CCLI: Establishing a Microarray Teaching and Learning Center in the Shenandoah Valley in Support of Science Education

(生物科学61)詹姆斯·麦迪逊大学(JMU)正在建立一个地区性微阵列教学中心，以支持谢南多阿山谷一个地区性学院联盟的课程创新。该中心的设备包括最近购买的微阵列读取器和喷墨喷墨寡阵列合成器和微阵列合成器，这是由JMU工程专业的学生建造和维护的。每年有150多名学生在3所四年制学院(布里奇沃特学院、东门诺特大学和JMU)和2所社区学院(蓝岭学院和弗吉尼亚西部社区学院)的生物和生物信息学课程中使用该设备进行探究式、研究型课程。这些学生包括科学和教育专业的学生和通识教育班的学生。此外，该联盟还开始吸收当地高中(罗阿诺克和谢南多阿河谷州长学校、斯图亚特·霍尔学校和胡格诺高中)和教师参与其努力：举办暑期讲习班，使教师熟悉设备；利用教师在高中课程设计方面的专业知识，协助为未来的讲习班编写教学、学习和评估材料，并通过网站传播；让高中生和教师参与研究经验。一年一度的研讨会将基因组学或蛋白质组学专家带到谢南多阿山谷，为联盟成员提供一个会面、分享经验和庆祝成就的论坛。该项目正在利用霍华德·休斯医学院支持的基因组学课程提供的设施和资源，SRI国际在哈里松堡的存在，以及与戴维森学院校园内的基因组积极教学中心的协调。智力优势：基因芯片教学和学习中心正在为本科生创造许多基于研究和基于探究的实验室经验。通过这些活动，生物学的几个子领域的知识库正在得到丰富，包括宿主/寄生虫的相互作用、对刺激的免疫反应、细菌基因表达的毒性效应、噬菌体的比较基因组学等。大约有20名本科生理科教师参加了密集的技术和教育培训体验。通过该项目的评估和评价工作，人们对尖端技术如何影响科学教学有了更好的了解。广泛的影响：通过一个可免费访问的联盟网站提供教学材料。该中心正在增加可用于本科生研究和教育工作的技术专长、设备和网络，并为几个地区性机构提供现代化的设施和基础设施。该项目将生物学、计算机科学和工程课程的学生聚集在一起，以促进对科学研究和教育的多学科方法的理解。本项目由正规和非正规学习研究部探索研究K-12项目共同资助

(Biological Sciences 61)James Madison University (JMU) is establishing a regional microarray teaching and learning center to support curricular innovations at a consortium of regional colleges in the Shenandoah Valley. The equipment at the center includes a recently purchased microarray reader and an inkjet oligoarray synthesizer and microarrayer which is being built and maintained by students in JMU's engineering program. Over 150 students per year in biology and bioinformatics courses at 3 four year colleges (Bridgewater College, Eastern Mennonite University, and JMU) and 2 community colleges (Blue Ridge and Virginia Western Community Colleges) are using the equipment in inquiry-based, research-oriented classes. These students include science and education majors and students in general education classes. In addition the consortium is beginning to include local high schools (Roanoke and Shenandoah Valley Governor's Schools, Stuart Hall School and Huguenot High School) and teachers in its efforts through: summer workshops designed to familiarize the teachers with the equipment; utilization of the teacher's expertise in design of high school courses to assist in developing teaching, learning, and assessment materials for future workshops and to be disseminated via a website; and involving the high school students and teachers in hands on research experiences. An annual symposium brings a genomics or proteomics expert to the Shenandoah Valley to provide a forum for consortium members to meet, share experiences, and celebrate accomplishments. The project is making use of facilities and resources made available through a Howard Hughes Medical Institute supported genomics course, the presence of SRI International in Harrisonburg and coordination with the Genomic Center for Active Teaching on the Davidson College campus.Intellectual Merit: The microarray teaching and learning center is creating a number of research-based and inquiry-based laboratory experiences for undergraduates. The knowledge base in several sub-fields of biology, including host/parasite interactions, immunological responses to stimulae, toxic effects on gene expression in bacteria, comparative genomics of bacteriophage, and others, is being enriched through these activities. Approximately twenty undergraduate science faculty are participating in intensive technological and educational training experiences. A better understanding of how sophisticated technology impacts teaching and learning in science is emerging through the project's assessment and evaluation efforts.Broader Impacts: Teaching and learning materials are being made available through a freely accessible consortium website. The center is increasing the technical expertise, equipment, and networking available for undergraduate research and education efforts and is providing modern facilities and infrastructure for several regional institutions. The project brings together students in biology, computer science, and engineering courses to promote understanding of multidisciplinary approaches to research and education in the sciences. This project is being co-funded by the Discovery Research K-12 program of the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings