Announcing the Internet Biology Education Project.
http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/sci_ed/
The Internet Biology Education (BioEd) Project is based in the Botany
Department at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. This
project aims to make use of the Western Cape Schools Network (WCSN), and
the University’s internal network linked to the FRD’s Uninet, to
evaluate the feasibility of producing and distributing teaching aids and
making other resources available through Internet access by schools that
are part of the WCSN. The resources are available for global access,and
we would like to encourage biology teachers and pupils around the globe
to interact with their counterparts in south Africa. We would also like
to encourage pupils and teachers to provide content.
To make the site interesting, we have used lots of graphics. We realise
that this makes access slow. We would appreciate hearing from users
regarding response time. Ultimately, we will have the site available for
distribution on a CD to schools with slow network access, but this will
not be done until 1997.
The following resources are currently accessible (follow the RESOURCES
link on the home page):
Electronic mailing lists: Join one of the lists that we have set up for
biology pupils and teachers.
Discussion forum: Specifically aimed at teachers, this is running as a
test at present. If you like it, we will keep it. We can also add other
discussion forums if there is interest.
The "Focus On" Series: On-line magazine articles and virtual
presentations on various topics of biology and nature.
Biological resources for pupils: Things that we have developed for
pupils, including our growing on-line Standard 8 textbook, as well as
resources that are mirrored on our server, and links to useful resources
elsewhere.
Biological resources for teachers: Resources specifically for the
teacher, including worksheets, suggestions, things you can use for
illustrating key points, links, etc.
Biology and related newsgroups: Newsgroups can be a valuable discussion
forum, as well as a means of locating other resources, and querying the
experts.
Share your own biological resources: If you have developed a resource,
please don't be shy to contribute it. We must share our resources as we
all benefit from doing so. We can accept resources in any medium, from
stone tablets to paper to electronic to video to slide presentations,
overheads, etc. About the only medium we cannot handle at present is
smoke signals, but we are working on a smoke signal scanner. What ever
you send us, we will digitize and make available for other teachers to
use. In this way, you will also get access to resources developed by
other teachers.
NOTE: The site is growing on a daily basis, so check back often. And
give us YOUR suggestions for what YOU would like to see.
For further information, please refer to the home page, whence our email
addresses may be obtained should you need further information.
Cheers,
Derek Keats, Project Leader
