Abstract:

The European Convergence has promoted an innovation in the traditional style and tools used in the learning process. With the aim of optimizing the teaching-learning process and get that the students reach an adequate competence level, the use of a multiple approach methodology is of great value.
This work is an academic research project approved in the 2013 Call for the Project named ‘Innovation and Quality Improvement Teaching Project’ (PIMCD) of the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM). The project is being developed in the Pharmacy Faculty at UCM and is applicable and transferable to other Health Sciences degrees.
This project consists of three stages: 1) Development of a laboratory class based on the experimental study of the temperature effect on the membrane cellular integrity of the beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.). The response variable is the absorbance of the betacyanin, which is the red pigment present in the leachates obtained at different incubation temperatures. A study of the kinetic release of betacyanin was performed with thermally pretreated samples. 2) Development of a calibration curve using the commercial pigment, in order to transform the absorbance values into pigment concentrations. 3) A regression analysis will be applied to experimental calibration results. The fitted model will be used to simulate situations with different percentages of random errors. These results will be used as a teaching tool that facilitates and encourages students’ self-learning.

Our project will show the students the influence of experimental errors in the discussion of the results and, consequently, in the conclusions. Learning the importance of a good experimental work in the early stages of the Degree is expected to be the most beneficial aspect of this project. This innovative approach has a great importance because Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) are taught in the higher courses when students have already acquired poor laboratory work habits. Moreover, these GLP subjects are taught exclusively in a theoretical manner, making it difficult for students to understand its importance. Another benefit of this work is the multidisciplinary approach that will help the student to interrelate the knowledge acquired in different subjects.
The project is applicable and transferable to other teaching multidisciplinary teams that study functional relationships between the response and the effect of a certain variable, in both chemical and biological systems. Different academic areas such as pharmacy, chemistry, biochemistry, medicine, etc., include laboratory classes that can be performed using the multiple approach methodology as release of active molecules, enzymatic kinetics, biotransformation reactions, cell growth, emulsion stability, transport of molecules through cell membranes, among others.

Keywords:

Multiple approach methodology, academic research project.