Virtual Biology Lab 2.0: improving and implementing an inquiry-based educational resource

虚拟生物学实验室2.0：改进和实施基于探究的教育资源

• 批准号: 1525103
• 负责人: Thomas Jones
• 金额: $ 29.94万
• 依托单位: East Tennessee State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1525103&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Virtual; Biology; Lab; 2.0; improving

A growing body of evidence indicates that computer simulations can be particularly effective tools for developing a student's conceptual understanding of STEM topics and for engaging students in problem solving. The significance of this project is that it will provide an open, interactive, and biologically realistic environment around which faculty can design their own curriculum and can adopt various vehicles for delivering it (e.g. interactive lecture examples and in-class experiments, pre/post lab exercises, or full simulation-based lab exercises). The model themes of Virtual Biology Lab (VBL) directly address four of the important components of biology undergraduate education as highlighted in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: two of the core concepts, evolution and biological systems and two of the core competencies, the ability to apply the process of science and the ability to use modeling and simulation when gathering data and analyzing biological processes. The VBL website, www.virtualbiologylab.org, developed under a previous NSF award currently hosts 20 simulation models of 'classic' experiments and concepts in ecology and evolutionary biology, all of which are free for use for educational purposes. The models promote inquiry by providing open environments in which students can manipulate parameters and observe the effects on simulated populations. The site averages over 2800 unique sessions per month, but existing models only run on PCs. This phase will expand accessibility to all web-platforms, and continue to provide free use of models. The developers will: 1) redevelop current and new models in HTML5 maintaining accessibility for the foreseeable future; 2) consult educators during model development maximizing their efficacy as learning tools; 3) robustly assess simulation models as learning tools; 4) create a professional website to host the models and facilitate a community of users; and, 5) raise awareness of the resource among biology faculty. The assessment of the learning experience will involve several hundred students from three institutions (a selective R1 university, a regional university, and a community college). The study will compare learning gains of students using the new and old interfaces. A matched pair design will be used to determine if a more modern game-like interface enhances, detracts from, or does not affect student learning. Answering this question is important because considerable time and effort in software development can be spent keeping up with the state of the art. In addition, this would add general data on the efficacy of simulation models as learning tools.This project is funded jointly by the Directorate for Biological Sciences, Division of Biological Infrastructure and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education in support of efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Education: A Call to Action (http://visionandchange.org/files/2013/11/aaas-VISchange-web1113.pdf).

越来越多的证据表明，计算机模拟可以是特别有效的工具，用于培养学生对STEM主题的概念理解，并使学生参与解决问题。这个项目的意义在于，它将提供一个开放的，互动的，生物现实的环境，教师可以围绕它设计自己的课程，并可以采用各种车辆来提供它（例如，互动讲座的例子和课堂实验，前/后实验室练习，或完全基于模拟的实验室练习）。虚拟生物学实验室（VBL）的模型主题直接解决了生物本科教育的四个重要组成部分，如本科生物学教育中的愿景和变革所强调的：两个核心概念，进化和生物系统和两个核心能力，应用科学过程的能力和收集数据和分析生物过程时使用建模和模拟的能力。VBL网站，www.virtualbiologylab.org，在以前的NSF奖下开发，目前拥有20个生态学和进化生物学中的“经典”实验和概念的模拟模型，所有这些都可以免费用于教育目的。该模型通过提供开放的环境，学生可以操纵参数和观察对模拟人群的影响，促进调查。该网站平均每月有超过2800个独特的会话，但现有的模型只能在PC上运行。这一阶段将扩大所有网络平台的可访问性，并继续提供免费使用的模型。开发商将：1）在HTML5中重新开发当前和新的模型，在可预见的未来保持可访问性; 2）在模型开发过程中咨询教育工作者，最大限度地提高其作为学习工具的功效; 3）强大地评估模拟模型作为学习工具; 4）创建一个专业网站来托管模型并促进用户社区; 5）提高生物学教师对资源的认识。学习经验的评估将涉及来自三个机构（一个选择性的R1大学，一个地区大学和一个社区学院）的数百名学生。这项研究将比较学生使用新的和旧的界面的学习收益。配对设计将用于确定更现代的游戏式界面是否会增强、减损或不影响学生的学习。研究这个问题是很重要的，因为在软件开发中花费了大量的时间和精力来跟上最先进的技术水平。此外，这将增加关于模拟模型作为学习工具的功效的一般数据。该项目由生物科学局、生物基础设施司和教育和人力资源局共同资助，本科教育司支持努力应对本科教育的愿景和变革所带来的挑战：行动呼吁（http：//visionandchange.org/files/2013/11/aaas-VISchange-web1113.pdf）。