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Making Biochemistry Meaningful: A Toolkit for Problem-Based Learning Workshops

Katrina Binger, James Tsatsaronis, Julian Pakay and Jeff Yeoman

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In development

This is a practical, evidence-informed resource designed to help educators ground abstract biochemical concepts in real-world contexts, making challenging content more accessible and engaging for students.

While Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is a staple in clinical disciplines like medicine and nutrition, its application is relatively underutilised in undergraduate biochemistry, where passive, didactic approaches often dominate. This Open Educational Resource (OER) bridges that gap by combining honest pedagogical reflections with actionable classroom materials. Grounded in our extensive experience implementing PBL workshops at La Trobe University, this toolkit guides educators through the how and why of our design. We share our impacts on student success, the challenges and mistakes we encountered and our vision for the future of this teaching mode—including its vital role in authenticating and evaluating the learning process in an AI-augmented world.

Draft table of contents:

  • Chapter 1: The PBL Philosophy
  • Chapter 2: Designing the Workshops – What We Did and How to Implement This Resource
  • Chapter 3: What Worked – Impact, Engagement, and Student Success
  • Chapter 4: What Didn’t Work – Assumptions, Neurodiversity and Assessment
  • Chapter 5: Looking Ahead – Authentic Learning, Inclusion and genAI
  • Chapter 6: How to Implement These PBL Materials
  • Chapter 7: Content Warnings and Trauma-Informed Facilitation
  • Chapter 8: Join the Project – Help Us Refine and Expand This Work
  • Chapter 9: The Biochemistry PBL Toolkit – Student Materials and Facilitator Guides

Details

Publication date: TBA
Publisher: La Trobe eBureau
ISBN: 978-1-7641666-4-5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26826/1032