Case
It!: Enhancing Case-Based Learning in Biology Education
through Computer Simulation and Internet Conferencing
by
Mark Bergland, Karen Klyczek, Kim Mogen, and Douglas Johnson,
Department of Biology, Mary Lundeberg, Department of Teacher
Education, and Marlys Nelson, Information Technology Services,
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
As
a National Science Foundation-sponsored project, Case
It! seeks to enhance case-based learning in high school
and university biology courses through the use of molecular
biology computer simulations and Internet conferencing.
Students play two roles: first, as laboratory technicians
analyzing DNA sequences associated with particular cases,
and then as genetics counselors and family members discussing
the results of genetic testing. The simulated scenarios
place emphasis on ethical issues connected with the various
cases. (May 2001)
BioLEARN:
Wisconsin's Science Teachers Share Curriculum Ideas and
Professional Development
by Jennifer Smith, TTT Editor
Since
its launch in 1999, the BioLEARN project has linked Wisconsin
life science teachers and their disciplinary colleagues
in the UW System. The goals of the project are dual: the
creation of a website with proven middle school and high
school classroom activities in biology, and the professional
development of the secondary education teachers who participate.
Read about the development of the project, BioLEARN's
accomplishments so far, and where it's headed next. (March
2001)
Student
Publishing of Biology on the Internet
Professor Mark Bergland
Department of of Biology, UW-River Falls
ABSTRACT
Professor Bergland uses the Web in a variety of ways in
his classes. In his Freshman Colloquium, an orientation
course for majors, Bergland teaches the students techniques
necessary for Web page construction. Students then construct
home pages and publish papers on the Web. Similarly, in
Bergland's Ornithology and Wildlife Biology classes, students
publish projects on the Web. Bergland has also authored
software for students in Introductory Biology and Molecular
Biology to use to run simulated DNA electrophoresis gels.
This project is supported by the National Science Foundation
(Course and Curriculum Development).
Paul
Boyer and Computer-assisted Courseware
Professor Paul Boyer
Department of Biology, UW-Parkside
ABSTRACT
(with no article)
Professor Boyer uses computer-assisted learning technologies
and Internet resources in his biology courses. He currently
is developing computer-assisted, problem-based learning
courseware modules for the biology course "Nature
of Life" that will completely replace the current
lecture-based delivery of the course. You can reach
Professor Boyer at boyer@cs.uwp.edu
Hypermedia
Class Presentations
Professor Bob Morden
Department of Biology, UW-Superior
ABSTRACT
(with no article)
Professor Morden is using hypermedia in his class presentations.
Each concept is taught by a stack of screens which contain
graphic material, sound, animation, and other multimedia.
The book he has written has also been converted to a multimedia
presentation format for individual student use. Information
on the Internet is included in these multimedia presentations.
You can reach Professor Morden at: rmorden@staff.uwsupser.edu
PowerPoint
and Animations with Complex Lecture Material
Professor Millard Susman
Department of Genetics, UW-Madison
ABSTRACT
(with no article)
Dr. Susman uses PowerPoint for all of his lectures, which
enables him to present complex processes in an orderly
way--for example, building one layer at a time onto a
multi-step experimental protocol. He has also been making
use of animations to illustrate dynamic processes by either
borrowing good animations from others or making his own.
Animations he has created include a long, complex animation
of protein synthesis and mini-animations of crossing over
at the molecular level (the Holliday model), of ribosome
translocation, and of F-factor integration into the bacterial
chromosome. More information on the Protein Synthesis
Cartoon is located at http://www.wisc.edu/genetics/CATG/susman/cartoon.html
This year Susman has also recommended to his Biology Core
Curriculum students that they buy "Electronic Companion
to Genetics," a CD-ROM learning aid for genetics
students.
Susman's home page is located at http://www.wisc.edu/genetics/CATG/susman/index.html
You can reach Dr. Susman at msusman@facstaff.wisc.edu
Science
and Technology Course via Distance Education to High School
Students
Professor Lance Urven
Department of Biology, UW-Whitewater
ABSTRACT
(with no article)
Professor Urven and John Bak, a Chemistry professor at
UW-Whitewater, are transferring an introductory college
science and technology literacy course called "Science
and Technology in Society" to a distance education/WWW
format for advanced high school students. Later, they
plan to offer the class for wider distribution via the
WWW. The course content includes values of science, distinctions
between science and technology, the origins and historical
development of science and technology, philosophical assumptions
of science and other ways of knowing the world, pseudo-science,
experimental design, data analysis, scientific communication,
critical analysis of scientific and technical information
in the mass media, a sociological model of science and
technology, risk/benefit analysis, ethical use of technology,
and technology case studies that vary from semester to
semester. Multilateral full video conferencing, e-mail,
Hypernews, Internet Relay Chat, and the World Wide Web
are the technologies being used in this course.
You can reach Professor Urven at: urvenl@uwwvax.uww.edu
UW-System
Collaborative Project: BioWeb
UW-System Campuses
Contact: Professor Scott Cooper
ABSTRACT
In 1997, over forty-three UW-System biology faculty members
developed a collaborative website that covers a broad
range of biological subjects. At present, project BioWeb
contains an electronic library of images and an extensive
archive of links to a variety of sites, such as modeling
and sequencing programs that can be used by UW students
and instructors for research and course development.
The collaborators recently received a $29,000 technology
grant from the UW-System to further develop and enhance
the project, which is still under construction.