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Enhancing Biology Education through Agent-Based Simulations: A Project Overview

This paper discusses the implementation of agent-based modeling in a Simulation in Biology course, designed to enhance students’ understanding of biological concepts through a systems approach. Students engage in hands-on projects and group work, using the StarLogoTNG platform to simulate complex biological systems. The course emphasizes connections between various biology fields, systems thinking, and the integration of mathematics and computer science. Evaluations of the course implementation at UMass Boston highlight faculty development and the creation of instructional materials to foster effective teaching and learning.

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Enhancing Biology Education through Agent-Based Simulations: A Project Overview

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  1. Modeling from molecules to moose Teaching students to develop agent-based simulations in biology Elizabeth F. Ryder1, Joseph R. Boyd1, Timothy B. Marsden1, Meagan E. Sullender1, Brian T. White2 1Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2UMass Boston NSF TUES Award 1140672

  2. Motivation • Vision and Change in Undergraduate Education (AAAS, 2010) • Biology should be taught more conceptually • Students need experience with modeling, simulation, and systems approaches to biology. • Simulation in Biology course • Agent-based modeling: systems approach • Similar concepts in different areas of biology: ecology, cell biology, molecular biology • StarLogoTNG: Gentle introduction to programming and simulation that is immediately relevant to biology

  3. Goals Students in Simulation in Biology will: • Gain a deep understanding of biological content and the connections among different fields in biology. • Gain experience with use of simulation in science; hypothesis testing and predicting • Make connections between mathematics, computer science, and biology • Show increased ‘systems thinking’; understand ‘emergent properties’ of systems

  4. Simulation in Biology class • Logistics • Boot camp, practice simulation, project, blog • Class time mostly working in groups

  5. Student project: Schistosomiasis

  6. Evaluation, Dissemination & Acknowledgments • Evaluation • Faculty development • Implementation of Simulation in Biology at UMass Boston, Summer 2014 • Instructor is an ecologist with little programming background • Dissemination ‘kit’ • Tutorials, Boot camp problems, teacher’s guide • Practice projects with guidelines and code • Acknowledgments • Eric Klopfer and colleagues, MIT • WPI students • NSF TUES Award

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