biouncg@ecsvax.UUCP (Eleanor Duggan) (09/18/86)
Am interested in using micro's in college level biology
instruction. Have used Conduit's "Tribbles" and
"Osmosis" packages experimentally during a 100 level
summer session. Have used "genesim" from Elsivier
in a 500 level genetics class. We own "Linkover"
and "Evolut", "Stats Plus" "Analytical Graphics"
"Superpilot" and a gene sequencing program
produced at U of Minnesota. We do not have a teaching
micro lab in our science lab set-up. We do have access to
12 IBM's in a multi user lab and may have 3-4 Apple IIe's
to roll around from teaching lab to lab.
1. Does anyone want to talk about this topic?
2. Any good programs for demonstration or that have a
10-15 minute run time?
3. Anyone with an existing microlab for freshman biology/
upperclass biology?
4. Anyone using micros for remedial or catch-up teaching?
5. Anyone using videocassettes or video disk interactively?
6. Any comments pros/cons? I don't support the take-over of
biology intruciton by micros, but would like to explore
the possibility of using computers effectively in the teaching
of difficult biological concepts.
Please disregard editing problems....this is my first
attempt at posting.
reply to biouncg
Eleanor Duggan
Biology Dept.
UNC-Greensboromikes@tekecs.UUCP (Michael Sellers) (09/22/86)
> > Am interested in using micro's in college level biology > instruction. Have used Conduit's "Tribbles" and > "Osmosis" packages experimentally during a 100 level > summer session. Have used "genesim" from Elsivier > in a 500 level genetics class. We own "Linkover" > and "Evolut", "Stats Plus" "Analytical Graphics" > "Superpilot" and a gene sequencing program > produced at U of Minnesota. We do not have a teaching > micro lab in our science lab set-up. We do have access to > 12 IBM's in a multi user lab and may have 3-4 Apple IIe's > to roll around from teaching lab to lab. > > 1. Does anyone want to talk about this topic? Yes, though perhaps from more of a desire and design perspective than from a solely-user one. > Eleanor Duggan > Biology Dept. > UNC-Greensboro I haven't heard of any of the programs you mention (I'm not up to date on the current teaching software). Could you outline what they do? More importantly, could you outline some programs you'd like to see? For example, would programs depicting human systemic and homeostatic functions (heart, nervous, hormonal, etc.) be of interest? How about one showing a generalized cell and outlining at different levels of complexity the various functions inside (mitosis, protein synthesis, Krebs cycle in mito- chondria, etc)? These are two that I've thought of from time to time, but never done anything with. Would these be of value, do you think? I'd like to hear more about what's happening and what's wanted. -- Mike Sellers UUCP: {...your spinal column here...}!tektronix!tekecs!mikes INNING: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 TOTAL IDEALISTS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 REALISTS 1 1 0 4 3 1 2 0 2 0
klinner@sun.uucp (Kent Klinner) (09/27/86)
> > Am interested in using micro's in college level biology > instruction. > > 1. Does anyone want to talk about this topic? Yes. Software that educates and software that simulates are identical concepts. When I was designing recombinant DNA experiments at UC Irvine a good, easy-to-use gene-splicing simulator would have helped enormously. We couldn't afford to support something as large as MOLEGEN. A Macintosh would have been perfect and the same software could have been useful for educational purposes. Ever tried to explain the reverse transcription mechanism for a retrovirus? You almost have to be an artist to sketch the intermediate steps in enough detail for a student to understand it. Another area ripe for somputer simulation is developmental cell biology. Playing with morphological transformations on a computer would have been a lot more fun than viewing slides of gastrulation. > I don't support the take-over of > biology intruciton by micros, but would like to explore > the possibility of using computers effectively in the teaching > of difficult biological concepts. The computer should be a tool in the laboratory as well as in the classroom. It's also a medium of communication. Maybe someday difficult concepts will be shared through computer animations as opposed to static diagrams on paper. Electron movement in organic reaction mechanisms, for example, would make a lot more sense on a system that could render cinematic illustrations. This topic could unite several areas of interest: user interfaces, computer graphics, simulation, expert systems, and bilogical models. Kent Klinner Sun Microsystems sun!drseuss!klinner
emigh@ecsvax.UUCP (Ted Emigh) (09/29/86)
I just got the latest catalog from EME (Educational Materials and Equipment
Co, Old Mill Plain Road, Danbury, CT 06811). The have MANY instructional
programs: the ones for biology are: Osmosis and Diffusion; Nutrition;
Human Circulatory System; DNA -- The Master Molecule; Introductory Genetics;
Natural Selection; Meiosis; Population Concepts; Community Dynamics; Advanced
Genetics; Microbiology Techniques. Most programs are for the Apple II, many
also run on an IBM/PC or PC Jr. Some run on the TRS 80 Models III & 4.
They have other programs on Chemistry, Physics, Environment, Energy, "Science"
etc. and videocassettes, filmloops, filmstrips, slides, geological maps.
I have no experience with any of these.
--
Ted H. Emigh Genetics and Statistics, North Carolina State U, Raleigh NC
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