Developing Computer Simulations of Protein Laboratory Procedures for Case-Based Learning in International Biology Curricula and Pre-service Science Teacher Education

University Of Wisconsin-River Falls, River Falls WI

Investigators

Abstract

We are developing open-ended computer simulations of protein laboratory procedures for case-based learning in international biology curricula. We are distributing these simulations freely via Internet download so that they are available to university and high school students worldwide. Existing protein software applications lack the ability to produce realistic, easily understandable output for procedures such as enzyme immunoassays, hemagglutination inhibition, immunofluorescence, protein electrophoresis, and western blotting. Such procedures are especially useful for the analysis of cases involving infectious diseases of humans and domestic animals including anthrax, foot-and-mouth disease, influenza, HIV infection, hantavirus, encephalitis, Lyme disease, genital herpes, hepatitis, brucellosis and rinderpest, among many others. They provide a vehicle for making topics in molecular biology more interesting and relevant to students, particularly female non-science majors. Protein simulations complement DNA simulations we have previously developed and freely distributed for the analysis of cases based primarily on human genetic diseases. The proposed simulations have wide applicability because they can be adapted to any protein-based case scenario. Students can participate in Internet "poster sessions" via an online integrated web editor / conferencing system we developed with prior NSF support. Pre-service science teachers are being used as research assistants for assessment, and results are being widely disseminated via presentations, workshops, and publications including the BioQUEST Library. The BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium strongly supports this proposal and is assisting in the evaluation and dissemination of project results.