December 1, 2010 (Vol. 30, No. 21)
URL:
http://www.learner.org/courses/biology
Rating:
Strong Points: Free, downloadable resources for a broad audience
Weak Points: None
Summary:
If you have ever bought a textbook, you will understand my excitement at stumbling upon a wonderful (free!) online textbook. That was my exact sentiment when I came across the website for Rediscovering Biology. The website is actually a companion site for a video series targeted toward high school biology teachers, but the resources on the website are applicable to a much broader audience. The downloadable textbook, for instance, provides an excellent introduction to topics such as genomics, microbial diversity, neurobiology, and genetically modified organisms. In addition to the textbook, there are also worksheets that (even in the absence of the videos) provide good questions to test one’s understanding of various biological concepts. The site also includes a few case-study examples, as well as transcripts of interviews with professionals in the various fields. This is a wonderful resource for high school and college educators, as well as anyone seeking an introduction to germane molecular techniques and topics in biology today.
