Category: Dragon Genetics
Breeding virtual dragons is all in a day’s work in biology classrooms using Geniverse, our free, web-based genetics software. Although Geniverse is a game-like environment, it’s far more than child’s play. Indeed, students dive into genetics on a quest to heal a beloved dragon. Students use a model species (drakes) to explore the fundamental mechanisms […]
Did you know that while dragons and their model species drakes are fictional and fanciful, the genetics of these virtual Geniverse creatures is based firmly on the real-world genetics of model organisms? The drake genes and traits have been carefully compiled from the actual genes and associated traits of the anole lizard, mouse, fruit fly, […]
Our nation’s future competitiveness and our citizens’ overall STEM literacy rely on our efforts to forge connections between the future workforce and the world of emerging STEM careers. Biotechnology, and genetics in particular, are rapidly advancing areas that will offer new jobs across the spectrum from technicians to scientists. A new $1.2 million National Science […]
Games, modeling, and simulation technologies hold great potential for helping students learn science concepts and engage with the practices of science, and these environments often capture meaningful data about student interactions. At the same time, intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) have undergone important advancements in providing support for individual student learning. Their complex statistical user models […]
No smoke and mirrors here: dragons are getting kids all fired up about genetics. Geniverse software engages students with compelling reasons to solve genetics problems. As they rise through the ranks of the Drake Breeders Guild, students win stars and quills for efficient experimentation and for using their own experimental results as evidence for their […]