Integrating bioinformatics into senior high school: design principles and implications

Area of Science:

• Life Sciences
• Bioinformatics Education

Background:

• Bioinformatics significantly impacts biotechnology, medicine, and agriculture.
• It is underrepresented in high school curricula, hindering the development of information-oriented citizens.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline design principles for bioinformatics learning environments suitable for high school.
• To introduce a novel framework for analyzing bioinformatics-related inquiry questions in education.

Main Methods:

• Developing and evaluating bioinformatics learning environments for high school students.
• Proposing a classification system for inquiry questions based on knowledge type, scientific approach, and cognitive dimension.

Main Results:

• Identified benefits and challenges for teachers and students implementing bioinformatics in high schools.
• Demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed question-characterization approach with a developed learning environment.

Conclusions:

• Effective integration of bioinformatics in secondary education requires careful curriculum design and suitable learning environments.
• The proposed framework aids in developing and assessing bioinformatics teaching and learning units for secondary and undergraduate levels.