Nancy Rauch DUE 9552199 Peralta Cmty Col Dist Off FY1995 $ 23,937 Oakland, CA 94619 ILI - Instrumentation Project: Life Sciences Title: Physiology and Biology Experiments in a Computerized Laboratory This project is allowing community college biology students to study and analyze physiological functioning of the human body and other biological phenomena with the use of computers. Commercially obtained software programs is being used to study, record and analyze electrocardiograms, lung function, somatic reflexes, electroencephalograms, and simulated muscle physiology. Students are able to save data to disc and analyze their own readings and class data as well. They are gaining knowledge of basic physiology and also becoming more computer literate at the same time. These exercises are being incorporated into the laboratory schedule and becoming a part of the standard curriculum for the Human Physiology, General Biology and Anatomy/Physiology courses at Merritt College, a two-year community college in Oakland, California. Other colleges in the Peralta Community College District, of which Merritt College is a part, are being introduced to the software. Laboratory experiences with the computers and programs are being shared with these colleges at joint staff development meetings. Demonstration sessions are also be held for Merritt College instructors so that this equipment can be incorporated into most of the biology classes offered at Merritt College. As a result of this new technological capability in our undergraduate laboratories, our students have a better understanding of basic physiological and biological principles, as well as an increased level of computer skill and confidence.
