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Distance education through the Internet: the GNA-VSNS biocomputing course
F M de la Vega1, R Giegerich, G Fuellen
1Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, CINVESTAV-IPN, Mexico City, Mexico. fvega@gene.cinvestav.mx
Summary
This biocomputing course utilized international networks and a hypertext book for distance education. It successfully integrated molecular biology, biomedicine, and computer science skills for 34 global students.
Area of Science:
- Biocomputing
- Bioinformatics Education
- Distance Learning
Background:
- The Virtual School of Natural Sciences offered a prototype biocomputing course in 1995.
- The course aimed to bridge disciplines like molecular biology, biomedicine, and computer science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To pilot an international, distance-based biocomputing course.
- To assess the effectiveness of Internet resources and virtual classrooms in science education.
- To develop and evaluate new teaching tools for sequence analysis.
Main Methods:
- An 11-week online course delivered via international computer networks.
- Utilized a hypertext book with integrated Internet links for sequence analysis and databank searches.
- Weekly virtual classroom sessions held on the BioMOO electronic conferencing system.
- Developed an interactive visualization tool for pairwise sequence alignment.
Main Results:
- Successfully convened 34 students and 7 instructors globally.
- Provided an interdisciplinary curriculum focusing on sequence analysis and Internet resource utilization.
- Made all course materials accessible online for continued learning.
Conclusions:
- The prototype course demonstrated a novel approach to distance education in biocomputing.
- The integration of Internet resources and virtual learning environments proved effective.
- The developed teaching tools and hypertext book enhanced the learning experience.