resources are valuable tools for teaching biochemistry. Often, however, the necessary information is dispersed throughout several Web sites and many of the biochemistry software programs are only available commercially. Considering the difficulties of understanding abstract biochemical concepts, a Web site, Biochemical View (accessed Aug 2007) has been developed at the University of Brasília (UnB), Brazil. Its main goals are to complement course instruction and materials already in use, provide material to teachers preparing conventional and online courses, and—because free, full access is allowed—popularize the use of these resources in undergraduate courses. The contents, which include the usual metabolic pathways explaining the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, lipids, and nucleic acids, are presented in two and three-dimensional formats, complemented with objective texts, schematics, and a description of regulation points. In this work, a new approach to metabolic pathways is employed, namely metabolic participation diagrams. In addition, experimental protocols for laboratory classes, study material, and detailed information about each molecule taking part in a specific metabolic pathway have been also made available in the Web site. The process of constructing the site is described and the results of students using this Web site are evaluated based on exam scores and survey forms, which show a significant improvement in students' success in learning biochemistry.