Proposal Title
Embracing the authentic complexity of phenotypes to enhance belonging
Session Type
Presentation
Room
Somerville House, room 3317
Start Date
14-7-2023 12:00 PM
End Date
14-7-2023 12:20 PM
Keywords
reductionism, anti-racist pedagogy, stereotype threat
Primary Threads
Curriculum
Abstract
Reducing complex systems to focus on simpler elements (reductionist approach) is used in teaching within multiple disciplines. Reductionist approaches may impact both students’ understanding of complex phenomena and their broader belief systems. While our presentation will focus on our introductory genetics course, these issues are applicable across disciplines.
Genetics education often oversimplifies genetic systems, focusing on basic Mendelian genetics and ignoring the complex, multifactorial nature of phenotypes (i.e., observable traits of an organism). This reductionist approach can prevent students from not only developing an authentic understanding of genetics, but can also contribute to ideas of genetic determinism and essentialism. Genetic determinism is the belief that an organism’s genotype largely or exclusively controls its phenotype; traits are therefore ‘fixed’ and environmental influences are minimal. This can lead to deterministic thinking and racial stereotyping, as well as impacting a student’s sense of belonging and potentially result in underperformance on tasks due to stereotype threat (Dar-Nimrod & Heine, 2011; Donovan et al. 2020; Hales, 2020). Therefore, genetics education can have far-reaching consequences in our institutions and society.
To address these issues, we redesigned our introductory genetics course to emphasize the multifactorial nature of phenotypes (i.e., interplay of genetics and the environment) and variation within populations. Our goal is to provide students with a more authentic understanding of phenotypic variation, which will serve as a strong foundation for future courses, and also reduce deterministic thinking, and resultant essentialist beliefs. Students completed pre-/post-term surveys to assess changes in determinist thinking, as well as class activities to assess their learning progression. We will present our experiences and analysis of the new curriculum. Attending in person? Please bring an internet enabled device (e.g., smartphone) so that you can share ideas/discuss with online participants. This research was approved by our institutional research ethics board.
References:
Dar-Nimrod, I. & Heine, S. J. (2011). Genetic essentialism: on the deceptive determinism of DNA. Psychol. Bull. 137(5): 800-818, doi:10.1037/a0021860
Donovan, B. M., Weindling, M., & Lee, D. M. (2020). From Basic to Humane Genomics Literacy: How Different Types of Genetics Curricula Could Influence Anti-Essentialist Understandings of Race. Science & Education, 29(6), 1479–1511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-020-00171-1
Hales K. G. (2020). Signaling inclusivity in undergraduate biology courses through deliberate framing of genetics topics relevant to gender identify, disability, and race. CBE-Life Sciences Education. 19:es2, doi:10.1037/a0021860
Elements of Engagement
Participants will be given time both during and at the end of the presentation to reflect on and engage in discussions about common reductions or simplifications used to communicate concepts within their own discipline. Guided discussions will allow participants across-disciplines to share their thoughts and experiences on how simplifying concepts could impact student learning and student belief systems. Participants will also be encouraged to consider aspects of their own courses that would be suitable for revision. If you’re attending in-person you’re encouraged to bring an internet enabled device (e.g., smartphone) so that you can share ideas/discuss with online participants.
Embracing the authentic complexity of phenotypes to enhance belonging
Somerville House, room 3317
Reducing complex systems to focus on simpler elements (reductionist approach) is used in teaching within multiple disciplines. Reductionist approaches may impact both students’ understanding of complex phenomena and their broader belief systems. While our presentation will focus on our introductory genetics course, these issues are applicable across disciplines.
Genetics education often oversimplifies genetic systems, focusing on basic Mendelian genetics and ignoring the complex, multifactorial nature of phenotypes (i.e., observable traits of an organism). This reductionist approach can prevent students from not only developing an authentic understanding of genetics, but can also contribute to ideas of genetic determinism and essentialism. Genetic determinism is the belief that an organism’s genotype largely or exclusively controls its phenotype; traits are therefore ‘fixed’ and environmental influences are minimal. This can lead to deterministic thinking and racial stereotyping, as well as impacting a student’s sense of belonging and potentially result in underperformance on tasks due to stereotype threat (Dar-Nimrod & Heine, 2011; Donovan et al. 2020; Hales, 2020). Therefore, genetics education can have far-reaching consequences in our institutions and society.
To address these issues, we redesigned our introductory genetics course to emphasize the multifactorial nature of phenotypes (i.e., interplay of genetics and the environment) and variation within populations. Our goal is to provide students with a more authentic understanding of phenotypic variation, which will serve as a strong foundation for future courses, and also reduce deterministic thinking, and resultant essentialist beliefs. Students completed pre-/post-term surveys to assess changes in determinist thinking, as well as class activities to assess their learning progression. We will present our experiences and analysis of the new curriculum. Attending in person? Please bring an internet enabled device (e.g., smartphone) so that you can share ideas/discuss with online participants. This research was approved by our institutional research ethics board.
References:
Dar-Nimrod, I. & Heine, S. J. (2011). Genetic essentialism: on the deceptive determinism of DNA. Psychol. Bull. 137(5): 800-818, doi:10.1037/a0021860
Donovan, B. M., Weindling, M., & Lee, D. M. (2020). From Basic to Humane Genomics Literacy: How Different Types of Genetics Curricula Could Influence Anti-Essentialist Understandings of Race. Science & Education, 29(6), 1479–1511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11191-020-00171-1
Hales K. G. (2020). Signaling inclusivity in undergraduate biology courses through deliberate framing of genetics topics relevant to gender identify, disability, and race. CBE-Life Sciences Education. 19:es2, doi:10.1037/a0021860