Peer Review

Transcription Factor

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Aug 12, 2022 by Biology

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

This is a short, narrated animation describing how transcription factors work. Transcription factors regulate gene expression by activating or repressing transcription by RNA polymerase.

Type of Material:

Animation, tutorial

Recommended Uses:

in class or as a study tool out of class

Technical Requirements:

Google Chrome or another web browser, speakers required to hear video

Identify Major Learning Goals:

To understand the basic definition of a transcription factor
To understand the role of transcription factors in turning genes on or off
To understand the basic mechanism through which transcription factors find and alter gene expression, including the role of RNA polymerase

Target Student Population:

High School, College General Ed

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Students will need basic computer navigational skills. Speakers are required to hear the video’s audio component. Otherwise, the interface is very user-friendly. Students will also benefit from a prerequisite knowledge of the Central Dogma and the overall process/purpose of transcription.

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

Animation is easy to follow
Animations and simulations are accurate and straightforward
At the time of this review, the resource is current and relevant
Quality of graphics is very good
The vocabulary is not overwhelming especially for beginners

Concerns:

Video does not specifically describe transcription or the central dogma, which are important contextual components.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

The animation and narration makes learning more fun
Can be used as a springboard for writing assignments
The information builds on prior concepts
Material promotes conceptual understanding
The resource provides an option for downloading a pdf that can be enlarged and adopted for poster presentation

Concerns:

Learning objectives are not specifically addressed.
Students need an understanding of the central dogma and the process of transcription, but these prerequisite are not stated.
Assessment of learning outcomes not included.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

Video is easy to play and easy to download
A transcript is available and engaging (with a feature to underline which part of the transcript the video is on)
The video is visually appealing and of good design.

Concerns:

The material lacks interactivity.

Other Issues and Comments:

This resources (https://explorebiology.org/bio-dictionary/transcription-factor) is just one entry in a much larger dictionary website (https://explorebiology.org/bio-dictionary/). The URL for the dictionary as a whole has been submitted to MERLOT.

Creative Commons: