The goal of this course is to increase awareness of biotechnology research, its applications and related career opportunities among middle and high school educators. It is based on NCABR's Mapping Your Future: Careers in Biomanufacturing curriculum manual.
The course is self-paced and incorporates a variety of modalities, including online learning modules and curriculum review. You will earn 10 contact hours (1 CEU) if you complete the basic, required assignments and 10 additional contact hours (1 additional CEU) if you complete the optional Classroom Implementation assignment for 3 of the course's 5 units.
View the Curriculum Matrix and Teacher Evaluation Matrix for this course. An updated version of the Curriculum Matrix will be posted soon.
This course was made possible by the Biogen Idec Foundation.
Getting Started
- 1. Make Sure You're Registered
- Have you registered? If so, you will have received a confirmation email from NCABR. If you haven't, please click the "Register Now" button at the top of the right column.
- 2. Course Companion
- Click here to save the Course Companion to your computer or print it out.
Note: The above link will go live when the course window opens.
You'll use it to track your progress and complete assignments. At the end of the course, you'll need to return this document to NCABR via email or regular mail along with any supporting documents that might be required. See "Upon Completion" below for details.
- 3. How to Complete the Assignments
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Access each assignment by clicking its link below. Once you complete an assignment, record the date of completion in the "Track Your Progress" section of your Course Companion (beginning on page 3). All assignments are required unless marked "Optional."
The Reflection Exercises are questions and activities that relate to the assignments you've completed. These appear in the "Reflection Exercises" section of your Course Companion (beginning on page 17). Each section concludes with a Reflection Exercise.
Each of the course's 5 units concludes with an optional Classroom Implementation assignment. Completing 3 of these allows you to earn 10 additional contact hours. You have 2 options for each Classroom Implementation assignment. For details, refer to the "Classroom Implementation" section of your Course Companion (beginning on page 38).
If you decide to complete the Course Companion electronically using the fillable PDF form fields, don't forget to save the document often.
Unit 1: Biotechnology Applications
Learning Objectives
- The educator will define "biotechnology" in terms students would understand.
- The educator will explain the evolution of biotechnology over time using a technology tool.
- The educator will identify examples of biotechnology applications.
A. What is Biotechnology?
- Reading Assignment
- What is Biotechnology? (pages 4–5)
- Watch Videos
- Optional: "Faces of Biotechnology: What is Biotechnology?"
- Review Websites
- Optional: Biotechnology Fact Sheets
- Optional: Biotechnology Institute
- Reflection Exercise
- Refer to Course Companion
B. Biotechnology Timeline
- Reading Assignment
- Biotechnology Timeline (pages 5–6)
- Review PowerPoint
- Biotechnology Timeline
- Reflection Exercise
- Refer to Course Companion
C. Biotechnology Applications
- Reading Assignment
- Practical Applications of Biotechnology (pages 12–17)
- Watch Videos
- "Heal, Feed, Sustain: How Biotechnology Can Help Save the World"
- Optional: "What is Biomanufacturing?"
- Optional: Bio Jobs for NC
- Review PowerPoint
- Practical Applications of Biotechnology
- Review Websites
- Aboutbioscience.org: Bioscience Topics
- Optional: Myths & Facts: Plant Biotechnology
- Optional: Myths & Facts: Food & Fuel
- Reflection Exercise
- Refer to Course Companion
D. Classroom Implementation (optional)
Refer to your Course Companion for instructions. Completing the Classroom Implementation assignment for 3 of this course's 5 units allows you to earn 10 additional contact hours (1 additional CEU).
Unit 2: From Lab to Market
Learning Objectives
- The educator will explain the process a drug goes through to get to market.
- The educator will clarify what happens in a clinical trial.
- The educator will explain the importance of process analysis writing (step-by-step instructions) for biomanufacturing workers and other scientists.
- The educator will understand the importance of discussing bioethics with students.
A. How a New Drug Gets to Market
- Reading Assignment
- How a New Drug Gets to Market — An Overview (pages 28–29)
- Watch Video
- "Living Proof: Faces of Research"
- Reflection Exercise
- Refer to Course Companion
B. Clinical Trials
- Reading Assignments
- Clinical Trials — A Closer Look (pages 29–31)
- The Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Industries — Regulated for Safety and Quality (pages 31–32)
- Review PowerPoint
- Clinical Trials: A Closer Look
- Review Websites
- Optional: Pharmaceutical Regulation in the United States
- Optional: Good Manufacturing Practices
- Reflection Exercise
- Refer to Course Companion
C. Manufacturing and Bioethics
- Reading Assignments
- Producing a Pharmaceutical or Biopharmaceutical — The Manufacturing Process (pages 38–39)
- What Quality Means and Why It Matters (pages 39–40)
- Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Regulations (page 41)
- Review PowerPoint
- Producing a Pharmaceutical or Biopharmaceutical
- Watch Videos
- Optional: Biotech: The First Step in Drug Development
- Optional: What is an SOP?
- Review Websites
- Aboutbioscience.org: Bioethics
- Optional: Exploring Bioethics
- Reflection Exercise
- Refer to Course Companion
D. Classroom Implementation (optional)
Refer to your Course Companion for instructions. Completing the Classroom Implementation assignment for 3 of this course's 5 units allows you to earn 10 additional contact hours (1 additional CEU).
Unit 3: Career Opportunities
Learning Objectives
- The educator will become acquainted with the diversity of biotechnology jobs.
- The educator wil become familiar with four or more specific biotechnology jobs.
- The educator will identify resources that students could use to research biotechnology jobs.
A. Career Opportunities
- Reading Assignments
- Biotechnology Generates Opportunities (pages 48–49)
- Seizing the Opportunity (pages 49–50)
- On the Job — Typical Biomanufacturing Job Positions (pages 50–53)
- Optional: Student Activity: A Day in the Life of Six Biomanufacturing Employees (page 54)
- Optional: Student Activity: Selecting a Biomanufacturing Career (page 67)
- Watch Videos
- Biopharmaceutical Career: Process Development Scientist
- Biopharmaceutical Career: Process Engineer
- Biopharmaceutical Career: Process Technician
- Biopharmaceutical Career: Quality Assurance Associate
- Biopharmaceutical Career: Quality Control Associate
- Biopharmaceutical Career: Validation Specialist
- Review PowerPoint
- Biomanufacturing in North Carolina
- Review Websites
- Aboutbioscience.org: Bioscience Careers
- Optional: Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Optional: North Carolina Commits to Biomanufacturing
- Optional: Careers in Biotechnology: A Counselor's Guide to the Best Jobs in the United States
- Reflection Exercise
- Refer to Course Companion
B. Classroom Implementation (optional)
Refer to your Course Companion for instructions. Completing the Classroom Implementation assignment for 3 of this course's 5 units allows you to earn 10 additional contact hours (1 additional CEU).
Unit 4: Workplace Realities
Learning Objectives
- The educator will explain education needs for biotechnology industry.
- The educator will describe the skills needed to be successful in the biotechnology industry.
- The educator will develop an activity to demonstrate the importance of biotechnology skills.
A. Workplace Realities
- Reading Assignment
- Getting a Job and Getting Ahead (pages 70–73)
- Review PowerPoint
- Workplace Realities
- Watch Video
- Optional: Biomanufacturing Training at N.C. State's Centennial Campus
- Review Websites
- Optional: Interactive E-Learning Tools
- Optional: A Day in the Life: Exploring Biomanufacturing Careers
- Optional: Biomanufacturing: An Inquiry Lesson in Growing Cells
- Optional: Biotechnology Jobs in North Carolina
- Reflection Exercise
- Refer to Course Companion
B. Classroom Implementation (optional)
Refer to your Course Companion for instructions. Completing the Classroom Implementation assignment for 3 of this course's 5 units allows you to earn 10 additional contact hours (1 additional CEU).
Unit 5: Resources
Learning Objectives
- The educator will identify three top online biotechnology resources for educators.
- The educator will identify three top online biotechnology resources for students.
- The educator will develop an activity for students to interact with the specific biotechnology requirements of his or her classroom curriculum.
A. Resources
- Reading Assignment
- Resources (pages 77–83)
- Review Websites
- Review websites listed in above "Resources" reading assignment.
- Reflection Exercise
- Refer to Course Companion
B. Classroom Implementation (optional)
Refer to your Course Companion for instructions. Completing the Classroom Implementation assignment for 3 of this course's 5 units allows you to earn 10 additional contact hours (1 additional CEU).
Upon Completion
- 1. Evaluation
- Don't forget to complete the evaluation at the back of the Course Companion. This is required in order to receive credit.
- 2. Submit Materials
- If you filled out your Course Companion electronically, email it to NCABR, at rwilliams@ncabr.org.
If you filled out your Course Companion by hand, print it out and mail it to NCABR at the address at the bottom of this page.
If certain assignments required you to create supporting documents, please send these — clearly labeled with your name, your school and the assignment name — to NCABR as well, either by email or regular mail.
- 3. Receiving Credit
- After reviewing your completed course materials, NCABR will mail a certificate stating the number of contact hours you have earned to the address you provided when you registered for the course.