Developing and Implementing Cloud-Based Tutorials That Combine Bioinformatics Software, Interactive Coding, and Visualization Exercises for Distance Learning on Structural Bioinformatics

摘要: The COVID-19 pandemic has swiftly forced a change in learning strategies across educational institutions, from extensively relying on in-person activities toward online teaching It is particularly difficult to adapt courses that depend physical equipment be now carried out remotely This the case for bioinformatics, which typically requires dedicated computer classrooms, as logistics of granting remote access workstation or computational resources each student not trivial A possible workaround using cloud server-based computing resources, such Google Colaboratory, free web browser application allows writing and execution Python programming through Jupyter notebooks, integrating text, images, code cells Following cloud-based approach, we migrated practical course molecular modeling simulation into Colaboratory environment resulting 12 tutorials introduce students topics phylogenetic analysis, modeling, docking, several flavors dynamics, coevolutionary analysis Each these notebooks includes brief introduction topic, software installation, required tools, results, with step properly described Using Likert scale questionnaire, pool positively evaluated terms time their completion, ability understand content exercises developed session, significance impact tools have scientific research All are freely available at https://github com/pb3lab/ibm3202 © Published 2021 by American Chemical Society Division Education, Inc