Didactic Strategy Based on Molecular Modeling Tools for Teaching About the Chemistry Present in Food

Abstract

Many students struggle to understand chemistry due to the complexity of the content and abstract concepts. Teachers’ mediation based on technological, pedagogical, content knowledge (TPACK) and the contextualization of the content with everyday life may help in this process. In this study, molecular modeling was used as a tool to help teach chemistry integrated with biology. An observational, qualitative and quantitative study was conducted with 136 high school students and 167 undergraduate students. We carried out a mini course named “Is there chemistry in food” and some of the examples approached were water, sodium chloride, sucrose, lactose, oleic acid, collagen, capsaicin receptor and others. An increase in correct answers was observed by comparing the answers after the two-hour mini-course and the correct answers before the activity, reaching 46.30% in some questions. When asked about the efficiency of the method, most of the students answered positively and detached the contributions to learning, the innovative, fun, interactive or dynamic character, the visualization of the molecules, and the practice itself. Thus, molecular modeling tools can be an interesting strategy to be explored in chemistry and biology classes, especially in high school.