Guest post by Michelle Smith, Cornell University.
Teaching genetics and looking for some new course ideas? Check out CourseSource, which is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal that publishes articles describing undergraduate biology activities. All the activities are aligned with learning goals written by life science professional societies, including GSA.
Here are some recent genetics articles:
Meiosis: A Play in Three Acts, Starring DNA Sequence
Newman and Wright designed a new way to have students demonstrate meiosis with long strips of paper that contain DNA sequence. The questions instructors ask students help them learn about sister chromatids, homologous chromosomes, and chromosome pairing. The big “ah-ha” moment comes when students figure out they can use DNA sequence to find their homologous pair.
A Clicker-based Case Study that Untangles Student Thinking About The Processes in The Central Dogma
Pelletreau and colleagues from six different institutions designed a clicker-based case study activity that asks students to predict the effects of different types of mutations on DNA replication, transcription, and translation. Students often have mixed models of the Central Dogma of Biology and this activity helps them better understand what information is encoded at each stage.
A Hands-on Introduction to Hidden Markov Models
Weisstein and colleagues designed an interactive lecture, examples, and homework problems to teach students about Hidden Markov Models (HMM), which form the basis for many gene predictors. Student understanding of HMM is becoming increasingly critical in the era of big data, where biologists and computer scientists often collaborate on important scientific questions.
Linking Genotype to Phenotype: The Effect of a Mutation in Gibberellic Acid Production on Plant Germination
CourseSource also publishes laboratory lessons that can be performed in a variety of environments. For example, Mann and colleagues developed a hands-on activity about the effect of the plant hormone gibberellic acid (GA) on plant germination.
There are many more activities covering concepts such as linkage, insertion/deletion mutations, conservation biology, and genetically modified organisms. Having access to these high-quality, well-vetted active learning activities can help you with class preparation and provide new learning opportunities for your students.
About the author:
Michelle Smith is Editor in Chief of CourseSource and an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at Cornell University.
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Thank you, GSA community!
Thank you for being a member of the Genetics Society of America! As GSA’s current president, I am writing to tell you about Society projects and initiatives that we hope you will find useful in advancing your science and your career. Scientific research is a collaborative and exciting endeavor. Scientific societies like GSA exist to…
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University of Minnesota researchers map genome of the last living wild horse species
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Congratulations to the Spring 2024 DeLill Nasser Awardees!
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Carolyn Damilola: an NFS Rising Scientist on a lifelong quest to learn more
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Members of the Microgrant Review Committee share their tips for a successful proposal.
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The first piece of the facial recognition puzzle
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New Senior Editor Amy MacQueen joins GENETICS
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Block party on the zebrafish sex chromosome
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Unraveling the mysteries of duckweed: epigenetic insights from Spirodela polyrhiza
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A microbiologist’s quest to understand CRISPR in bacterial self-defense
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Unlocking mysteries of trait and disease heritability in dogs
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GSA and collaborators Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue and Reclaiming STEM Institute launch NSF-funded BIO-LEAPS project to support culture change in genetics
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A fly geneticist’s journey into discovering rules of organ development
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Małgorzata Gazda: How receiving the DeLill Nasser Award helped her land her dream job
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Hongyu Zhao joins GENETICS as new Senior Editor
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GSA Member Julio Molina Pineda Receives DeLill Nasser Award, Shines at TAGC 2024
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In Memoriam: Ellsworth Herman Grell (1932–2023), a pioneer of Drosophila genome engineering and annotation
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Congratulations to the #Fungal24 Poster Award winners!
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Poster presentation tips for TAGC 2024
You’ve been selected to present a poster at The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 in March—you’ve celebrated, made plans to attend, now what? This is an exciting opportunity to showcase your research and engage with fellow members of the genetics community, so you want to make sure you’re prepared. We wanted to offer you some tips…
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Maximize your TAGC 2024 experience
A guide to all that National Harbor & DC have to offer Are you joining us for The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 in March? Make the most of your #TAGC24 experience in National Harbor! We know the science will keep you busy, but you deserve to unwind and have some fun, so we’ve curated a…
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TAGC 2024 Early Career Award Winners
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Preeminent geneticists recognized with revamped GSA Awards
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Fly Board funds outreach programs to spread the word about Drosophila research
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New members of the GSA Board of Directors: 2024–2026
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A tail of three regulatory elements: insights into the structure of C. elegans Raf/LIN-25
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New members of the GSA Board of Directors: 2025–2027
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