COMPUTER-BASED EXERCISES TO SUPPLEMENT THE TEACHING OF STEREOCHEMICALASPECTS OF DRUG-ACTION

The development of innovative strategies to teach key stereochemical c oncepts has been an ongoing, evolutionary process at our University. I nitially, the ALCHEMY molecular modeling program was used to give demo nstrations within the lecture hall setting. While successful, these de monstrations did not allow student active learning. Thus, a more inter active approach was sought. To this end, a tutorial manual composed of five self-paced, computer exercises was developed. These exercises al so utilize the ALCHEMY molecular modeling program and have been used f or the past two years. Students work in small groups and complete thes e exercises in Duquesne University's School of Pharmacy Computer Labor atory under the supervision of a teaching assistant or the course inst ructor. The success of this method was assessed using student evaluati ons and examination questions. Overall, this teaching method has been well received and appears to increase the students' understanding of s tereochemical concepts as they relate to drug action.