Adv Physiol Educ ADInstruments
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Advan. Physiol. Edu. 32: 225-230, 2008; doi:10.1152/advan.00050.2007
1043-4046/08 $8.00
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by da Luz, M. R. M. P.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by da Luz, M. R. M. P.
ADV PHYSIOL EDUC 32:225-230, 2008
© 2008 American Physiological Society

HOW WE TEACH

Glucose as the sole metabolic fuel: a study on the possible influence of teachers' knowledge on the establishment of a misconception among Brazilian high school students

Maurício Roberto Motta Pinto da Luz

Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, and Colégio de Aplicação, Setor de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: M. R. M. P. da Luz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Pavilhão Arthur Neiva, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil (e-mail: mauluz{at}ioc.fiocruz.br)

In the present work, I investigated the origin of the misconception that glucose is the sole metabolic fuel previously described among Brazilian high school students. The results of a multiple-choice test composed of 24 questions about a broad range of biology subjects were analyzed. The test was part of a contest and was answered by a sample composed of undergraduate students as well as biologists and practicing biology teachers. The majority of the responders had difficulties in recognizing the existence of gluconeogenesis and the possibility of ATP production using other fuels other than carbohydrates. Biology teachers and biologists seemed to either lack the knowledge or present the misconception regarding energy-yielding metabolism found among students. I argue that in both cases, biology teachers are likely to teach metabolism-related subjects in a manner that may contribute to the appearance of the misconception among high school students.

Key words: metabolism teaching; physiology teaching; biochemistry teaching






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Visit Other APS Journals Online
Copyright © 2008 by the American Physiological Society.