Using Glowscript to Teach Numerical Modeling in Undergraduate Biology Education

Abstract

Mathematical and numerical modeling is an increasingly important, yet often neglected, topic for biology students. We have found Glowscript to facilitate teaching and introducing computer simulations to students. In particular, the built-in the graphics and graphing capabilities can provide students with immediate feedback. Glowscript is a web-based form of visual Python that runs in a standard browser, and students can easily embed their simulations in external websites. Here we show various examples of how Glowscript is implemented in an undergraduate computational biology course. We hope these examples inspire others to adopt Glowscript in their science classrooms.