DEVELOPING ICT BASED SCIENCE LEARNING MATERIALS Giuseppe DOTI Associazione Antares Biological information has been expanding at big-bang speed. Over the past three decades rapid development in field of genomics and other molecular research technologies have been generated a huge amount of biological data that has increasingly become difficult maintain through traditional computing processes. The developments in ICTs have combined to produce a tremendous amount of biological information. Development of multimedia learning resources of plant science combined with workbooks created the opportunities of exploring the essential concepts of a course by using the full pedagogical power of multimedia. Many universities in the world have already developed their own bioinformatics system as the de facto source of scholarly knowledge in the new teaching- learning environment. In this project ICT based interactive teaching-learning environment will be established in order to improve the quality of tertiary education in plant science. To do so all academic infrastructures of the department (class rooms, laboratories, seminar library, field work facilities etc.) will be renovated and modernized by incorporating ICT infrastructures such as computers, broad band internet connection, multimedia projector, CD-ROMs, DVDs, microfilms. Practical labs will be equipped with modern equipments. A new Bioinformatics lab will be developed as a departmental ICT platform for developing and maintaining new website containing interactive diverse forms of teaching-learning resources materials, such as, interactive examples, animation, video, narrative and written texts on all theoretical and practical courses in plant science. All academic and administrative staffs will be trained in order to be acquainted in the new teaching- learning environment. The new teaching-learning resources materials accessible to everyone that will break down the walls of traditional education system. The web-based interactive learning atmosphere will allow more effective interaction between the students and teacher. It will create a new access route for hundred and thousand of qualified, motivated students studying plant science in all public and private universities and in government colleges under national university. It will also keep students everywhere informed on what is available anywhere in the world, and at what price. This project is designed to improve the quality of teaching-learning and research capabilities of the Department of Botany through introducing ICT based interactive teachinglearning methods, by formulating a need oriented and student-centered academic curricula and by modernizing the departmental academic infrastructure and support facilities for the students. This project is designated to improve the professional skills of the academic and administrative staffs of the department for coping with increasing challenges of globalization and ICT before tertiary education in plant sciences. The main expected results include significant improvement in the quality of teaching and student learning, modernizing class room and laboratory environment. Access to use ICT in seminar library and class rooms for using electronic learning resources will significantly improve. This project will radically improve the teaching-learning capability of the plant science department. Plant science is one of the major branches of biological sciences. Exploring plant is one of the fundamental quests of human being because plants are closely related with food security and survival of humanity and other life forms. During recent times, all biological
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