Growing Biology
Here’s what I’ve been reading and thinking about this past week. I suppose that if I am labeling myself as a writer, it is incumbent to show some of the writing, which I do, way too occasionally, on my Blog TGIF Any Day. I hope you will follow some of what is below. Your feedback will be greatly appreciated.
iBiology
… is a website providing over 1200 assets for learning about a broad range of concepts in the biological sciences. The current feature is on obesity. There are sections in Famous Discoveries and Microscopy. Professional development courses include: Business Concepts for Life Scientists. One that I plan to watch soon is: Optical Sectioning and Confocal Microscopy.
LabXchange
LabXchange provides a broad range of videos, simulations, etc. that can be mixed and disseminated by users in order to customize content for their particular students, constituents and collaborators. There is a resemblance to Authorware that may not be accidental. Check out LabXchange – Learning Without Limits. Science and Learning Connected. The website includes “An online community for learning, sharing and collaboration. Labs are places of exploration and discovery for every field imaginable. In this spirit, you can discover, engage, and share what you learn on LabXchange. We curate and create world-class digital content, delivered on a free, online platform that lets you integrate your learning and research experiences. Here, you take control of your learning and solve real-world problems as a community. Participation will always be free.” LabXchange is an initiative of Amgen Foundation and Harvard Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) – These assets take many forms in additions to the expected YouTube styled and channeled video; for instance there are text, and simulation assets.
Neuroeconomics
This is an emerging multidisciplinary field involving neuroscience, psychology and economics, that focuses on how we, humans, make decisions. Interested scholars can join a Society for Neuroeconomics for a modest fee of about $200 and attend an annual conference, which this year will be held in Vancouver BC in October. I am mildly tempted.
A couple of years ago, I was startled when speaking with a degree candidate (MD/PhD), at UMN. He made reference to the economy of cellular functions in the brain. My mind was stretched and will never again see biology, education and economics as separate disciplines. I’ve spent plenty of time over a few years thinking about the importance of biology to education, but more recently I’ve been trying to put economic foundations under education by reconsidering a role for economics in neuroscience and our basic physiology. For example, what is a value and how does value choice entertain utility? When is there cost-benefit trade offs in food selections? How might that relate to problems of morbid obesity or a beer belly?
If you have thoughts on any of these topics I would greatly appreciate hearing from you by return email (bflind (at) cheqnet (dot)net) or by your comments on the TGIF Blog.
Warmest regards,
Bruce