The NextBio Project: A Student Collaboratory for Biology Cyberlearning

协和联盟、缅因州数学和科学联盟、杰克逊实验室和其他几个合作伙伴正在确定让学生参与以实验为导向的生物信息学和DNA科学网络学习模块的可行性，方法是开发和研究17个可用于高中生物课程的基于计算机的教学模块。学生们正在虚拟实验室工作，通过操纵基于众所周知的遗传疾病的模型和模拟，对神话中的龙的种群进行遗传学研究。这些模块要求学生合作，并将他们的发现发布给NextBio用户社区进行同行审查。NextBio项目还为教师提供尖端科学内容和网络学习环境中的专业发展。该项目正在回答与基于网络的学习材料对学生学习的影响有关的重要研究问题，并与传统材料进行比较。该项目将进一步加深教育工作者对生物教师如何将网络学习融入课堂的理解，并衡量虚拟实验室在向高中生物学生教授科学方面的有效性。

The Concord Consortium, the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance, the Jackson Laboratory and several other partners are determining the feasibility of engaging students in experimentally-oriented bioinformatics and DNA science cyberlearning modules by developing and studying 17 computer-based instructional modules that can be used in high school biology courses. Students are working in virtual laboratories to conduct genetics research on populations of mythical dragons by manipulating models and simulations based on well-known genetic disorders. The modules require students to work collaboratively and publish their findings for peer review by the NextBio user community. The NextBio Project is also providing teachers with professional development in cutting-edge science content and cyberlearning environments. The project is answering important research questions pertaining to the impact of cyber-based learning materials on student learning with comparisons to traditional materials. The project will further educators' understanding of how biology teachers integrate cyberlearning into their classrooms and measure the effectiveness of virtual laboratories in teaching science to high school biology students.