Collaborative curation in the classroom

In this case study the use of a spreadsheet in Google Docs to support students as they collate and curate evidence is demonstrated. Working collaboratively in small groups, students searched both traditional and social online media for articles on the growth of genetically modified (GM) crops, in order to answer the question: “ Is the UK media biased against GM crops?”. The structure of the spreadsheet facilitated the organisation and analysis of the information retrieved. The activity supported students as they developed search strategies and established criteria for evaluating the credibility of sources and evidence. The activity encouraged students to consider the stakeholders in an important bioethical issue, and identify alternative perspectives on the associated risks and benefits; a useful precursor for undertaking more formalised bioethical reasoning.