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Scientific discovery in a fast‐forward mode: getting personal and creative with virtual viruses
Author(s) -
Marintcheva Boriana
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.613.1
Subject(s) - presentation (obstetrics) , capstone , creativity , process (computing) , computer science , virtual lab , multimedia , psychology , medicine , social psychology , algorithm , radiology , operating system
Virtual virus is a semester–long interdisciplinary project modeling the process of scientific discovery, offered as a part of the BIOL450/Virology course at Bridgewater State University. Students are challenged to apply molecular biology and biochemistry concepts to “synthesize” their own virus in a series of hands‐on sessions and mini‐projects. Each student built a physical model and developed virtual scenario how their virus propagates while interacting with cellular machinery and the host organism as a whole. The project results were communicated via class presentation and a report in the format of scientific review article. Project outcomes demonstrated high level of student engagement as identified by the personal dimensions of the developed virtual viruses, the breath of the explored biochemical and molecular biology processes and the diversity of virtual hosts. Analysis of student work demonstrates that the Virtual virus project is a successful model for capstone experience in biology combining active learning by design, creativity and problem solving to assemble a virtual scientific puzzle, thus modeling in fast‐forward mode the process of scientific discovery. This project was generously supported by a course‐embedded research grant from the Office of Undergraduate Research at Bridgewater State University.