As mentioned before, the Joint event of the third International Congress of Biochemistry and the IUBMB Special Meeting on Plant Stresses, Marrakech, Morocco, April 20-25, 2009, will include a Special Topic on 'Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education', which will be held on April 25, 2009, In parallel with the Joint event.

SCOPE

In many countries, like Morocco, the development of biochemistry and molecular biology on the levels of education and scientific research is linked to the evolution of the local University. The first phase could be typified by 'education for all' with a centralized system of governorship'. The second phase could be characterized by the application of reforming systems where the University could have a broad pedagogical and scientific self-government. This change furnishes a favourable field for the development of specific programs for education by cutting with the centralized system. Higher education is frequently organized in modules where the parts of biochemistry and molecular biology can change from one university to another (Baaziz, 2008. Biochemistry and molecular biology in Morocco: overview of scientific research and education. IUBMB Life 60, 285-286).

At the university, Science is traditionally taught through the delivery of discipline syllabi to students. The instructors first teach students relevant theory and then complement it with "laboratories" or exercises to provide practice opportunities and develop skills. In traditionally taught courses, whichever those may be, student play predominantly passive roles. The relative effectiveness of traditional ways of teaching is contested by empirical results in the recent educational literature. Progressively, innovative teaching/learning methodologies are gaining momentum. Thus, educators have begun to pay more attention to what and how students learn, and to better understanding the relationship between what is taught and assessed, and what is learnt, retained and able to be applied by the learner. The ultimate goal is that participants will develop a positive attitude about interactive teaching as they become more knowledgeable and confident in using it.

The topics addressed in the workshop include
o How do students learn? How do teachers teach? What often goes wrong in the process?
o How do I plan a biochemistry or molecular biology course? How can I foster integration?
o How can I improve my lectures and how can I improve my laboratories?
o How can I introduce and what should I expect from computer assisted learning?
o How can I create tests that are both rigorous and fair?
o How should I move towards student centred learning? What other problems am I likely to run into (evaluating teaching, promotion and tenure, time management, etc.)? How should I deal with them?

In this workshop the speakers will present a variety of strategies for encouraging deep learning and active engagement. The session will be structured around a course in protein structure, function and evolution. The presenters will demonstrate learning activities, including the appropriate use of technology, and some ideas for assessing student understanding of key concepts.

PROGRAMME:

08:30-08:45	Registration, delivery of course materials
08:45-09:00	Opening and preview of the workshop. K. Fares & M. J. Costa
09:00-10:15	- The teaching of Biochemistry in Africa, V.P.K. Titanji, Buea, Cameroon (see Titanji-education-abstract) - The evolution of Biochemistry Education System in Moroccan University. A. Adlouni, Casablanca, Morocco (see Adlouni-education-abstract) - Place of Biochemistry in the Collegiate and qualifying Secondary education in Morocco, M. Rhazi, A. Jarrad & A. Belhamra, Marrakech, Morocco (see Rhazi-education-abstract) - Biochemistry and Molecular Biology education. Learning problems and proposed solutions, M. Baaziz, Marrakech, Morocco (see Baaziz-education-abstract)
10:15-10:30	Coffe break
10:30-12:30	The design and the delivery of biochemistry and molecular biology courses: increasing the effectiveness in the classroom and in the laboratory, M. J. Costa, J. Palha & S. Hamilton, Braga , Portugal (see Palha-education-abstract)
12:30-14:00	Lunch
14:00-15:30	Computer Assisted Learning M. J. Costa, J. Palha, S. Hamilton & M. Baaziz
15:30-16:00	Coffe break
16:00-17:00	Aligning assessment to foster student learning, M. J. Costa, Braga , Portugal (see Costa-education-abstract)
17:00-18:00	Student centred learning and the Scholarship of teaching: round table, M. J. Costa, J. Palha, M. Baaziz, M. Rhazi, A. Jarrad & A. Belhamra & S. Hamilton
18:00	Take home message and workshop evaluation
18:30	Workshop closure

LINKS:

Costa MJ, Galembeck E, Marson GA, Torres BB, 2008 A Quick Guide for Computer-Assisted Instruction in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics. PLoS Comput Biol 4(4): e1000035. doi:10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000035 http://www.ploscompbiol.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pcbi.1000035

Sousa JC, Costa MJ, Palha JA, 2007 Hormone-Mediated Gene Regulation and Bioinformatics: Learning One from the Other. PLoS ONE 2(5): e481. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0000481 , direct link http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0000481;jsessionid=EEB891B871CE44C0B54FB42A9AFEA7CF

Baaziz M. 2008. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Morocco: Overview of Scientific Research and Education. IUBMB Life 60, 285-286.

Baaziz M. JMOL based visualisation of biochemical molecules (proteins, sugars, lipids, nucleic acids, ...), web page: http://takween.com/JMOL/biochimie-molecules.html

Baaziz, M. RasTop-based tutorial for Hemoglobin and examples of studied enzymes, http://www.takween.com/molecules-structure-3D/structures_preambule.html