Identification of User-Friendly Bioinformatics Tools for Courses in Open and Distance Learning

Main Article Content

Prasad Senadheera
Malinda Kumarasinghe
Pradeepa Perera
Jayantha Wattewidanage
T.K. Weerasinghe

Abstract

Bioinformatics has become a vital offspring of biology with a wider spectrum of applications. Many fields of biology now rely on the analysis and interpretations of observations through the genomic scale data using bioinformatics. There is a considerable demand to learn bioinformatics, which can be easily offered in open and distance (e)learning (ODL/ODeL) systems due to its total reliance on information and computer technology (ICT). Generally, course design and content development for new courses in ODL demand substantial resources and time. Use of existing bioinformatics software tools and allied documents can drastically reduce these resource demands and time factors in course designing and updating. Given a large number of proliferating bioinformatics software tools available on the Internet, it requires comprehensive criteria to identify software tools and documentation that are user-friendly for open and distance learners, and needs multidisciplinary knowledge in ODL, Biology, and Bioinformatics. A criteria-based software evaluation was adopted in this study to evaluate the user-friendliness of bioinformatics software, particularly the plant genomic analysis software which was available in the Internet for free usage. Two main criteria used in this selection: Usability and Maintainability. These main criteria consisted of several sub-criteria such as understandability, documentation, installability, learnability, etc. A wider spectrum of Bioinformatics software tools designed for different stages of genomic data analysis, from simple sequence analysis to genome wide analysis, were used in this evaluation process. Based on the criteria, a series of user-friendly bioinformatics tools that can be used at different stages of genomic data analysis were identified. In addition to the criteria of selection, these tools and allied documentation can effectively be integrated with development of a comprehensive ODL-based bioinformatics courses. Further, this outcome facilitates offering hard science concepts through the minimum commitment of resources and time to meet the escalating demand for capacity development in Bioinformatics.

Article Details

How to Cite
Senadheera, P. ., Kumarasinghe, M. ., Perera, P. ., Wattewidanage, J. ., & Weerasinghe, T. . (2016). Identification of User-Friendly Bioinformatics Tools for Courses in Open and Distance Learning. International Journal on Open and Distance E-Learning, 2(2). Retrieved from https://ijodel.upou.edu.ph/index.php/ijodel/article/view/32
Section
Articles