BioMan Biology vs HHMI BioInteractive

BioMan Biology is a biology learning site for students and teachers, with games, review activities, virtual labs, video animations and quizzes. Activities cover physiology, cells, ecology, evolution and classification, genetics and meiosis, life chemistry, respiration and photosynthesis, and scientific methods. Games and quizzes provide automatic, immediate feedback. Students can play games, complete labs and use the standard ad-supported site without an account. Teachers can manage classes, track progress and access premium features through a dashboard. The site describes its materials as standards-based and focused on state and national content standards. A free plan includes interactive games, virtual labs and learning activities with ads. The Individual Teacher plan costs $49 a year and includes ad-free access to BioMan Biology and BrainyBlast; higher annual plans cover additional teachers. The two environments share a login framework and database infrastructure, and an account on either grants access to both. BioMan Biology is listed for web and iOS. Its privacy policy says student scores, quiz metrics and game saves are purged six months after creation or last update.

HHMI BioInteractive provides biology classroom materials and professional learning for educators and students. Its resources include films, interactive labs, simulations, animations, data-driven investigations and lessons, with educator tools for adapting, implementing and assessing them. The organization says its materials are made with scientists and educators, draw on peer-reviewed research and real-world data, and undergo scientific accuracy review. Free professional learning includes online and in-person workshops, courses, and partnerships with schools and districts. The site identifies high school and undergraduate life science educators as its main audience. Assessment Builder offers crowdsourced, vetted assessment items for high school and introductory undergraduate life science courses, and requires a verified BioInteractive educator account. Interactive Video Builder lets users assemble interactive videos from more than 200 BioInteractive videos, clips and animations. Its terms caution that creating these videos may be suboptimal on phones and tablets, although playback works well there. Online Community resources may be downloaded and displayed for educational use; commercial use requires express permission from HHMI and other copyright owners. Free resources and professional learning are listed at free.