Peer Review

Electron Transport Chain

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Oct 11, 2013 by Biology

Bookmark

Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

This object is part three of a three part series of animations of aerobic cellular respiration. It is a basic animation of pocess of the Electron Transport Chain in cell respiration. It shows all movements of molecules and track and accounts for the products through the process.

Type of Material:

Animation

Recommended Uses:

This object could be used as part of an in-class presentation or out of class assignment/review.

Technical Requirements:

Current internet browser with Shockwave plugin.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

There are no specific learning outcomes stated. However, the following outcomes apply:

Be able to explain electron flow to NADH and FADH2
Be able to explain what a proton gradient is and the movement of hydrogen ions across the mitochondrial membrane produces it.
Be able to explain how ATP is produced via a proton gradient and ATP synthase
Be able to explain the role of oxygen in the process

Target Student Population:

High school (especially AP classes), lower division college.

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Basic familiarity with mitochondria, oxidation/reduction reactions, and an overview of aerobic cellular respiration.

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

Inputs and outputs of the process accurately accounted for
Process broken down into easy to grasp, sequential stages
Molecular structures and enzymes not included for simplicity--easy for user to focus on the basics of the process
All parts of the process labeled correctly

Concerns:

Molecular structures and enzymes not included for simplicity--however, that gives an overly simple view of the process. Understanding that it is complex with multiple steps is important also. Not very engaging, seems flat and passive in the presentation of the images.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

Animations are great ways for students to see the connections between different events in a process. This object does that very well.
The object maintains an accounting of energy inputs and all sources of energy outputs through the process.
Would be effective in a guided explanation. Students can return to animation as needed.
Would be effective as either an initial explanation or a review.

Concerns:

Would be nice to be able to slow down the animation for some students who have trouble grasping the concepts. No questions are provided.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

Student needs to simply click on each stage to view.
Each stage can be viewed repeatedly as needed.
Web page has a very clean appearance that focuses student on the topic.

Concerns:

Buttons are rather simplistic, a scroll bar to allow students to stop at certain steps in the process would be better.

Other Issues and Comments:

Instructors will find this an excellent object for an overview of the process. In conjunction with the other parts it gives a complete overview with enough detail for beginning students. If you are at an upper college level course, it would be a good review but would need to be supplemented for complete understanding of the complexity.

Creative Commons: