Examining Students’ Learning in Connecting to Biochemistry Ideas to Address Socio-Scientific Issues in Virtual Classroom

Abstract

In addressing socio-scientific issues, students must be connected to science ideas and societal concerns. Hence, students should learn biochemistry meaningfully. This study aimed to examine students' learning in a virtual classroom of biochemistry. Eighty undergraduate students participated voluntarily in this survey. Data collected using an essay test and a rubric of addressing socio-scientific were analysed descriptively to classify students' learning in a virtual biochemistry classroom. This study resulted that most students performed rote learning and surface learning, even no learning. In addition, most students were difficult to connect to biochemistry ideas, such as macromolecule symbols and biochemical reactions. The findings implicated that prior knowledge of biochemistry and intensive scaffolding is needed to connect students to science ideas to explain socio-scientific issues.