Abstract:

The younger generation, particularly those born in the late 20th and early 21st centuries known as "Generation Z," are deeply integrated with technologies in their daily lives. It is essential to contemplate their requirements, learning patterns, the significance of technologies, and the pedagogical approaches to embrace.

Following the widespread lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, numerous students and educators encountered fresh obstacles as they gradually returned to in-person educational contexts. Despite the pandemic-induced limitations, this presents a chance to transition toward an inventive and transformative educational paradigm for the future. This evolution should be cautious to avoid reverting to the unfavorable aspects of past educational methodologies. Throughout the lockdown period, during which emergency remote teaching (ERT) was implemented, educators participating in this study encountered the necessity to modify activities and teaching materials for remote teaching. This encompassed fostering asynchronous tasks and activities that could be independently undertaken by students.

Educational technology offers numerous advantages, including enhanced student performance and increased motivation. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) represent tools that hold the potential to revolutionize the teaching of Biochemistry and subsequently enhance students' learning experiences. Recognizing these advantages, one of the authors of this study made the decision to adapt and incorporate certain elements of the materials and activities originally designed for Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) into their in-person lecture courses following the lockdown period. Specifically, this adaptation involved the integration of video content for knowledge dissemination and the implementation of an active learning approach. In this approach, students utilize their personal mobile phones or laptops to conduct research and participate in mini-assessment evaluations.

To assess the student perspective on these alterations, a quantitative survey was implemented. The respondents of the study consisted of undergraduates attending a Portuguese higher education establishment, specifically enrolled in the Metabolic Biochemistry and Biochemistry I courses. These courses are part of the 2nd year, 1st semester curriculum for Marine Biology and Biotechnology as well as Biotechnology degree programs. The instructional methodology employed by the educator and the corresponding activities introduced had the effect of rendering the learning process more engaging and fostering a more favorable outlook towards the subject of Biochemistry.

Keywords:

Digital technologies, ICTs, higher education, generation Z.