A new approach to teach molecular biology in high school using Python

Abstract

Teachers' role in 21st century is undergoing a transition from the orthodox ‘chalk and talk’ method to a student-centered, activity-based approach that maximizes students' active-learning opportunities and engages them to solve various problems. Teachers play an important role in today's technology-rich classrooms that significantly affect students' learning. For this reason it is time for the students, taking up biology in senior school, to realize that their responsibilities towards the subject have changed, since recent trends in information and communication are redefining biology and taking precedence over the traditional methods. The present study is designed to investigate the utility of Python programming language as a teaching material for high school students in learning biology. This paper also highlights the strengths in using Python Language in some selected topics of biology and establishes how there is a connection between student successes in learning biology with creative use of Python programs.