Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 BeeSpace: Integrating the Curriculum by Connecting Learning and Life Chip Bruce Library and Information Science, UIUC with thanks to Susan Fahrbach Biology, Wake Forest University

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 Situation in Science Education Science today: colony collapse, global warming, biodiversity, medicine, space, computers/networks Science education: pipeline, citizens, education in general, political leaders BeeSpace opportunity: multidisiplinary, accessible, meaningful questions Puzzle: complex ideas and tools, under development, diverse constituencies A project of same scale as BeeSpace itself

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 Integrative Learning "connecting skills and knowledge from multiple sources and experiences; applying skills and practices in various settings; utilizing diverse and even contradictory points of view; and, understanding issues and positions contextually." –Huber, Hutchings, & Gale, Integrative Learning for Liberal Education (2005) Fostering students’ abilities to integrate learning–across courses, over time, and between campus and community life–is one of the most important goals and challenges of higher education. – Carnegie Foundation No "gap in kind (as distinct from degree) between the child's experience and the various forms of subject-matter." –Dewey, The Child and Curriculum (1902)

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 Stratified earths? Experience has its geographical aspect, its artistic and its literary, its scientific and its historical sides. All studies arise from aspects of the one earth and the one life lived upon it. We do not have a series of stratified earths, one of which is mathematical, another physical, another historical, and so on. … All studies grow out of relations in the one great common world. When the child lives in varied but concrete and active relationship to this common world, his/her studies are naturally unified. … Relate the school to life, and all studies are of necessity correlated. –John Dewey, The School and Society (1900)

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007

Four specific developments (1902) expansion of transportation and the circulation of ideas so that it is no longer physically possible for one nationality, race, class, or sect to be kept apart from others, impervious to their wishes and beliefs relaxation of the bonds of social discipline and control intellectual life, facts, and knowledge more connected with daily occupations and ordinary surroundings prolongation of continuous instruction

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 School as Social Center

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007

Apis mellifera, the Western honey bee, as the model organism, with its recently sequenced genome Microarray experiments generating a database of gene expressions for social behavior BeeSpace Concept Navigator enables users to navigate a uniform space of diverse databases and literature sources for hypothesis development and testing; uses statistical literature analyses to discover functional relationships between genes and behavior An international community of laboratories studying honey bees and related organisms $5 million grant from NSF’s Frontiers in Integrative Biological Research program,

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007Third Annual BeeSpace Workshop, May 21-22, Unpacking the Puzzle

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 Education Resources Bee Biology  Booklet by high school biology teacher (D. Stone)  Video of talk by G. Robinson, with question set  Video footage of bee behaviors Bee Research  Video tour of Bee Lab  Links to Honey Bee Genome materials BeeSpace Research (molecular basis of social behaviors)  Video: caring for the BeeSpace bees (K. Pruiett)  ‘Anatomy of a BeeSpace Experiment’ (D. Stone)  Videos: researchers at work (M. Sarma, A. Boardmann, S. Liang, R. Velarde) Bees In the Classroom  ‘Bioinformatics for Beginners’ freshman seminar (S. Fahrbach)  Middle school visits with bee researchers (G. Robinson, N. Ismail)  Video: teacher education activities with bees (S. Fahrbach) Software Support  Training for researchers using BeeSpace software – in-house, lab visits, online help

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 ‘Bioinformatics for First-year seminar taught by S. Fahrbach in Fall 2006 Classes 1x/wk. for 150 minutes  Students introduced to bioinformatics via “nature vs. nurture” issue and BeeSpace Navigator  Students build skills and display mastery by developing new BeeSpace educational materials for younger students Special features  Session with science librarian to create online resource page  Field trip to research apiary  Videoconference with Bruce Schatz  Access to online BeeSpace educational resources  Use of NCBI tools and resources  Presentation of final projects to BeeSpace PI’s via teleconference

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 Student Projects Projects were required to conform to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. Projects required a “deliverable” for use in the classroom and an accompanying teacher’s manual. Materials are ready for use Summer 2007, and will be broadly accessible via the BeeSpace website. Students created: a board game (BeeLand), a Jeopardy game, a web site, several PowerPoint presentations, and rules for a game to be played outdoors.

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 Successes/Challenges of Introduced to bioinformatics concepts, challenges of effective search, modern formulations of nature/nurture in human behavior Embraced learning-by-teaching, worked effectively in groups to complete projects Interacted directly with researchers Proved resistant to idea of gene x environment interactions Sometimes distracted by minor technical glitches (delays getting BLAST results, printer failures, videoconferencing problems) Busy student schedules and low proportion of intended science majors precluded student transition to active participation in outreach

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 Next Steps Additional education resources coming to project website Summer workshop for grade 8-9 students; Colony Collapse Disorder; activities involving bee biology, insect pollination of plants, and computer search and retrieval of biological information; learners reviewed the learning activities for incorporation into next year’s sessions Assessing outcomes and challenges of connecting middle school-age through undergraduate learners with leading- edge research First-year seminar at Wake Forest to be offered in Fall 2007 and Fall 2008; BeeSpace volunteers are needed for videoconferences in Fall 2007

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 Lessons Literature summarized for students => Literature analyzed and explored by students Laboratory work described to students => Laboratory work done by students Curriculum development for students => curriculum development by students Educational research on students => educational research by students

Computational Biology Workshop, July 24,, 2007 Conclusion One cannot understand the history of education in the United States during the twentieth century unless one realizes that Edward L. Thorndike won and John Dewey lost. –Ellen Condliffe Lagemann To put the distinction sharply, Thorndike saw humans in the image of the machine; Dewey saw them in the image of life. –Richard Gibboney