Auckland, March 16th 2021
Workshops
Professional Development for Science Teachers. DNAiTECH Workshops
We provide professional training workshops for science teachers on DNAiTECH to understand its potential for engaging students with science and technology. These workshops include a short refresher course in isothermal DNA technologies and plenty of hands-on practice time using the kit and gathering data. For practical work, depending on the size of the group, teachers may work in pairs or have an instrument to themselves for a smaller group. The capacity is for up to twenty teachers per workshop. The workshops are for one full day. We cater to all teachers irrespective of their backgrounds.
You might be an ex-gene jockey and tried CRISPR gene modification on your cat or you might have never been in a lab and never touched a pipette or a centrifuge. We always start at a basic level and run at a gentle pace. The idea of the workshops is that they be very informative, interactive, stimulating, fun and that they equip teachers to become competent users and provide new technologies they can use to engage students with science and technology. There is time for brainstorming ideas between teachers on how to use the technology in the class or in the field.
Our program
Group introductions
Session 1: The molecular biology revolution. A short explorational dive into the emergence of molecular biology techniques, the quantum strides since unraveling DNA structure, the harnessing of enzymatic nanomachinery to create powerful analytical tools such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the millennial ground-breaking milestone of the human genomic sequencing and beyond through to the present. We use PowerPoint presentations and YouTube resources to help communicate how these tools work, to communicate the wonders of science and molecular biology, in a jargon-free manner making it accessible to all teachers no matter their background.
Session 2: New tools for the classroom. An exploration of how molecular biology can be brought into the classroom to assist with teaching science, technology, maths, and environmental issues. Factors that have prevented trickle-down of new technologies to the classroom, Solving the barriers of cost, lab environment & infrastructure. Introducing DNAiTECH and kits. How they work. Making science simple, engaging students, the Smartphone X factor. Isothermal DNA amplification and how it works.
Session 3: Specific DNA Tests using DNAiTECH. This is a session outlining the currently available tests supplied by us at DNAiTECH. Currently E Coli and M. autumnalis and the genes that are being detected. The relevance of these organisms to environmental issues in New Zealand.
Session 4: Lab basics. A short session covering basic aspects of lab technologies, using pipettes, minicentrifuge, handling solutions, health & safety.
Session 5: Hands-on DNAiTECH 1. Practical lab experiment using DNAiTECH using purified target DNA, experiment design, control samples, and test samples, installing and using the App, set up and running the experiment, data analysis, interpreting data.
Session 6: Hands-on DNAiTECH 2. Practical experiment, from a contaminated water sample the whole process of extraction of DNA to running a DNAiTECH experiment to achieving a test result.
Session 7: Getting started in the class: A presentation on how to get started in your class
Session 8: Group Process: brain-storming ideas and projects for the class and in the field
Session 9: Wrap-up session. Feedback on the group process