Developing principles and steps for integrating bioinformatics into teaching for pedagogical university students: A case study in Vietnam

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to develop the principles and methods for integrating bioinformatics into biology teaching. The study started with analyzing the high school biology curriculum, a survey on bioinformatics knowledge of teachers and pedagogical university students, a survey of teacher training curricula of pedagogical universities and education faculties and proposed principles and steps for integrating bioinformatics into biology teaching. The research results proposed six basic principles and a four-step process to guide pedagogical university students in integrating bioinformatics into biology teaching. The main principles include being simple, identifiable and appropriate for students, being compatible with biological knowledge content and bioinformatics, breaking down the knowledge module for analysis and empowering, personalizing students creating a model for analysis on paper before utilizing a computer and producing particularly good products related to bioinformatics.  A four-step process, including selecting knowledge topics suitable for bioinformatics applications, dividing the topic into small knowledge modules, data analysis using bioinformatics, and creating bioinformatics products. The findings of this study provide valuable insights that show that integrating bioinformatics into high school biology teaching is necessary. Applying principles and methods of integrating bioinformatics into teaching promises to improve the quality of biology teaching and promote STEM education in Vietnam and developing countries.