I have run the class using the studio model, which employs brief concept presentation, computer simulation, and problem solving exercises. There are no separate lectures or laboratories in this course. I employ interactive learning methods, ensuring that students have the opportunity to work with one another, as well as on their own. I provide on line notes, on line problems and solutions, and a textbook. The students therefore have an extensive array of resources, both written and on line, that permit them to approach the material in a variety of ways.
Students can access much of the software used in the course via the web site.
The students also use several BioQuest programs, which can be run either on Macintosh computers or on Windows machines that are running Executor . The web site contains the course syllabus, course notes, problem sets, quizzes that the students can take for credit, a bulletin board, internal email, chat rooms, and more. I administer examinations using the WebCT quiz tool in conjunction with hard copies, that enable me to give students partial credit for questions that the computer scores as incorrect. After viewing the complete animation, the student can go back to the launch pad and work any of dozens of genetics problems by selecting the appropriate button, or look up an unfamiliar term by selecting the glossary. For example, the Genetics Construction Kit presents the student with a list of several different categories of experiment.