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Chemical Equilibrium misconceptions impaired the learning of many biochemicalundergraduate content. It was widely reinforced by chemical education data. On the otherhand there was no data for the consequences in biochemistry learning. OBJECTIVE Weproposed the construction of an Aminoacid Paper Electrophoresis software as a tool forChemical Equilibrium teaching and learning which aims to integrate the representationallevels, being macroscopic, microscopic and symbolic in a way to evidence to student thedynamic character of the equilibrium phenomena. It attenuates misconceptions andreduces impairments on biochemistry learning. Although the simulator is based onclassical biochemistry topic it is designed to deal with chemical equilibrium concepts in thecontext of biochemistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The software is an PaperElectrophoresis Simulator programmed in HTML5 language. It guides the student stepstoward the simulation showing the technique fundamentals and variables allowing tochoose aminoacids in a list, as well as build even tetrapeptides and run even four samplesin a single simulation after what is defined a pH for simulation. The simulation results areshown in a depiction of a paper electrophoresis device (macroscopic) the speciesproportion in the medium based on the Handerson-Hasselbalch formula (symbolic) and thespecies charge change based on the medium pH (microscopic). All activities are guided bya task list based on previous diagnostic on chemical equilibrium misconceptions.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Results were based on observation of students classdiscussion and survey. Many of previously diagnosed misconceptions were attenuated intests of chemical equilibrium falling from a 72% to 35% error average; and a studentssurvey agreed with simulator objectives (90%), ease of use (94%), chemicalrepresentations straightness (82%), simulation results (71%) integration ofrepresentational levels (87%). CONCLUSIONS: Students declared the software usabilityand reduced its misconceptions on chemical equilibrium.

Textbooks are widely used as a teaching tool, and are considered very important in severaleducational environments, from elementary to tertiary education levels. Since the firsttextbook arose in the seventeenth century, printed books are the most popular format oftextbooks published. New technologies developed over years such as paper, ink andprinting hardware. These have made it possible to present printed books in even moreattractive formats. Moreover, digital technologies allowed textbooks to providecomplementary content, such as software, audio and video. Aiming to understand hownew technologies has impacted both textbook presentation and content, we run anexternal representations (ER) content analysis in a textbook chapter and on aneducational software (eBook), both about muscle contraction. The three editions ofBioquimica Basica textbook (1990, 1999 and 2007), written by Anita Marzzoco andBayardo B. Torres and the four versions of Contracao Muscular software developed byEduardo Galembeck et al. were analyzed. The obtained results showed that the textbookhad changes in relation to typography (paper size, kind of paper and colors of printing),and to ERs presented (use of electronic micrograph and 3D models in the 3rd edition andthe exclusion of some images and graphs previously used). Regarding the ContracaoMuscular software, there were several changes in relation to the visual aspect, such asimages and icons, and also code updates to make the software compatible with newtechnologies developed since the first version was released. Although technology hasdriven some updates in both cases, this happened in different aspects includingpossibilities to create a modern layout and cheaper printer services, in the case of thetextbook, and graphic design and software usability, in the case of the eBook. Thuschanging the way information is presented to the users.

The RBEBBM publishes papers on Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education mostly, but not research papers exclusively. The RBEBBM readers are not only interested in research papers but also in any kinds of resources that are useful to improve their classes. In order to fulfill the biochemistry community needs expressed in the 2004 Workshop on Biochemistry Education, that took place at the 2004 SBBq annual meeting, new features were added to the RBEBBM. Started in March 2006, a digital library that publishes several kinds of materials, such as software, images, thesis and monographs, were incorporated to the RBEBBM collection. In its new format, every submitted content is peer reviewed before it is published. Another improvement was the offer of new tools for both authors and users, such as statistics of views and downloads, and interaction tools between authors and users, including a discussion forum exclusive to every resource published and user evaluation. We have obtained an innovative model for digital libraries which includes peer review, user evaluation and communication channels. This model brings users to the development of a more active role when using these tools.

INTRODUCTION: The comprehension of techniques used in Molecular Biology neither always is easy.Therefore, the objective of this work was to apply simulations in Molecular Biology for graduating students of a Pharmacy course froma private educational institution, to allow them to practice the apparent difficult protocols. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three groups of students (50 each) were evaluated. Two of them were submitted to different simulatory activities,such as: a) visiting the virtual laboratory of Utah University (USA) to understand gel electrophoresis and polymerasechain reaction (PCR) techniques, b) extracting DNA from oral mucosa by means of a homemade protocol, c) investigating simulatory paternity tests, d) proposing their own microarrays by painting them on paper and then interpreted the results according to the colors, e) designing primers (small fragments of DNA to PCR) with the free software Primer3 and testing them in silico PCR. The third group of students was only submitted to oral theoretical classes about all these themes. The progress of the understanding was qualitatively evaluated and compared by the analysis of questionnaires. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The groups submitted to the virtual classes were responsive during the development of activities and had a better performance in the examinations than the group that had only theoretical classes, showing better comprehension about the themes. Their greatest difficult was the limitation in the English language to interact with the websites (they often asked about an alternative site in Portuguese). CONCLUSION: The didactical sequence involving exercises in websites by using freeware and recreational activities in classroom with graduating students of Pharmacy proved to be an effective tool in the learning of some of the techniques in Molecular Biology, mainly when a lab and some equipment are not available to perform practical activities