BioMan Biology vs Virtual Genetics Lab II

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.

Virtual Genetics Lab II (VGLII) is a free simulation for students exploring how traits are inherited. Students cross hypothetical creatures and examine offspring, using problems that cover one to three genes. Traits can be autosomal or sex-linked, with simple dominance, co-dominance, or incomplete dominance; instructors can restrict which models are available. Model Builder lets students enter and save genetic models, and instructors can compare responses with correct answers for grading. Version 3 includes chi-squared calculations in the Summary Chart, epistasis and complementation models, and Super Crosses of up to 2,000 offspring. Desktop downloads are listed for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux/UNIX, and the download page says VGLII requires Java 7 or higher. The maker also describes jsVGL, a browser-based version that does not use Java and can load and save work. The maker says VGLII will no longer be supported, while support will continue for jsVGL. Some macOS versions may show an error about loading the Java Runtime Environment; a workaround uses the app's VGLII.jar file.