Analysis of Transcriptomes is an engaging, inquiry-based genomics educational course designed for users at the undergraduate level by the Institute for Science Learning's Instructional Media Group at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Using the principles of instructional design, each of the seven subsections opens with two to four questions that serve as the learning objectives.

Users begin by working through a series of steps to set up the experiment. Then, they apply the cutting-edge tool of DNA microarrays in order to compare the transcriptional activity of genes from actively dividing cells to those transcribed in cells that remain quiescent. Through an integrated series of narrated audio, 3D graphics, FLASH movies, and interactives, users work at their own pace checking their understanding at the end of each subsection. Finally, users are presented with four unknown genes and challenged to categorize them by interpreting their transcriptional profiles.

The review section provides comprehensive answers to the questions posed in each subsection, while the final assessment allows instructors to measure student understanding. The summary illustrates how microarrays provide a powerful way to answer fundamental questions in genomics.

If you encounter technical difficulties, please contact our Technical Support Center at img_support@unc.edu