Online learning resources and social media platforms used by medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to medical students' education. It imposed challenges that required rapid adaptation to enforced lockdowns and remote learning and changed curriculum delivery from in-person to online learning and virtual technology. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the trends and ratings of using Internet resources and social media platforms by medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A validated questionnaire was used to explore preferences for Internet resources and social media platforms among undergraduate medical students (years 1, 3, and 5) at King Saud University. The questionnaire comprised three sections- (i) demographic information, (ii) access and use of Internet resources/social media platforms, and (iii) students' ratings and reasons for using technology-enabled learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: A total of 320 undergraduate medical students responded to the online questionnaire. The difference in the number of students using the Internet daily across academic years increased significantly as they progressed in the medical course (p = 0.025). For learning, YouTube and Videoconferencing (e.g. Zoom) were used by 83.1% and 73.4% of students, respectively, followed by WhatsApp 198 (61.9%). For social interaction, WhatsApp, 310 (96.6%); YouTube, 296 (92.8%); Twitter, 288 (90%); and Zoom, 269 (84.1%) were the platforms used by most students. Regarding concerns about the impact of COVID-19 and social isolation, 250 (78.1%) agreed that technology helped them gain a sense of connectedness to their peers. Over half of students, 187 (58.4%) wished that technologies be integrated more often in their courses, as 245 (76.7%) agreed that it helped engage them with classes. CONCLUSION: The study shows that the use of the Internet and social media resources is increasing at all levels to fill the gap in learning and social interaction because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical institutions should embrace the effective use of Internet resources and use the experience gained and lessons learned in guiding educators on what type of online resources should be created to add value to students learning even post-pandemic.

Characterization and reliability of internet resources on pulmonary rehabilitation for individuals with chronic lung disease.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with lung disease commonly use the internet as a source of health information on pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). The objective of this study was to characterize internet resources on PR, and to assess the content, readability, and quality of patient-directed PR resources. METHODS: The first 200 websites for the search term 'pulmonary rehabilitation resources and exercise' were analyzed on Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Website content was assessed based on 30 key components of PR from the 2013 and 2021 international consensus statements. Website quality was determined using DISCERN, JAMA benchmarks, and Global Quality Scale (GQS). RESULTS: 66 unique PR websites were identified with the two most common categories being scientific resources (39%) and foundation/advocacy organizations (33%). The average reading level of websites was 11 ± 3. PR content varied significantly across websites (mean range 13.4-21.5). Median DISCERN total score and GQS score were 4 (IQR 3-4) and 3.5 (IQR 2-4), respectively, representing moderate-good quality. Foundation/advocacy websites had higher DISCERN and GQS scores compared to other websites. CONCLUSION: Foundation/advocacy websites had the highest quality and reliability metrics; however, the higher-than-recommended reading levels may compromise patient comprehension and utilization. This study provides critical insight on the current state of online PR health-related information.

Effect of a Consumer-Focused Website for Low Back Pain on Health Literacy, Treatment Choices, and Clinical Outcomes: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The internet is used for information related to health conditions, including low back pain (LBP), but most LBP websites provide inaccurate information. Few studies have investigated the effectiveness of internet resources in changing health literacy or treatment choices. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the MyBackPain website compared with unguided internet use on health literacy, choice of treatments, and clinical outcomes in people with LBP. METHODS: This was a pragmatic, web-based, participant- and assessor-blinded randomized trial of individuals with LBP stratified by duration. Participants were randomly allocated to have access to the evidence-based MyBackPain website, which was designed with input from consumers and expert consensus or unguided internet use. The coprimary outcomes were two dimensions of the Health Literacy Questionnaire (dimension 2: "having sufficient information to manage my health;" dimension 3: "actively managing my health;" converted to scores 1-100) at 3 months. Secondary outcomes included additional Health Literacy Questionnaire dimensions, quality of treatment choices, and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 453 participants were recruited, and 321 (70.9%) completed the primary outcomes. Access to MyBackPain was not superior to unguided internet use on primary outcomes (dimension 2: mean difference -0.87 units, 95% CI -3.56 to 1.82; dimension 3: mean difference -0.41 units, 95% CI -2.78 to 1.96). Between-group differences in other secondary outcomes had inconsistent directions and were unlikely to be clinically important, although a small improvement of unclear importance in the quality of stated treatment choices at 1 month was found (mean difference 0.93 units, 95% CI 0.03 to 1.84). CONCLUSIONS: MyBackPain was not superior to unguided internet use for health literacy, but data suggest some short-term improvement in treatment choices. Future research should investigate if greater interactivity and engagement with the website may enhance its impact. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12617001292369; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=372926. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027516.

Emotional stress and reproduction: what do fertility patients believe?

PURPOSE: To better understand the beliefs about a causal role of emotional stress maintained by women seeking fertility care. METHODS: A cross-sectional, self-administered survey was distributed to fertility care patients at an academic fertility center in Illinois. Of 5000 consecutive patients, 1460 completed the survey and were included in the study sample. RESULTS: Members of our sample (N = 1460) were between 20 and 58 years (mean = 36.2, SD = 4.4). Most respondents were White (72.2%), were in a heterosexual relationship (86.8%), and felt that their physician understood their cultural background (79.4%). Of the sample, 28.9% believed emotional stress could cause infertility, 69.0% believed emotional stress could reduce success with fertility treatment, and 31.3% believed that emotional stress could cause a miscarriage, with evidence of significant racial differences. Less than a quarter (23.8%) of the sample believed emotional stress had no impact on fertility. Lower household income and educational attainment were associated with a greater belief in emotional stress as a causative factor in reproduction with regard to infertility, fertility treatment, and miscarriage. CONCLUSION: The majority of women seeking fertility care believe emotional stress could reduce the success of fertility treatment. Furthermore, beliefs about emotional stress and reproduction significantly differ based on race/ethnicity, income, and education. Particular attention should be paid to specific groups of women who may more likely not be aware of the lack of a proven biological relationship between emotional stress and reproduction.

Online Information for Treatment for Low-Risk Thyroid Cancer: Assessment of Timeliness, Content, Quality, and Readability.

The Internet is a key source of health information, yet little is known about resources for low-risk thyroid cancer treatment. We examined the timeliness, content, quality, readability, and reference to the 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines in websites about thyroid cancer treatment. We identified the top 60 websites using Google, Bing, and Yahoo for "thyroid cancer." Timeliness and content analysis identified updates in the ATA guidelines (n = 6) and engaged a group of stakeholders to develop essential items (n = 29) for making treatment decisions. Website quality and readability analysis used 4 validated measures: DISCERN; Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria; Health on the Net Foundation certification (HONcode); and the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) method. Of the 60 websites, 22 were unique and investigated. Content analysis revealed zero websites contained all updates from the ATA guidelines and rarely (18.2%) referenced them. Only 31.8% discussed all 3 treatment options: total thyroidectomy, lobectomy, and active surveillance. Websites discussed 28.2% of the 29 essential items for making treatment decisions. Quality analysis with DISCERN showed "fair" scores overall. Only 29.9% of the JAMA benchmarks were satisfied, and 40.9% were HONcode certified. Readability analysis with the SAM method found adequate readability, yet 90.9% scored unsuitable in literacy demand. The overall timeliness, content, quality, and readability of websites about low-risk thyroid cancer treatment is fair and needs improvement. Most websites lack updates from the 2015 ATA guidelines and information about treatment options that are necessary to make informed decisions.

Assessing the availability and quality of Spanish-language genetic resources for patients on the internet.

In recent years, people increasingly are accessing health information on the Internet. A significant percentage of the United States (US) population has limited English proficiency with Spanish being the most common other language spoken. There is limited research on the presence or quality of Spanish-language health information, particularly in genetics, on the Internet overall. Therefore, we aimed to assess the availability and quality of patient-specific education resources in Spanish available on US-based support group websites for a wide range of genetic conditions. We assessed 630 websites through the Disease InfoSearch website (www.diseaseinfosearch.org), created by Genetic Alliance, for the presence of Spanish genetic resources for patients with a new diagnosis of a genetic condition. Of these, 261 (41.4%) websites met study criteria for further evaluation. Of the 99 websites (37.9%) that had any Spanish content, 45 Spanish resources and a paired English resource from the same site met criteria for a quality assessment. Scoring was performed by two independent raters using Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP), a previously validated tool to assess the quality of written health information. The mean scores for Spanish and English resources were 57.3% and 58.4%, respectively, corresponding to a good quality score according to guidelines proposed by authors of EQIP. An independent two-sample t test showed no significant difference in the mean quality scores between Spanish and English resources (p-value = .506). Overall, we found limited availability of Spanish resources on the websites analyzed, but of those identified, there was no difference between the quality of Spanish resources and the paired English resources from the same site. These results highlight the need for genetics professionals to advocate for the creation of more Spanish patient resources. However, genetics professionals can have some reassurance that if a support group does produce a Spanish resource, it likely has comparable quality to its English equivalent.

Is Wikipedia a complete and accurate source for musculoskeletal anatomy?

PURPOSE: Wikipedia is a popular online encyclopedia generating over 5.4 billion visits per month, and it is also a common resource for the general public and professionals for medical information. The goal of this study is to determine the accuracy and completeness of Wikipedia as a resource for musculoskeletal anatomy. METHODS: The origin, insertion, innervation, and function of all muscles of the upper and lower extremities as detailed on Wikipedia was compared to the available corresponding information in Grant's Atlas of Anatomy (14th edition). Entries were scored for both accuracy and completeness. Descriptive statistics were calculated and associations between and within entries for accuracy and completeness were assessed by McNemar's tests. Information on Wikipedia's references was also collected. RESULTS: Overall, data on Wikipedia was 97.6% complete and 98.8% accurate when compared to Grant's Atlas of Anatomy. 78.6% of all entries were fully complete and accurate, with 15.3% of entries containing one error and 6.1% containing two errors. There were no associations between or within entries' accuracy and completeness. Only 62% of references from Wikipedia included were from academic sources. CONCLUSIONS: Musculoskeletal anatomy entries on Wikipedia are imperfect; they have inaccurate and missing information. Furthermore, a considerable proportion of references cited in entries are from poorly identified sources. While Wikipedia is an easily accessible resource for a large number of people and much of the anatomic information is appropriate, it cannot be considered to be an equivalent resource when compared to anatomic texts.

Intimate partner violence among female service members and veterans: information and resources available through military and non-military websites.

With the expansion of women's roles in the military, the number of female service members and veterans has increased. Considerable knowledge about intimate partner violence (IPV) in civilian couples exists but little is known about IPV among female service members and veterans. Prevalence rates of IPV range from 17% to 39% for female service members, and 21.9% to 74% for veterans. Most service members and veterans indicated using the Internet at least occasionally and expressed willingness to seek information about services via the Internet. Informed by data, we conducted a systematic review of military (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps) and non-military (Veterans Affairs and Google) websites to explore the availability and presentation of information and resources related to IPV. The websites search revealed a variety of resources and information available, and important differences between sites with regard to what and how information is presented. Implications for practice and further research are discussed.

Online resources as a source of information for exercise and physical activity in solid organ transplant recipients.

Introduction: Exercise training post-transplant has been shown to improve physical function and quality of life in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Online resources in the form of websites and videos are commonly used to provide education and instruction on exercise and physical activity in SOT; however, the content and quality of these online resources has not been evaluated. Methods: The first 200 websites and videos identified on Google and YouTube using the English search term "exercise and physical activity in solid organ transplantation" were analyzed. Website and video content was evaluated based on 25 key components of exercise and physical activity in SOT as described in established exercise program recommendations. Website and video quality was determined using DISCERN, Global Quality Scale (GQS), and Patient Education Materials and Assessment Tool (PEMAT; threshold for which material is deemed understandable or actionable is >70%). Parametric and non-parametric tests were used to assess website and video characteristics, content, and quality metrics. Results: Forty-nine unique SOT websites (n = 15) and videos (n = 34) were identified, with the two most common categories being foundation/advocacy organizations and scientific resources. The average reading grade level of websites was 13 ± 3. Website and video content scores varied significantly (websites 11.3 ± 6.4; videos 8.4 ± 5.3). DISCERN total score and GQS score were low (median range for DISCERN 2.5-3.0; median for GQS 2.0 for both websites and videos, out of 5). PEMAT understandability and actionability scores were also low across websites and videos (mean range 57%-67% and 47%-65%, respectively). Foundation/advocacy websites had higher content and quality scores compared to scientific organizations and news/media articles. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive assessment of online content and quality of website and video resources on physical activity and exercise in adult SOT recipients. There were a limited number of online English patient-directed resources related to physical activity in SOT, most of which only partly captured items outlined in consensus exercise program recommendations and were of low quality and understandability and actionability. This work provides important insight to the English-speaking transplant community on the current state of online exercise health information and provides future direction for resource development.

Internet-based sexual health resources for those living with spinal cord injury: A content analysis.

CONTEXT: Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) disrupt physiological functioning which can significantly impact sexuality. Those with SCI may rely heavily on Internet sexual health resources for many reasons. Evaluation of current internet health resources is warranted to identify the gaps in the literature. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to conduct a purposive review of available Internet sexual health resources for those with SCI. METHODS: A Google search was completed with search terms such as: "SCI and sexual functioning", "SCI and sexuality", "SCI and pregnancy" and "SCI and sexual pleasure". Resources were selected if they: (1) provided sexual health education to those with SCI; (2) were designed to increase skills-based learning or influence attitudes and beliefs; and (3) in English language. All identified resources were imported to NVivo 1.5.1 where a thematic content analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The search resulted in 123 resources meeting the criteria. The most common themes included: Sexual functioning (in 83.7% of resources), Reproductive health (67.5%) and Impact of Secondary Complications (61.8%). The least common themes were Psychosocial (24.4%), Stigma (13.8%), and Quality of Life (12.2%). No information was coded for LGBTQ+. DISCUSSION: Sexual health and SCI information focuses primarily on heterosexual males and specifically on sexual functioning. Resources addressing female sexuality were extremely limited and focused largely on reproduction. There was a complete absence of resource aimed to address LGBTQ+ people. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate a need for Internet-based sexual health education resources to meet the needs of diverse individuals including women and gender non-conforming people.

Internet searches conducted by people who stutter: association with speech-language therapy and severity of stuttering.

Stuttering is a fluency disorder that is multidimensional because it involves more than speech difficulties. People who stutter can use the Internet to find out more about their condition and connect with other people in the same position, yet in Croatia, there are not nearly as many online sources on stuttering or as many possibilities to connect with other people who stutter as in the USA or Great Britain. If one does not speak English well, a lot of information about stuttering will simply be denied to them, especially to those who have never received speech therapy. The present study, the first of its kind in Croatia, was conducted in order to understand how often and for what reasons people who stutter search for Internet resources related to their condition. The study also assessed whether Internet use depended on age, experience with speech-language therapy, self-reported satisfaction with such therapy, and self-assessed severity of stuttering. An online questionnaire integrating the 9-Point Stuttering Severity Scale was developed for this study and administered to 51 individuals aged 18 years and older in Croatia. All collected data and findings on the internet searches come from the questionnaire. Age did not significantly affect the frequency or purpose of Internet searches. Individuals who were not attending speech therapy were more likely to search online sources about stuttering than those who received it before. People who rated their stuttering as severe were more likely to search online sources for stuttering than those who rated their condition as mild. These results suggest that there is a need for more useful, high-quality online content and materials in Croatian for people who stutter. Such resources would offer people who stutter a new world of support, mutual understanding, shared experiences and knowledge, and ways for them to help themselves.

A digital module-based experiential learning in protein biochemistry during the COVID-19 pandemic paradigm.

Experiential learning is compromised in meeting the educational demands of our students during the challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic. A more inclusive, flexible, and objective-oriented experiential learning environment is required. In this context, module-based experiential learning that is executable on a digital platform was designed. The learning module focused on protein biochemistry, contained a combination of asynchronous and synchronous activities categorized into 'Knowledge Hub' and 'Lab-based Movie', across 5 weeks. Digital and module-based experiential learning provides equitable, inclusive, and flexible access to students at remote locations. Furthermore, it is an objective-oriented and highly organized experiential learning framework that encourages students to engage and participate more in the learning process.

Using memes to promote student engagement and classroom community during remote learning.

As colleges moved to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, many instructors found it difficult to maintain student engagement and classroom community in the virtual environment. We developed a semester-long activity for a molecular biology research methodology course where students created, and shared original memes related to course content with peers through group chat. Surveys and semi-structured interviews revealed that the exercise was effective in promoting student engagement, a sense of community, and relieving stress.

Effects of information sources on public preventive behaviors in health emergencies: Evidence from a digital epidemiologic study during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: It has been approved that information sources would affect public behaviors. However, due to the outbreak of COVID-19, this influence was enhanced and showed a distinctive pattern among different populations, which has been less noticed before. We aimed to investigate the potential roles of different information sources in COVID-19 preventive behaviors of different publics. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey with 11,190 participants from 33 province-level regions in China was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 preventive behaviors, and information sources for COVID-19-related information were assessed. A mixed linear model was used to analyze risk factors of COVID-19 preventive behaviors. The effects of different information sources on COVID-19 prevention behaviors of different publics were analyzed. Results: Generally, the Chinese public had good COVID-19 preventive behaviors, and the top three COVID-19 preventive behaviors with the higher action rate were avoiding eat bushmeat (76.1%), a healthy diet (74.8%), and avoiding contact with people with symptoms of respiratory diseases (73.0%). About information sources, 12320 telephone (National Public Health Hotline) (-0.62, 95% CI: -0.94 to -0.31) and acquaintances consulting (-1.00, 95% CI: -1.31 to -0.69) were negatively associated with COVID-19 preventive behaviors, while internet resources, family doctors, hospitals, and community health centers were positively associated with COVID-19 preventive behaviors (1.00 vs. 0.47 vs. 0.46 vs. 0.33, P < 0.05). For older adults, accessing to COVID-19-related information through family doctors and community health centers were positively associated with COVID-19 preventive behaviors. For the non-educated, family doctors and community health centers had positive effects on their COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Family doctors and internet resources were positively associated with COVID-19 preventive behaviors among those earning 5,000 yuans and above. The effects of family doctors, hospitals, and internet resources were higher for COVID-19 preventive behaviors of urban publics than for rural publics. Finally, the effect of internet resources on COVID-19 preventive behaviors of females was lower than males. Conclusions: Obtaining COVID-19-related information through internet resources had the most significant effect on COVID-19 preventive behaviors, but was not significant among publics with old age, low education, low income, and living in rural area.

Utilization of Internet Resources by Surgeons for Continuous Professional Development in the Era of Prevailing COVID-19 Pandemic: Trends and Obstacles.

Background: To investigate the use of internet resources by surgeons for continuing professional development (CPD). Results: This cross-sectional study was carried out between July 1, 2021, to October 31, 2021, at the Department of Medicine, Health Sciences University Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, with participants from nine surgical specialties: General surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedics, urology, plastic surgery, ear-nose-throat surgery, cardiovascular surgery, ophthalmology, and anesthesiology. All study participants were asked to complete a questionnaire comprising 23 questions regarding their age, duration of work experience, appointment status, venue, and time spent on internet resources and preferred online resources for CPD purposes. In addition, participants were divided into two groups according to their appointment status: academic faculty and staff surgeons. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 17.0. The target population consisted of 216 specialists. The survey was completed by 204 (94.4%) surgical specialists. The majority of the specialists (n = 137, 67.2%) reported using the internet for work-related purposes every day. Daily time spent on internet resources was reported to be 30-60 min by 39.2% (n = 80) participants, whereas 52 (25.5%) reported spending less than 30 min. The participants wished to spend more time on internet resources. The majority of surgeons found the hospital and home equally effective in using the internet and preferred to engage alone. The mean age, English language level, usage of online resources, and the attitude score toward the perceived credibility and usefulness of e-resources were significantly higher in the academic faculty group than staff surgeons (p < 0.005). On the other hand, the use of Google/Google scholar was similar between the two groups (p = 0.192). Technical difficulties such as slow internet, need for website registration, and article fees were considered drawbacks for internet resources among all the participants. Conclusions: This study showed that most surgeons use internet resources daily for CPD and stated they would like to engage longer despite technical difficulties. Institutions should address these technical difficulties.

Benefits and challenges in the implementation of virtual laboratory simulations (vLABs) for medical biochemistry in Indonesia.

The pandemic caused major shifts in the delivery of education worldwide. In the teaching of medical biochemistry, the greatest impact was towards the delivery of traditional laboratory simulations. In this study, we highlight the benefits and barriers encountered in the use of virtual laboratories (vLABs) to substitute traditional laboratory practicals. The subjects were a class of 271 medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, all freshman undergoing the Biomedicine Block. The study assessed the use of a commercial vLAB on antibodies and blood typing procedures, which were implemented using our four-step model of vLAB implementation. Collected data include the lecturer-assigned pre- and post-test result, built-in vLAB assessment result of the student first and best attempts, a student perception questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale, and an open ended questionnaire regarding student perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of the vLAB. We observed a remarkable increase of lecturer assigned pre- and post-test scores and built-in first and best attempt scores (p < 0.0001, Wilcoxon signed rank test). A majority of students reported increased motivation when using the vLABs, and favored the ability of mastery through repetition. However, technical and language barriers were highlighted by students during the vLAB implementation. We demonstrate a successful implementation of commercial vLABs in a cohort of non-native English speakers using our four-step approach. Implementation requires strong support from faculty to address technical and language barriers that arise during use of vLABs.

Do internet resources align with exercise training and physical activity guidelines for people with multiple sclerosis?

BACKGROUND: Exercise training and lifestyle physical activity have been identified as evidence-based approaches for improving symptoms and quality of life among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Such evidence supported the development of physical activity guidelines (PAGs) for people with MS. The goal of such guidelines involved broad dissemination and uptake, as there is substantial evidence for low rates of participation in exercise training and physical activity in this population. OBJECTIVE: The current study evaluated the quality and consistency of information on webpages for physical activity against the established PAGs for people with MS. METHOD: The search was conducted in September 2020 using the Google search engine for webpages containing physical activity information for people with MS. We evaluated the webpages with a list of 18 guidelines for adults with MS based on recommendations from three resources. RESULTS: The search yielded 157 webpages, of which 27 met the inclusion criteria. On average, webpages accurately addressed only 5 of the 18 guidelines. The most commonly addressed guidelines involved MS-specific symptom identification (n = 26), and example modalities for aerobic (n = 20) and strength (n = 16) training. CONCLUSION: Many online recourses regarding physical activity and exercise training for MS were either inconsistent with the established PAGs or did not address the guidelines.

SARS-CoV-2 virtual biochemistry labs on bioinformatics and drug design.

Colleges and universities are learning to provide relevant virtual lab experiences for students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even schools attempting in-person instruction often need to utilize virtual experiences for students absent due to quarantine or illness. Much of biochemistry is amenable to molecular visualization and/or computational study; however, many faculty face learning how to utilize new computational and molecular visualization software. We present a set of virtual lab exercises with detailed instructions to engage students in the discovery of novel antiviral compounds against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease.

Using online simulations to teach biochemistry laboratory content during COVID-19.

At the University of South Australia (UniSA), Biochemistry is a second year undergraduate course. The student cohort is diverse, with students enrolled in courses with a laboratory focus, such as Laboratory Medicine, Medical Science, Nutrition and Food Science and Pharmaceutical Science. The course is taught in a traditional manner, with weekly lectures, fortnightly tutorials and three practical sessions. In response to the growing numbers of COVID-19 cases, in mid-March the University leadership moved to cease face-to-face teaching. By this time, 58 of 96 students had completed the first two (of three) face-to-face laboratory practicals. In response to this decision, teaching of all practical based content was moved online for all students. The first question was, how do we teach practical content online? And secondly, how do we teach hands-on skills? The first question was addressed using a suite of online simulations, progressively developed since 2013. Simulations are widely used and shown to be useful as teaching aids in STEM. A total of five simulations were introduced each covering key aspects of laboratory practice, including fundamental mathematical skills, reading, and setting a pipette, basic Biochemistry assays, protein quantification, and enzyme kinetics. The second issue of teaching hands on skills was addressed once restrictions were eased. Students were invited to attend the laboratory to learn the kinesthetic skills with instructor guidance. Both approaches used proved to be highly effective and can be readily adapted not only to teaching Biochemistry, but any aspect of science education.

Developing and applying computational resources for biochemistry education.

Biochemistry is about structure and function, but it is also about data and this is where computers come in. From my time as a graduate student and post doc, whenever I encountered data I thought, "I can work this up by hand, but I think a computer could do a better job." Since that time, I have been working at the interface of biochemistry and computers, by attracting talented students and collaborating with colleagues with complementary skills. This has resulted in several exciting projects: a simulation of 2D electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry, the human visualization project, and two different programs that enable biochemists to search protein structures for enzyme active sites: ProMOL (promol.org) and Moltimate (moltimate.appspot.com). The human side of software development for education involved finding the right students and colleagues, communicating effectively across disciplines, building and managing effective teams and the importance of serendipity throughout the process.