Chapter 11 Instructor modules

Modules aimed at instructors.

11.1 Why AnVIL for Instructors?

You may be wondering if AnVIL is a good choice for your class. We feel the answer is an unequivocal YES!

AnVIL provides all the advantages of a cloud computing environment:

Version control: All students will be using the exact same versions of programs, running on the exact same operating system, and the majority of setup can be handled for the students ahead of time. This greatly reduces time spent on setup and prevents unexpected run errors during the activities, limiting the amount of troubleshooting you have to do. As a result, classes and activities will run more smoothly and predictably.
Inclusivity: Cloud-computing enables all students to participate in the activity without needing to provide computers with certain specifications.
Experience: Cloud-computing is becoming common in today’s bioinformatics workplaces, and the classroom is a low-stress and low-stakes opportunity for students to gain experience.

AnVIL is purpose-built for genomic data science:

Tools: Through AnVIL, students can access a wide range of tools (Galaxy, RStudio/Bioconductor, Jupyter, as well as scripted workflows) all in one place, and can easily transition between them.
Datasets: AnVIL provides a large and growing collection of relevant datasets with standardized organization, for easier importing and processing.
Authenticity: On AnVIL, students will be working in the same environment as scientists carrying out cutting edge research.

11.2 Checklist Link

Here is a checklist to help you keep track of the steps for setting up and teaching on AnVIL. Details about each of these steps can be found in the AnVIL Instructor Guide. Note that this checklist is written for workshop instructors as well as classroom instructors, so some of the “Event Setup” steps may not be applicable to you, depending on your teaching context.

11.3 Checklist Timeline (premade content)

1+ month before:

Figure out how you will fund the class/workshop.
Start working through INSTRUCTOR SETUP.
- It’s a good idea to get billing figured out with plenty of time to spare.
- Take some time to familiarize yourself with the content and make any desired updates or customizations.
Do any necessary EVENT SETUP steps.

~1 week before:

Start working through RUNNING THE CLASS.
If possible, have students log in to AnVIL and send you their usernames, so you can add them to the Student Group ahead of time. This saves time on the day of the class.
Do not add students to your Billing Project ahead of time. This prevents them from accruing costs.

Day of (or shortly before):

Add students to Billing Project.
Have students clone the Workspace (They cannot do this until you have added them to the Billing Project. As soon as they do this, they can start computing.).

After:

Collect feedback, if you didn’t do it during the class/workshop.
Work though EVENT WRAP-UP - until you shut things down, you will continue to accrue costs.

11.4 Recommendation to use STRIDES

If you are new to AnVIL, we strongly recommend seeking funding through NHGRI / STRIDES for teaching your course. In order to prevent abuse, Google sets certain limits on cloud resources available to new users that can complicate teaching (e.g. project quotas). As you or your institution builds a payment history with Google, the limits on your accounts will be relaxed. In the meantime, STRIDES funding can help ensure your initial classes run smoothly.

What is STRIDES? NHGRI’s strategic vision highlights the importance of training the next generation of genomic scientists. In collaboration with the NIH Office of Data Science Strategy, NHGRI makes funding available to AnVIL users through the STRIDES program, which aims to promote biological research in cloud environments.

To inquire about funding your class on AnVIL, please contact help@lists.anvilproject.org.