The Northwest Association for Biomedical Research (NWABR) is partnering with high school teachers to develop curriculum for Bio-ITEST: New Frontiers in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, a new program funded by the National Science Foundation designed to help secondary school teachers and their students learn how information technology is used in biological research.
Since the first draft of the human genome was first released in 2001, there has been an explosion in the amount of data and information being generated by biological research. In order for young people to truly understand what biology today is all about, they need to understand the integral role that information technology plays in research. Bio-ITEST will also address the implications of these new aspects of biological research for society. Ethical questions are involved in considering how genetic information is acquired, stored, and used. Who will have access to someone’s genetic information? How will genetic information be used in making personal and health decisions?
As part of the program, teachers will receive background in curriculum development, bioinformatics, career opportunities, and bioethics. They will have the opportunity to self-select into one of two different curriculum development strands: one that will utilize bioinformatics resources to teach basic concepts in biology (‘Introductory Strand’) or one that will draw upon new software and informatics resources to develop an authentic inquiry-based investigation specifically for advanced students (‘Advanced Strand’).
Teachers will pilot the curriculum with their students during the school year and then submit written revisions in spring 2010. The curriculum materials will be shared with teachers in professional development workshops in 2010 and 2011.
Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Research is a two-week professional development experience for teachers to learn about both the Introductory and Advanced Strand Bio-ITEST lessons. Teachers will receive training in the use of bioinformatics tools to analyze DNA sequences, perform multiple sequence alignments and explore protein structure. Teachers will also have the opportunity to participate in a research study of the program and to provide critical feedback on lesson drafts.
The program is funded by an Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers Award from the National Science Foundation and is comprised of two different units or “Strands.” The Introductory Strand, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Testing, utilizes bioinformatics resources to teach basic concepts in molecular biology. The Advanced Strand, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Research, builds upon the introductory lessons by incorporating additional informatics resources and includes an authentic inquiry-based investigation specifically for advanced students.
Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Research is a two-week professional development experience for teachers to learn about both the Introductory and Advanced Strand Bio-ITEST lessons. Teachers will receive training in the use of bioinformatics tools to analyze DNA sequences, perform multiple sequence alignments and explore protein structure. Teachers will also have the opportunity to participate in a research study of the program and to provide critical feedback on lesson drafts.
The program is funded by an Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers Award from the National Science Foundation and is comprised of two different units or “Strands.” The Introductory Strand, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Testing, utilizes bioinformatics resources to teach basic concepts in molecular biology. The Advanced Strand, Using Bioinformatics: Genetic Research, builds upon the introductory lessons by incorporating additional informatics resources and includes an authentic inquiry-based investigation specifically for advanced students.
The Bio-ITEST grant supports the mission of NWABR to promote the understanding of biomedical research and its ethical conduct. It empowers NWABR to work directly with ethicists, scientists and educators who are among the most respected authorities in their fields. The program will provide teacher professional development and curricular resources for secondary school life science educators, as well as authentic inquiry-based bioinformatics research opportunities for students.
