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

越来越多的证据表明，计算机模拟可以成为培养学生对STEM主题的概念性理解和参与学生解决问题的特别有效的工具。这个项目的意义在于，它将提供一个开放的、互动的和生物现实的环境，教师可以围绕着这个环境设计自己的课程，并可以采用各种工具来提供课程(例如，互动的授课例子和课堂上的实验、实验前/实验后的练习，或完全基于模拟的实验练习)。虚拟生物学实验室的模型主题直接涉及生物本科教育的四个重要组成部分，如《本科生物学教育的愿景与变革》所强调的：两个核心概念，进化和生物系统，以及两个核心能力，即应用科学过程的能力，以及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是根据之前的NSF奖项开发的，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，所有这些模型都可以免费用于教育目的。这些模型通过提供开放的环境来促进探究，学生可以在其中操纵参数并观察对模拟人群的影响。该网站平均每月有超过2800次独立会话，但现有的型号只能在个人电脑上运行。这一阶段将扩大所有网络平台的可访问性，并继续提供模型的免费使用。开发人员将：1)重新开发HTML5中现有的和新的模型，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，使其作为学习工具的效率最大化；3)积极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；以及，5)提高生物学教师对资源的认识。对学习经历的评估将涉及来自三个机构的数百名学生(一所精选的R1大学、一所地区大学和一所社区学院)。这项研究将比较使用新旧界面的学生的学习收益。配对设计将被用来确定一个更现代的类似游戏的界面是增强、减损还是不影响学生的学习。回答这个问题很重要，因为在软件开发中可能会花费大量的时间和精力来跟上最先进的技术。此外，这将增加关于模拟模型作为学习工具的有效性的一般数据。该项目由生物科学局、生物基础设施部和教育与人力资源局、本科教育司联合资助，以支持应对《展望与变革》中提出的挑战的努力：行动呼吁(http://visionandchange.org/files/2013/11/aaas-VISchange-web1113.pdf).

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).