The University of Western Australia (UWA) in association with The University of Tasmania and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), today unveiled a DVD:  ‘Advances in Plant Genetics’ designed to assist secondary biology teachers in their classrooms.

Professor Alistar Robertson, Dean of UWA’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences said that with the imminent changes to the secondary curriculum towards teaching in context, science teachers are in need of new resources to support the new Courses of Study.

“This DVD will provide an agricultural context for the teaching of biology course content in high schools.  ‘Advances in Plant Genetics’ delves into DNA mapping using restriction enzymes, using the context of canola breeding to show the relevance of molecular biology to students,” he said

Project Officer and secondary chemistry teacher Colin Hawke said: “This DVD will be invaluable to any teacher who needs a context for teaching biology.  It will allow them to update their knowledge about genetics, as well as provide interactive activities for their students”.

Shenton College teacher Warwick Mathews, who used the previous CD-ROM produced by the project, is looking forward to implementing this resource in his classroom.

“I will be able to excite students about genetics in a way that I cannot do given the budgetary constraints of schools.  I’m really looking forward to using this DVD with my students,” he said.

This is the second in a series of teaching resources produced through the project, following on the success of last year’s highly successful Chemistry in Context: From Vine to Wine CD-ROM, of which 320 copies have been circulated to interested teachers.  This DVD has been produced as part of the Primary Industry Science Project, which aims to connect secondary science teachers and tertiary-bound science students with primary industry science and career paths.