Bioinformatics projects supporting life-sciences learning in high schools

PLoS Comput Biol. 2014 Jan;10(1):e1003404. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1003404. Epub 2014 Jan 23.

Abstract

The interdisciplinary nature of bioinformatics makes it an ideal framework to develop activities enabling enquiry-based learning. We describe here the development and implementation of a pilot project to use bioinformatics-based research activities in high schools, called "Bioinformatics@school." It includes web-based research projects that students can pursue alone or under teacher supervision and a teacher training program. The project is organized so as to enable discussion of key results between students and teachers. After successful trials in two high schools, as measured by questionnaires, interviews, and assessment of knowledge acquisition, the project is expanding by the action of the teachers involved, who are helping us develop more content and are recruiting more teachers and schools.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Biology / education*
  • Computational Biology / methods*
  • Curriculum
  • Humans
  • Internet
  • Learning*
  • Portugal
  • Program Development
  • Schools
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

This work was funded by the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência. The funders had no role in the preparation of the manuscript.