Unit rationale, description and aim
Foundations of Biochemistry is a key unit for students pursuing a career in nutrition as it provides a solid understanding of the essential principles of biochemistry, including the structure and function of the major macromolecules. This knowledge is essential for understanding the relationship between food, nutrients, and health. The unit builds on the chemical foundations laid down in prerequisite units and covers key topics such as the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds, functional groups, stereochemistry, and reaction mechanisms. Additionally, the unit covers the structure and function of the major organic macromolecules; carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids and their relevance to food science. The aim of Foundations of Biochemistry is to provide students with the theoretical knowledge and technical skills necessary to understand the fundamental principles of biochemistry.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Describe the function of key chemical components o...
Learning Outcome 01
Describe the structure and reactivity of a range o...
Learning Outcome 02
Predict the behaviour of some chemical systems und...
Learning Outcome 03
Understand key concepts related to free energy and...
Learning Outcome 04
Demonstrate competence in the practical skills and...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Organic chemistry, including single and double bonds, straight chains and cyclic compounds, isomerism and the structure and major reactions of biologically important functional groups: alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, amines, amides, esters and ethers.
- The structure and function of biomolecules, including their relevance to food science: amino acids and proteins, monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides, carbohydrates, fatty acids, triglycerides, sphingolipids, glycolipids, steroids,
- Enzyme nomenclature and structure, coenzymes, enzyme action and regulation.
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment Strategy:
Foundations of Biochemistry employs a range of assessment tasks designed to evaluate students' knowledge, understanding, and development of both the theoretical content and technical skills gained throughout the semester. The assessment tasks include regularly scheduled quizzes, a practical assessment and a final exam, all of which aim to encourage students to engage with the content and develop a deep understanding of the theoretical and practical principles of biochemistry.
Assessment Task 1 consists of a series of summative quizzes that will assess content knowledge taught during specified weeks. The use of regular quizzes allows students to assess their progress, beginning early in the unit.
Assessment Task 2, is a practical assessment that will evaluate students on their practical skills and their understanding of techniques and results gathered during the semester.
The final exam (Assessment Task 3) will assess students' knowledge, understanding, and practical skills across the entire semester.
In order to ensure students have achieved each learning outcome, to pass this unit, a student must attain a minimum of 50% in each of the theoretical assessment tasks and the practical exam.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1 - Intra-Semester Quizzes (Summa...
Assessment Task 1 - Intra-Semester Quizzes (Summative)
These quizzes are short tests designed to assess unit content regularly through the semester. Feedback is provided quickly, allowing students to gauge their progress, and to seek assistance if they wish.
30%
Assessment Task 2 - Practical Assessment (Summati...
Assessment Task 2 - Practical Assessment (Summative)
The practical assessment allows students an opportunity to display their understanding of practical chemistry techniques, and report writing skills related to practical classes.
40%
Assessment Task 3 - (2 hrs) Written Examination (...
Assessment Task 3 - (2 hrs) Written Examination (Summative)
The final exam assesses material from all content areas. Having been provided with feedback from the earlier assessments, students are now able to address misunderstandings and conceptual difficulties identified from earlier tasks and show that they have now met the learning objectives.
30%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Foundations of Biochemistry is a blended learning unit that uses a combination of weekly lectures, lecture-chat sessions, tutorials, and practical sessions to facilitate student learning.
The blended learning approach used in Foundations of Biochemistry is based on the principles of student-centred learning and active learning. The pre-recorded lectures provide students with the flexibility to engage with the material at their own pace and convenience, while the live-online lecture chat sessions provide opportunities for interaction and engagement with their lecturers and peers. The weekly tutorials and practical sessions provide students with opportunities to apply their theoretical knowledge and develop problem-solving skills. Additionally, the use of practical sessions provides students with hands-on experience in applying their theoretical knowledge, which is valuable for their future careers. This approach aims to promote deeper learning and understanding of the core concepts of biochemistry, which is essential for students pursuing a career in nutrition.