INTEGRATING BIOINFORMATICS AT THE INTERDISCIPLINARY INTERSECTION OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL CURRICULA USING A BOTTOM-UP APPROACH

STUDENT SEMINAR IN BIODIVERSITY AND EVOLUTION

We live in the genomics era, when daily generated data is immediately converted to bytes and stored in online databases. These advancements, which have changed the paradigm of biological research, cannot be disregarded when seeking to promote a scientifically informed society. Instead, they demand the need to improve curricular and educational resources at elementary and secondary education levels, through initiatives validated by focused science education research. In this context, the interdisciplinary character of bioinformatics is at a privileged position to foster citizenship education. My PhD project is driven to meet the urgent need of upgrading elementary and secondary education standards to the above mentioned reality, through a bottom-up research approach that positions teachers and students as the instrumental stakeholders.

Graduated in biology, Sofia Martins holds a MSc degree in biology and geology teacher education for middle and secondary schools from the University of Porto. Currently, she is a high-school teacher who recently joined the Microbial Diversity and Evolution Group at CIBIO-InBIO to carry out an FCT funded PhD project on science education under the supervision of Fernando Tavares (CIBIO-InBIO) and Leonor Lencastre (FPCEUP).

Image credits: Sofia Martins