Abstract/L.S. SantschiFifth International Barcode of Life Conference, Kunming China
EDUCATION AND THE BARCODE OF LIFE: NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE
STUDENTS IN DEEP EXPLORATIONS OF NATURE, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY
SANTSCHI, L. A. (1), Ratnasingham, S. R. (2), Pierossi, P. (2), van Wyngaarden, M. (2),
Friedberg, J. (3), Husain, N. (3), Hanner, R. H. (2), and Imondi, R. (1)
(1) Coastal Marine Biolabs, United States of America
(2) Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, Canada
(3) Spongelab Interactive, Ontario, Canada
Education has gained significant prominence among the social aspects of the iBOL project.
Nevertheless, efforts to exploit the full potential of DNA barcoding to enhance life science
instruction have been met by a number of barriers. The absence of a customized and
centralized informatics platform where the educational community can seamlessly intersect with
the iBOL research community has represented the most significant stumbling block to student
engagement in DNA barcoding. This challenge has been compounded by fragmentary
information on the concepts and methods of DNA barcoding, pervasive misconceptions
regarding barcode data standards and their implications for student participation in iBOL, and a
dearth of curriculum materials for use in school/university classroom settings. In an effort to
scale our own educational programming and support emerging educational initiatives centered
on DNA barcoding, we launched the Education and Barcode of Life (eBOL) Community Web
Portal (www.EducationandBarcoding.org). Developed in collaboration with science
professionals, the eBOL Community Web Portal integrates powerful new resources for
educators to overcome these barriers and engage their students in transformative educational
experiences. The portal also establishes a framework to facilitate the formation of a
professional community committed to advancing DNA barcoding as a new tool to innovate life
science education.