| Gecko Gazette" is a newsletter for the 15th International Biology Olympiad. you can download it from the website of 15th IBO.>>> | |
| This is a part of my suggestion for the Advisory Board of IBO, held in Prague Yesterday: ...I would like to emphasize once again upon the number vs. quality of IBO test questions. My suggestion is to decrease the number of multiple-choice type A questions, until their defined quota i.e. 25% of the theoretical task. This will provide enough space to increase the number of type B questions. To improve the quality of IBO, I suggest limiting the number of theoretical part at 50. This will provide enough time to improve the procedures of judging and translating during the sessions... | |
I'm not sure that how Project-Based Learning can be used in Biology Olympiads. Any way this is enough potential to be used for assessing for understanding. The groups started their activities on the selected project at the beginning of October, while the new school year starts in Iran and students are just come back to school. The duration of time for the project were defined around 4 months, i.e. till end of January. The project underwent diversity in content and requirements. While some demanded collecting information, others required making one or more artifacts, and/or a combination of both. Time dedicated to projects was totally chosen from student’s free time including holydays, when the students were just out of school. Each group was to present its own results as attractive as possible, using different media they were able to apply. Some successful projects were entitled as below. - Escalator - Microwave oven - Dentistry row materials - Fridge - Rope way - Laser, production and application Some project rose support from students’ family members, so they got favourable helps. This lead to a collaboration needed for science works, i.e. to collect information, visiting required places etc. As some projects involved the students in a real science project, they had a useful practice of science process skills e.g. designing experiments, collecting, presenting, and analysis and interpreting of data. Because all students were involved in the activities enthusiastically mentors were satisfied observing their students in scientific research they were involved. Assessing students project were consider upon assessing for understanding. That was not done by teacher or supervisor, but only considered by visitors. The school continue to introduce projects as extracurricular activities for students after the first year of implementation. | |
| Campbell Biology, Sixth Edition | |
| In IBO guide 2003 you read "Biology 5th edition by Campbell, Publ. Addison Wesley Longman" is a general biology textbook. But the book has been updated and the 6th edition has already been published and you can have a free trial subscription to it. This one-time subscription will give you full access to all of the content on the site except for the E-Book. Click here for subscription | |
| Holistic view of Biology | |
| Peter O’Donoghu and John de Jersey Co-Chief Examiners of 15th IBO wrote in the very welcomed invitation letter that: We consider biology to be a holistic, multidisciplinary science. Accordingly, questions will not be grouped into blocks according to the sub-disciplines of biology. That's great. The holistic multidisciplinary view is ultimate. cheers! | |
| 1st round | |
| The first round of Iranian Biology olympiad(IrBO) for 2004 will be on Friday Feb. 6th 2004. IrBO is a multistage competition for students of max. 18 years old, who are studing in Iranian schools. | |
| According to Oon Yeoh, "A Weblog is basically an online diary maintained by an individual , which focuses on a specific topic and features regularly updated links to other web sites or articles, together with brief, funny and even critical comments about those links. In short, it is a highly opinionated commentary piece peppered with a bunch of related links embedded within the article. The crucial difference between a traditional commentary piece and a Weblog is actually not the fact that the latter contains web links. Rather, it has more to do with the fact that a Weblog allows the writer to establish a strong bond with his readers." I created this Weblog to communicate with my colleagues all over the world and exchenge information & ideas about Biology Education, to ask questions to the teacher communities and science educators and to reflect obtained experiences on my work, i.e. reforming biology education in my country (Iran). I intend to use Weblog to build a micro-community for biology educators. If you see a story you think our readers would be interested in, please inform me via e-mail: karamudini@teachers.org |