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Computational Science and Science Educational Materialsby Angela B. Shiflet and George W. Shiflet |
Biology for the Global Citizen
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Biology for the Global Citizen is a customizable, accessible, introductory learning resource for students with varying backgrounds in biology. The text encourages students to be inquisitive, sensible, and attentive, so they may seek and demand truth in all areas of life and act as informed global citizens. Through engaging material, personal applications, and active learning experiences, students develop a basic understanding of how science, and biology in particular, are pertinent to their lives.
The text is comprised of a series of modules that include related laboratories. Each module explores key concepts in biology and features sections on applying science to life, quick review questions, and points of inquiry to facilitate learning. The laboratories, using computer simulations accessible through the free software tool NetLogo, reinforce the material, apply the scientific method, enhance students’ quantitative literacy, employ data to support conclusions, and emphasize critical thinking and analysis. The units within the text cover essential chemistry concepts, cells, genetics, evolution and natural selection, and ecology and the environment.
Developed to increase students’ interest in biology and demonstrate how key concepts in the discipline have application in their everyday lives, Biology for the Global Citizen is an exemplary resource for foundational courses in science and biology.
"What's News in Science?" is a compilation of topical news stories written by Biology for the Global Citizen authors, mainly George Shiflet. New articles are added periodically.
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Introduction to Computational Science:
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Introduction to Computational Science provides students with a versatile and accessible introduction to the subject, an exciting field at the intersection of the sciences, computer science, and mathematics. The textbook assumes only a background in high school algebra; enables instructors to follow tailored pathways through the material; and helps the student to comprehend and exploit essential concepts of computational science, the modeling process, computer simulations, and scientific applications. While the text itself is generic, an accompanying website offers tutorials and files in a variety of software packages. Five major approaches to computational science problems are considered: system dynamics models, empirical modeling, cellular automaton simulations, agent-based simulations, and modeling with matrices.
Each module involving a scientific application covers the prerequisite science without overwhelming the reader with excessive detail. Furthermore, the text provides a wide variety of application areas for examples, exercises, and projects, including astronomy, biology, chemistry, economics, engineering, finance, geology, medicine, physics, psychology, and the social sciences.
Most sections of a module end with Quick Review Questions that provide an assessment of the student's comprehension of the material, while answers at the end of the module give immediate feedback and reinforcement to the student. To further aid in understanding the material, most modules include a number of exercises that correlate directly to the material and that the student is to complete usually with pencil and paper and occasionally with a computer. A subsequent "Projects" section provides numerous project assignments for students to develop individually or in teams. Chapters 7 and 14 provide modules of further, substantial projects from a variety of scientific areas that are particularly appropriate for teams of students. Moreover, additional project modules are provided by following the link below.
Additional modules with the necessary background information and associated projects, developed after publication of Introduction to Computational Science, are available here.
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