OpenWetWare:Highlights/OpenWetWare in the classroom

OWW in the classroom - 02/25/2006

MIT undergrads have recently been adding new data to OpenWetWare in the form of on-line lab entries and protocol updates. This years students in Biological Engineering introductory lab class BE.109 are signing up for accounts on the wiki system originally designed for open protocol sharing. Along with other course material, experimental results like gel images are uploaded to the site each week and students encouraged to comment, edit and discuss the protocols and procedures. "We hope students will see themselves as responsible participants in the investigative process" says Natalie Kuldell, an instructor on the course. This is just one example of the Wiki being used for more that just lab web pages. By adding course information to the wiki, students are able to document their work, develop research ideas and interact with their lab partners. Because there is a lasting record of the changes, the Wiki will continue to improve the class for future students. OpenWetWare, which launched last year, now hosts over 30 different lab web pages from 18 different universities. This is the 4th course that has moved its content onto the wiki and others are set to follow according to MIT's Drew Endy, one of the course instructors. All users are welcome to add their course material to OWW.

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