BioInteractive as a Classroom Tool Tutorial by Jessica Cuntrera

BioInteractive is a unique and engaging site that can be seamlessly incorporated into any biology classroom. There are a variety of tools encompassed in the site, including resources, planning tools for educators, and professional development tools.

"BioInteractive Resources"

BioInteractive Resources are materials for a variety of life-science topics for students to utilize. There are different formats for the resources to enhance student learning.

Finding BioInteractive Resources and Modules specific to your lesson is easy with the search tool.

Above are the various types of BioInteractive resources available on the website. Activities, videos, and interactive media can be found for various topics and grade levels.

Activities follow a theme and include photos and worksheets to be used in the classroom. They often link to news articles that relate to the theme.

Videos are also a great source found on the site and often come with related activities/worksheets.

Interactive Media allows students to explore a module, watch animations, and answer questions about a topic with immediate feedback.

"Planning Tools"

Planning tools are a series of tools for educators to set up and create biology lessons and find materials that flow together well.

The Storyline Viewer tool gives teachers ideas for how to go from topic-to-topic in a cohesive manner. It suggests start and end topics for a unit and everything in between.

Playlists are groupings of resources that relate to each other. For example, this playlist includes interactive media, activities, and videos all about epidemiology.

Science News is a collection of recent news articles relating to modern biological issues.

Films to Inspire are original documentaries that put scientific topics in perspective and tell stories of the real people behind the science.

"Professional Development"

The Professional Development section of the site gives support specifically to science educators. The two main parts of this section are "Workshops" and "Online Courses."

BioInteractive hosts various workshops throughout the year, both virtual and in-person.

Courses are for teachers looking to become more comfortable with certain topics so they can efficiently purport that information to a class.

Lesson IdeaS

Use Click and Learn Interactive Media as independent practice as a lesson closure activity.
Conclude a unit with a relevent Film to Inspire to take a step back and look at science as the big picture.
Assign an interactive video with questions as a homework activity.

Relevant Standards

ISTE Standards for Educators

2.2 Leader: Educators seek out opportunities for leadership to support student empowerment and success and to improve teaching and learning.
2.5 Designer: Educators design authentic, learner-driven activities and environments that recognize and accommodate learner variability.
2.6 Facilitator: Educators facilitate learning with technology to support student achievement of the ISTE Standards for Students.

ISTE Standards for Students:

1.1 Empowered Learner: Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving, and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.
1.3 Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
1.5 Computational Thinker: Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.

CCSS Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.1: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.2: Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.4: Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 11-12 texts and topics.

CCT Standards

INDICATOR 2a: Planning of instructional content that is aligned with standards, builds on students’ prior knowledge, and provides for appropriate level of challenge for all students.
INDICATOR 3a: Implementing instructional content for learning.
INDICATOR 4a: Engaging in continuous professional learning to impact instruction and student learning

Pros and Cons

Pros:

Easy to access and maneuver
Free
No registration or sign-in necessary to use
Many types of resources all found in one place
Provides opportunities to simulate hands-on experiences that may not be possible or plausible in the classroom

Cons:

Some students may not have access to a laptop or wifi at home
Some schools may not provide devices to students for use in the classroom

Possible Alternative Technologies

SimBio - Virtual Labs
YouTube.com - Free educational videos for both educators and students
ScienceNews.org- Science news

Appreciate

Credits:

Created with images by tab62 - "Back to school concept including books and stationery supplies with green chalkboard in background" • Tierney - "Online education concept with young woman holding a tablet computer"