The Case for Cyberlearning: Genomics (and Dragons!) in the High School Biology Classroom

Chris and Shania peer at their laptop computer screen. "Is that what they mean by a 'fancy tail'?" Shania asks. "I think so," Chris replies. "Let's cross that one with a fire-breathing male and see what we get." One mouse click later, Chris and Shania are looking at a purple, fire-breathing, "fancy-tailed" dragon. "Cool!" Shania exclaims. "It has wings and horns, too," she adds, as they record these observations in their science notebooks. Chris and Shania (not their real names) are members of Beth Chagrasulis' Honors Biology class, which participated in a field test of GENIQUEST, a cyberlearning computer program. This program allows students to investigate biological data sets using a research-based instructional model. In this article, we make the case for using cyberlearning to teach students about the rapidly growing fields of genomics and computational biology. Background Cutting-edge science involving genetics and biological data has grown exponentially in scope and complexity over the past two decades. This "new biology" knits together genomics, bioinformatics, and evolutionary genetics (Rose and Oakley 2007). As our national cyberinfrastructure has grown, so too has the field of computational biology--and the public data stores that fuel it (NSF 2003). Although available scientific data are rapidly growing, the educational community struggles to keep pace. Biology textbooks are routinely more than 1,000 pages long, but most devote only a few pages to genomics and bioinformatics. In a world increasingly defined by data, students must learn the skills necessary for "computational thinking" (NSF 2008). In addition, though scientific data are readily accessible, teachers and students alike often have trouble using these data effectively, and data interfaces used by scientists are often far too complex for classroom use (Bell 2004). According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, "the ultimate goal of the field is to enable the discovery of new biological insights as well as to create a global perspective from which unifying principles in biology can be discerned" (NCBI 2006; see also "Benchmarks for science literacy," p. 33). But incorporating emerging databases into the existing biology curriculum is no easy task. Databases with genome maps and patterns of gene expression are increasingly available to students, but what are students (and teachers) to do with such complex, sophisticated data? First, they need grounding and direction to make sense of the information and focus on its relevant aspects. Second, they need support in understanding a different type of biology lab than they might be used to--one that involves the computerized manipulation of ideas. As Vincent Lunetta (1998) points out, "To many students, a 'lab' means manipulating equipment but not ... ideas." Cyberlearning platforms can help engage students in labs, especially in areas such as genomics--where biological processes may occur slowly, essential concepts occur at scales far too small to visualize, and many experiments are too expensive or dangerous to attempt in the classroom. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Another important element in helping students explore this "new biology" is curricular support. With far too many topics packed into existing curricula, teachers need help determining how to make room for new material without sacrificing traditional essentials. Once that is decided, teachers need age-appropriate questions related to genomics data and easy-to-use tools that provide access to relevant aspects of these data. GENIQUEST The GENIQUEST project provides a free cyberlearning platform, curricular support, and computational and visualization tools to help all teachers address these concerns. The program brings digital genomic data within students' reach and aims to introduce them to a different type of "lab"--one that employs virtual tools to emphasize modeling, mathematics, and the use of evidence in testing ideas. …