#10 - Ensure a minimal computer competency among students.

#9 - Keep student interest.
 

#8 - Provide something interesting for the Admissions and PR staff to talk about. / Keep up with the competition.
 

Mr. Newman.  I recently had the oppurtunity to attend the Science Saturday at Lycoming College.  I was also very interested in your presentation on the Biology department.  The work your lab. assistants do is exceptional, I hope if I am excepted that I may work with you on a project of such impact.  Your department overview, which I had the privilege to observe at your side while you surfed the net on your labtop, was  awesome.  My parents and I were very impressed by all that.  Your love and knowledge for the subject shows in you enthusiasm as you speak.  A quality not found in every professor. I am writing as a possible Biology major at Lycoming to ask you for  any interesting interactive Biology anatomy programs for my PC that you might recommend or offer me.  I observed the last part of your demonstration but didn't get to ask you any questions due to the fact I had an interview scheduled.  I enjoyed the day at Lycoming College and hope to be excepted.  I should be notified with in a few weeks. Thank you for all your help.
 
 

#5 - It impresses the promotion and tenure committee.

#4 - A novel format to accomodate different learning styles.

 

Interactive sites promote active learning.	Virtual FlyLab - Design and Mate Flies  The Tree of Life Home Page
Graphically-rich environment for visual learners - animations.	Molecular Library  BIOL 121 Slide List
Additional problem sets/practice for those that need extra help.	The Biology Project  http://www.jmu.edu/biology/b101/b101m/b101m.html

 

#3 - It's fun and the students like it (as determined from end of the semester evaluations).

#2 - Easy access to important resources.
 
 

And the #1 reason to have a course web page......

The students are surfing anyway, they might as well learn biology instead of visiting XXX-rated sites.

How does one create a course web page and content to put on it?

1. Work Study Students - many are better at this than we are.
2. Current Wordprocessors - Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect can save files in HTML format.
1. Lack of control over formatting.
3. Web Page Design Programs
4. Netscape Communicator
1. drag and drop links from browser into editor
5. Microsoft Powerpoint
6. The World Lecture Hall

Web-based, web accessible tools that are worth the time investment.

Rasmol and Chime Molecular Visualization Software
    You'll never teach protein structure the same way again
    Many tutorials, scripts available

 MDL Chemscape Chime
 RasMol Home Page