Human Salivary α-Amylase and Starch Digestion: A Simple and Inexpensive At-Home Laboratory Experience in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic
| Autor: | Diana Vargas-Oviedo, David Díaz-Báez, Sandra Johanna Morantes |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Medical education
2019-20 coronavirus outbreak Laboratory Instruction Data collection Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Chemistry Laboratory reports Carbohydrates Starch digestion Information quality General Chemistry Hands-On Learning/Manipulatives General Public Upper-Division Undergraduate Biochemistry Education Enzymes Distance Learning/Self Instruction Pandemic Salivary α amylase Laboratory Experiment |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Chemical Education |
| ISSN: | 1938-1328 0021-9584 |
| Popis: | The first case of coronavirus disease 2019 in Colombia was detected on March 6, 2020. Subsequently, schools, colleges, and universities were closed on March 26, which forced a massive migration to virtual education and impacted laboratory-based teaching courses. The teaching of biochemistry requires an experimental component that virtual laboratories cannot emulate. To address this concern, the article describes an at-home biochemistry laboratory experience that explores the hydrolysis of starch by α-amylase as a function of enzyme concentration, reaction time, and pH. The general success of the experience was assessed through the quality of information submitted through laboratory reports and feedback from students. A total of 19 laboratory reports were reviewed, and 50 students were surveyed. The analysis indicated that approximately 90% of students expressed favorable opinions about the experience. They understood the objective of the practice, identified the function of each material, and explained the relationship between the obtained results and concepts of enzyme activity presented in theoretical classes. Finally, the study concluded that the at-home laboratory experience is inexpensive and easy to perform outside the traditional laboratory. Furthermore, it enables a genuine practical experience with observations, data collection, analysis, and discussion of results, which meets the expectations for pharmaceutical chemistry students at the Universidad El Bosque in Bogota, Colombia. © |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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