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Features section: computer aided learning
31 Features Section: Computer
Aided Learning
Editor: G R Parslow, The University of Melbourne,
Technology has a use-by date in teaching There is a degree of ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ to educational technology that has reached its use-by-date (you may recall in the song that Puff sadly slipped into his cave when Jacky Paper moved on to other toys). In the article by Sansom, Waller and Geddes they remark that their computer work replaces ‘experiments using plastic or steel molecular models of proteins and nucleic acids which had been used in Leeds for many years’. They note the physical difficulty of keeping these models in good repair, but they do not do the hard analysis of comparing this trifling cost to the expense of the upgrade they have made to computer exercises. This observation is not an adverse judgement: it simply illustrates a general phenomenon that is by and large inevitable as ‘progress’ relegates all educational technology to obsolescence. I was associated with a tape-slide system of medical tutorials, based on the well known Dundee system, that simply languished into non-use at the end of the 1980s. The technology failed in part because it had become mechanically unsound, but it was so cheap to replace that expense of maintenance was not a valid argument in its demise. Nor do I think that the tape-slide system of medical tutorials is potentially any less effective now than it was in the 1960s when the pioneers put so much energy into establishing and promoting the approach. The ultimate reason for ‘failure’ of any technology as a teaching approach is that people want to do new things and this is generally made easier at times of staff turnover. Sometimes staff turnover is the only reason to change technologies and certainly any ‘proven’ technology will be of little value if course managers have no commitment to its suc-
The old technology The Biochemists’
still works.. . Songbook
New Edition
by Harold Baum. Taylor & Francis, Rankine Road, Basingstoke,Hants,RG248PR,UK,fax:(0)1256-479438, email: [email protected]. 1995. Z6.99. Paperback o-7484-0416-3 The first edition of the songbook, published 13 years ago, reputedly sold 20000 copies, and a new edition has now appeared. It is said that Professor Baum writes his songs whilst travelling on London buses: all the old songs, to well-
BIOCHEMICAL EDUCATION 24( 1) 1996
Australia
cess. I do not believe that students are a significant force in changing the technology used in their teaching; they seem remarkably adaptable to learning principles from any technology which is well administered and integrated into their course. Students are of course rightly excited if they are among the first to use cutting-edge technology, but this is also due in part to a cutting-edge enthusiasm from their teachers. The continuing elimination of the most ‘proven’ of all technologies, the blackboard has affected me less than the prospect of being deprived of overhead projection in the longer term. The blackboard in my local environment (if available) is no longer the well maintained system that it used to be when assistants were scheduled to clear and maintain boards between lectures. The demise of the overhead projector is likely as large screen projection facilities make computer programmed multimedia lecture ever more common place. Will the holographic projector replace multimedia in 2020? Departments that are in a position to introduce cutting edge technology to teaching are much to be praised and emulated where possible. Sometimes the choices are inherently restricted for pioneers or alternatively many ‘me too’ systems have to be looked at to find a good entry point. To end on a note of commendation I believe that Sansom et al. have submitted a sound paper on alternative hardware and software for molecular modeling that addresses itself to the most useful information for third parties: the relative merits and costs of alternatives. If you are able to act on their advice then chances are your molecular models will mutate like Puff into ‘painted wings and sealing wax’ never to roar again.
known tunes, are included in the new edition. Professor Baum’s first creation was a setting of the Krebs Cycle to Waltzing Matilda. Sir Hans Krebs was delighted at the setting, allegedly. This second edition (with music arranged for voice and piano) includes: Purine Biosynthesis; Regulation of Ketogenesis; Blood Sugar; Protein Biosynthesis; Haem Biosynthesis; Metabolism of Odd-number Carbon Fatty Acids; fi Oxidation; The Battle Hymm of the Aerobes; The Glycoxylate Cycle; The Michaelis anthem; Fatty Acid Biosynthesis; We’re Here Because Urea; A Cautionary Carol; Waltz Around the Cycle; Cholesterol Biosynthesis; The Chemiosmotic Theory; Photosynthesis; The Pentose Phosphate Shunt.
Aided Learning
Editor: G R Parslow, The University of Melbourne,
Technology has a use-by date in teaching There is a degree of ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ to educational technology that has reached its use-by-date (you may recall in the song that Puff sadly slipped into his cave when Jacky Paper moved on to other toys). In the article by Sansom, Waller and Geddes they remark that their computer work replaces ‘experiments using plastic or steel molecular models of proteins and nucleic acids which had been used in Leeds for many years’. They note the physical difficulty of keeping these models in good repair, but they do not do the hard analysis of comparing this trifling cost to the expense of the upgrade they have made to computer exercises. This observation is not an adverse judgement: it simply illustrates a general phenomenon that is by and large inevitable as ‘progress’ relegates all educational technology to obsolescence. I was associated with a tape-slide system of medical tutorials, based on the well known Dundee system, that simply languished into non-use at the end of the 1980s. The technology failed in part because it had become mechanically unsound, but it was so cheap to replace that expense of maintenance was not a valid argument in its demise. Nor do I think that the tape-slide system of medical tutorials is potentially any less effective now than it was in the 1960s when the pioneers put so much energy into establishing and promoting the approach. The ultimate reason for ‘failure’ of any technology as a teaching approach is that people want to do new things and this is generally made easier at times of staff turnover. Sometimes staff turnover is the only reason to change technologies and certainly any ‘proven’ technology will be of little value if course managers have no commitment to its suc-
The old technology The Biochemists’
still works.. . Songbook
New Edition
by Harold Baum. Taylor & Francis, Rankine Road, Basingstoke,Hants,RG248PR,UK,fax:(0)1256-479438, email: [email protected]. 1995. Z6.99. Paperback o-7484-0416-3 The first edition of the songbook, published 13 years ago, reputedly sold 20000 copies, and a new edition has now appeared. It is said that Professor Baum writes his songs whilst travelling on London buses: all the old songs, to well-
BIOCHEMICAL EDUCATION 24( 1) 1996
Australia
cess. I do not believe that students are a significant force in changing the technology used in their teaching; they seem remarkably adaptable to learning principles from any technology which is well administered and integrated into their course. Students are of course rightly excited if they are among the first to use cutting-edge technology, but this is also due in part to a cutting-edge enthusiasm from their teachers. The continuing elimination of the most ‘proven’ of all technologies, the blackboard has affected me less than the prospect of being deprived of overhead projection in the longer term. The blackboard in my local environment (if available) is no longer the well maintained system that it used to be when assistants were scheduled to clear and maintain boards between lectures. The demise of the overhead projector is likely as large screen projection facilities make computer programmed multimedia lecture ever more common place. Will the holographic projector replace multimedia in 2020? Departments that are in a position to introduce cutting edge technology to teaching are much to be praised and emulated where possible. Sometimes the choices are inherently restricted for pioneers or alternatively many ‘me too’ systems have to be looked at to find a good entry point. To end on a note of commendation I believe that Sansom et al. have submitted a sound paper on alternative hardware and software for molecular modeling that addresses itself to the most useful information for third parties: the relative merits and costs of alternatives. If you are able to act on their advice then chances are your molecular models will mutate like Puff into ‘painted wings and sealing wax’ never to roar again.
known tunes, are included in the new edition. Professor Baum’s first creation was a setting of the Krebs Cycle to Waltzing Matilda. Sir Hans Krebs was delighted at the setting, allegedly. This second edition (with music arranged for voice and piano) includes: Purine Biosynthesis; Regulation of Ketogenesis; Blood Sugar; Protein Biosynthesis; Haem Biosynthesis; Metabolism of Odd-number Carbon Fatty Acids; fi Oxidation; The Battle Hymm of the Aerobes; The Glycoxylate Cycle; The Michaelis anthem; Fatty Acid Biosynthesis; We’re Here Because Urea; A Cautionary Carol; Waltz Around the Cycle; Cholesterol Biosynthesis; The Chemiosmotic Theory; Photosynthesis; The Pentose Phosphate Shunt.