Integrating instruction of population genetics and mathematics common core standards using Stella® (530.5)

Abstract

Increasing integration of mathematics and biological concepts is an area of intense focus in both secondary and higher education. Our goal was to develop a platform through which high school mathematics and biology instructors could collaborate with one another in order to demonstrate to their students the connectedness of the two disciplines. Our focus was to apply mathematics common core standards to biological phenomena. One strategy was to show how principles of mathematical modeling could be used to solve population genetics problems. In order to do so, we instructed teachers on how population genetics problems could be modeled and solved using the software, Stella®. We first taught instructors basic functions of the software and then demonstrated how Stella® could be used to answer problems in population genetics. Based on feedback from the instructors, we feel that this provided them with a unique experience that they will be able to use in their classrooms. Grant Funding Source: Supported by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission