| In 2008, the Institute for
Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB) at Georgia Tech received a $15,000
grant from the DeKalb County Development Authority to develop biotechnology
toolboxes for use in local area schools. The program was developed in partnership
with DeKalb County Office of Economic Development, the DeKalb County School
System, and Georgia Bio. IBB's Biotechnology Education Toolboxes afford
Atlanta teachers the opportunity to share with their students hands-on
laboratory experiences in cutting-edge techniques. Students benefit from
this unique exposure to authentic, problem-solving approaches to real-world
situations.
Development of the toolboxes
grew from the Georgia Tech/Emory Center (GTEC) for Tissue Engineering’s
biotechnology middle school camp, ongoing since 2004, which provides 20
students each year with the opportunity to spend a week at IBB learning
about the latest developments in the field of bioengineering. Program development
included three main elements: first, the biotechnology camp curriculum
was translated into learning modules that could be used in any classroom
and taught either as a week-long biotechnology camp or taught as individual
lessons; second, IBB hosted a pilot training program in June 2008 with
DeKalb County School teachers and trained them in the use of equipment
and techniques so they could effectively utilize the toolboxes; and third,
this core group of teachers then provided training to additional teachers
to expand the reach of the program and implement wider use of the biotechnology
toolboxes in classrooms.
Through 2009, funding from
the DeKalb County Development Authority was used to develop three fully
equipped biotechnology toolboxes and to train seven teachers in histology,
gel electrophoresis techniques, and bacterial transformation. Activities,
lesson plans, and problem-based learning questions have been developed
for use, and are included on a resource CD with each toolbox. A set of
training videos has also been created and is currently being added to the
program’s website, available at: http://www.ibb.gatech.edu/ibb-bet. |
