Fast Track to Gene Annotation and Genome Analysis - This site ties together key bioinformatics tools and databases used to annotate genes and analyze genome data. Roll over any of the "stations" on the subway map to find out more about the analysis steps.
"In Your Inner Fish, Neil Shubin tells the story of evolution by tracing the organs of the human body back millions of years, long before the first creatures walked the earth. By examining fossils and DNA, Shubin shows us that our hands actually resemble fish fins, our head is organized like that of a long-extinct jawless fish, and major parts of our genome look and function like those of worms and bacteria. We have compiled the figures from the book into a deck of PowerPoint slides for use in the classroom."
What are the social responsibilities of educated people? Over the course of the school year, students are exploring social responsibility through projects of their own design, ranging from getting school supplies for students with cerebral palsy in Shanghai to persuading their classmates to use handkerchiefs to reduce paper waste.
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., the top school in U.S. News & World Report's America's Best High Schools rankings, is designed to challenge students. A course load of offerings that include DNA science, neurology, and quantum physics would seem to be more than enough to meet that goal. But students and the faculty felt those classes weren't enough, so they decided to tackle another big question:
What are the social responsibilities of educated people? Over the course of the school year, students are exploring social responsibility through projects of their own design, ranging from getting school supplies for students with cerebral palsy in Shanghai to persuading their classmates to use handkerchiefs to reduce paper waste. The One Question project demonstrates the way "TJ," as it's referred to by students and teachers, encourages the wide-ranging interests of its students.
Lots of great science animations. Examples include independent assortment, evolution of cellular organelles, mitosis, cellular respiration, reflex arcs, construction of a DNA library. Also includes chemistry and astronomy animations. Great stuff.
a variety of activities related to evolution from the amazing Learn.Genetics site. Addresses misconceptions, geologic time, fossil and DNA evidence, eye evolution, and more.
A useful collection of science videos to use with your class on topics including about the Structure of the Earth and what is DNA.
http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/Science
"Like reading, writing, and arithmetic, web literacy is both content and activity. You don't just learn "about" reading: you learn to read. You don't just learn "about" arithmetic: you learn to count and calculate. You don't just learn "about" the web: you learn to make your own website. As with these other three literacies, web literacy begins simply, with basics you can build upon. For some it can lead to a profession (i.e. becoming a computer programmer) while
for most it becomes part of the conceptual DNA that helps you to understand and negotiate the world you live in."
The technology is still very visible, if students are talking in terms of 'computers' rather than the skills involved. We don't talk about 'paper' but writing, critical reading etc. Yet here the platform itself is emphasized. Early days, I guess.
Well, the problem here is that some of that can be ascribed to novelty. Once every class uses 'interactive technology' (yuk) then how much difference will there be? The tools are great. All tools can be useful. But focus on the pedagogy, people!
I'm for focusing on understanding. I love the word "pedagogy" because most lay people don't really know what it entails--theory (which can be anything institutional or community deems effective or correct), practice (which, as we know, can be summed up with the phrase "mileage will vary"), and some third thing which if I could come up with it I'd have the magic 3 elements in an effective argument. I think effective tools used effectively by effective teachers (there! 3 uses of one adjective!) will remain effective as long as they are used to promote understanding. No argument here, Ed, just sayin'...
Perhaps the magic third thing would be 'attitude' or 'state of mind'? Alternatively, perhaps another of those non-transparent terms, 'praxis'. The point I was trying to make, of course, was that it ain't what you use, it's the way that you use it.
"I think the kids that have turned school off because it's boring to them will come here and see something familiar,"
Boring and familiar seem to me to be closely related, not opposites. I suspect that often when students say their learning environment is 'boring' they mean 'challenging'.
Computer technology in my classroom has revolutionized my teaching of biology. Instead of static images on a printed page, or talk and chalk, my students can manipulate 3-D images of DNA, RNA and proteins. These have even been embedded in a research-based learning progression that leads the students to a robust understanding of the foundational elements of molecular literacy.
1. Atoms and molecules are constantly in motion. (A visualization is not possible on a 2-3 printed page.)
2. All atoms and molecules have a 3-D structure that determines how they interact with other particles.
3. Charges and other intermolecular forces play a role in atomic and molecular interactions.
My students can see these for themselves, change the number of particles in a box, or the distribution of charge on a large particle or the temperature of the box and other thought experiments which they can follow in real-time.
There is no way, I could do that without the computer!
If anything, stories like Ms. Portman’s show that great success, like DNA, is constructed of a few basic building blocks: tenacity, focus, and the old Woody Allen line about just showing up.
A wiki is a space on the Web where you can share work and ideas, pictures
and links, videos and media — and anything else you can think of.
Wikispaces is special because we give you a visual editor and a bunch of
other tools to make sharing all kinds of content as easy for students as it
is for their teachers.
A Wikispaces Private Label site is a secure, dedicated wiki environment
— like a clone of Wikispaces.com, but with your organization’s DNA
mixed in. You get unlimited wikis (and everything you need to manage them),
plus tools to integrate the site with your other systems and support your
users.
A superb wiki/web hosting site with lets you create web pages for your class or school or use it as a Wiki and let your pupils/colleagues create and build the page together. The basic account is free and if you sign up as an educator you can get extra storage space.
http://ictmagic.wikispaces.com/ICT+&+Web+Tools