Nurturing biology students' interactive learning with TI-Nspire

DALLAS, USA: You can take the student out of biology class for the summer, but you can't take biology out of the world around them. Whether at the lake, the park or their own backyard, students can take advantage of the long break to learn more about how living systems work.

"The study of biology is becoming more and more important in understanding the world around us," said Erick Archer, science subject matter specialist for Texas Instruments Education Technology. "For example, with an aging population, demand for medical solutions is at a premium. Understanding living systems, from food-borne pathogens to the physiology of humans, is in high demand. This understanding starts in biology classrooms."

Texas Instruments brings life to summer study by posting biology-themed activities on its Facebook page throughout this week. Through these activities, students will be able to explore biology concepts that are around them all the time and understand why the study of biology is so important. For example, one activity focuses on genetic traits.

The self-contained activities also help students discover the powerful teaching and learning capabilities of TI-Nspire technology even if they don't own the TI-Nspire CX handheld or the TI-Nspire Software version 3.0. Students will be able to access the activities through the TI-Nspire Document Player, a free online tool that enables anyone to share and explore TI-Nspire documents created with TI-Nspire computer software.

When students return to the biology classroom this fall, educators can take advantage of TI-Nspire technology in both the lab and the classroom. TI brings together a suite of interactive science teaching and learning tools including the color-display TI-Nspire CX handheld, TI-Nspire Software version 3.0, and the new Vernier DataQuest application for TI-Nspire.

More than 60 data collection sensors by Vernier Software & Technology and TI are compatible with TI-Nspire technology. Topics ranging from water quality and cell biology to genetics and anatomy are well suited to hands-on experimentation with tools such CO2 and water quality sensors to blood pressure and heart rate monitors.