Biotechnology in the Classroom

OUTREACH Science Ontario is a collaborative project between the Department of Biochemistry and individual high school Biology teachers. The program is designed to facilitate hands-on learning of biotechnology by providing access to the equipment and reagents necessary to perform experiments in a high school enviroment. The Department of Biochemistry coordinates this lending program and works with teachers to provide safety orientation and training that enables them to carry out the experiments in their classrooms. Our specific goals include:

1. Increase student awareness of the importance of biotechnology in our society.

2. Demonstrate the relevance of biotechnology for a wide variety of career choices.

3. Allow students to perform the hands-on practical aspects of modern biotechnology.

4. Enhance, complement and supplement the high school biology curriculum.

5. Provide university level contacts for students interested in furthering their education in science and engineering.

Dr. Chris Brandl (Professor of Biochemistry at UWO) provides an orientation session that qualifies teachers to obtain no-charge loans of the PCR or DNA Cloning kits. The kits contain all necessary reagents and equipment, optimized for use in high school classrooms, to complete a hands-on wet lab for 10 working groups of two or more students. Teachers are asked to pick up the kits at UWO and return them after the one-week loan period.

These DNA Cloning and PCR experiments are tailored to fit with senior levels of Biology as outlined in the Ontario Science and Technology Curriculum. If you are interested in participating in this project please contact Dr. Chris Brandl (cbrandl@uwo.ca) in the Department of Biochemistry at The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.