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Peer Review

Interactive Case Study for The Search for a Mutated Gene

Reviewed:

Jan 11, 2025 by Biology
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
Content Quality: 4.5 stars
Effectiveness: 4.5 stars
Ease of Use: 4.5 stars
Overview:

This video case study explores the approaches scientists used to identify a mutation that causes retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a progressive disease that leads to blindness. Users are required to interact with the material by answering some thought-provoking questions in order to progress through the tutorial. This  content rich material available on the website provides informational, sequential and conceptual material to understand concept of molecular biology, mutation and genetic disorders.

Type of Material:

This material can be considered as an Animation or Video.  Additionally, the material can be classified as follows:

  • Teaching material - text, with associated images and video.
  • Learning material- case study, notes making and discussion with students as they read through text.
  • Assessment - short essay type questions for in classroom assessment and pre-class assignment for one-word story assessment.
Recommended Uses:

This site can be used individually or as a class assignment, specifically this research can be used for:

  • Homework - Students can read the text and watch the video to create notes and participate in stump-your partner activity.
  • Team work- Project Based Learning to explore the connections between gene, mutation and  genetic disorder by working in a group to identify new genetic disorders and do backward genetics.
Technical Requirements:

This site requires connection to the Internet and a browser such a Google or Firefox.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

Users of this resource will be able to:

  • Formulate a hypothesis to explain how a mutation in a gene would affect the function of a cell and an organism.
  • Describe the possible steps involved in identifying a disease-causing gene mutation in a patient.
  • Predict how replacing a mutated gene with a functioning copy of that gene will affect the phenotype of a cell and/or organism.
  • Explain how the identification of disease-causing mutations can be used to develop medical treatments.
Target Student Population:

The target population includes College General Ed, College Lower Division, College Upper Division, Graduate School, and Professional students.

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Students with some familiarity of basic biology and genetic vocabulary will benefit from this site. 

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:

  • Rich in content and context of molecular biology, cell biology and genetics
  • Conceptual flow of concept and content to understand the central dogma of molecular biology
  • Current and relevant, and support the learning preferences of anyone attuned to social media
  • The information is accurate and provides a good basic background about the material
  • The resource is informed by scholarship
  • Provides opportunity for users to think critically about the material
  • Interactivity keeps users interested in the material
  • Narrations by experts add credibility to material
Concerns:

  • Some multiple choice questions could should be added to provide a re-assessment of previous knowledge

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:

  • Information on various aspects of  genetics is provided with text, image and videos - which can be used for case studies
  • The short essay type of questions are really good for in-classroom discussions and in-formal assessment
  • Can be accessed from remote locations - download and save in an asynchronous setting 
  • Narrations help users focus on key concepts
  • Identifies learning objectives
  • Demonstrates relationships between concepts
  • Interactive questions are provided and keep learners engaged
  • Material promotes conceptual understanding
Concerns:

  • A few recent research articles should be integrated for purpose of discussion and assessment comparing various types of genetic disorders and its treatment by gene therapy

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:

  • Can be accessed with any standard Internet browser
  • The material is easy to use, and the links are working
  • Links to interactive questions open seamlessly
  • Pleasing layout of the pages, visually appealing
  • Information is easy to understand
  • The information is presented in a well-organized fashion
  • Can be used at universities and research institution
  • User friendly for all ages
  • Detailed, clear and sequential information
  • The essay questions are unique way to engage students in groups, during & end of lecture followed by gallery walk
Concerns:

  • This site has both text and visual aids which are good for learning by reading and visualizing however along with video, although some research articles for integration of IMRAD and CRAP tool would also be useful
Other Issues and Comments:

This resource can supplement review materials in Genetics, A&P, and General Biology courses.

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