GeneBeaker: Simulation software for teaching genetics

描述(申请人提供)：遗传学是生物学中最基础和最广泛教授的领域之一，随着基因组计划和基因芯片等新技术的出现，以及最近在吸毒等领域发现的遗传影响，遗传学的重要性进一步增加。然而，遗传学是许多生物系学生遇到麻烦的一个领域。根据这份合同，我们将制作一个模拟程序的原型，该程序将允许教师建立一个基因系统，并为学生提供使用常见实验工具在该系统内进行的实验。我们还将在这个原型中编写两个实验室，一个是关于经典孟德尔遗传学的，另一个是关于使用现代工具来寻找影响药物成瘾易感性的基因。我们将评估该软件对学生教学的有效性，并对使用该软件的学生进行调查，看看该软件是否提高了他们对遗传学研究的热情。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Genetics is one of the most fundamental and widely taught areas of biology, and its importance has increased even further with the advent of new technologies such as genome projects and gene chips, as well as recent discoveries of genetic influence in such areas as drug addiction. Yet genetics is an area that many biology students have trouble with. On this contract we will produce a prototype of a simulation program that will allow an instructor to set up a genetic system and give students experiments to perform within that system using common experimental tools. We will also write 2 laboratories within this prototype, one on classical Mendelian genetics and another on using modern tools to find genes affecting susceptibility to drug addiction. We will assess the effectiveness of the software for teaching students, and also survey students who use it to see if the software increases their enthusiasm for genetics research.