An informal learning model of genetic and genomic education for adult, bilingual learners

该项目的总体目标是开发和评估一种非正式基因组教育的社区模式，该模式在文化和教育上适合出生在墨西哥和中美洲(MCA)的低识字率拉丁裔成年人。创建的社区参与战略和材料将产生三个学习成果：对基因组学兴趣和参与的增加，科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)态度和自我认同的改变，以及对基因功能和人类基因组的更多了解。在这个项目中创建的模型将有可能在全国范围内为其他教育工作提供参考。将用西班牙语对60名MCA拉丁裔进行半结构化的深度访谈，以描绘关于遗传和基因组概念以及特征传递的信念和知识。面试记录将被系统地分析，以确定关于性状传递的解释，以及对遗传和基因组概念的熟悉。将注意到不同地理和文化区域的反应差异。来自这项分析的知识将被用来开发一个有意义的基于社区的基因组学学习计划。非专业社区教育人员将促进MCA成年人关于遗传学和基因组学的非正式学习，包括基因与环境的相互作用。该项目将使用有关环境暴露的信息(例如住宅杀虫剂)作为一种工具，以激发参与者的兴趣，并说明遗传和基因组内容。它将比较100名参与者和100名同时接受基因和基因组内容的参与者的结果，其中100名参与者分别接受了减少负面和增加积极环境暴露的实用策略。该战略和材料将通过期刊文章和在以非正式STEM教育为重点的会议上的发言来传播。该项目由推进非正式STEM学习计划(AISL)资助，该计划旨在推进非正式环境中STEM学习的设计和开发的新方法和基于证据的理解。这包括为扩大获得和参与STEM学习经验提供多种途径，推进对非正式环境中STEM学习的创新研究和评估，以及加深参与者对更深层次学习的理解。

The overall goal of this project is to develop and evaluate a community model of informal genomic education that is culturally and educationally appropriate for low-literacy Latino adults born in Mexico and Central America (MCA). The community engagement strategy and materials created will be designed to lead to three learning outcomes: increased interest and engagement with genomics, change in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) attitudes and self-identity, and increased understanding about gene function and the human genome. The model created in this project will have the potential to inform other educational efforts, nationally.Semi-structured in-depth interviews will be conducted in Spanish with 60 MCA Latinos to delineate beliefs and knowledge about genetic and genomic concepts and transmission of traits. Interview transcripts will be systematically analyzed to identify explanations about trait transmission, and familiarity with genetic and genomic concepts. Variation in responses across geographic and cultural regions will be noted. Knowledge from this analysis will be used to develop a meaningful community-based learning program about genomics. Lay community educators will facilitate informal learning with MCA adults about genetics and genomics, including gene-environment interactions. This project will use information about environmental exposures (e.g., residential pesticides) as a vehicle to pique participants' interest and illustrate genetic and genomic content. It will compare outcomes for 100 participants who receive practical strategies only to reduce negative and increase positive environmental exposures, respectively, to 100 participants who also receive genetic and genomic content. The strategy and materials will be disseminated through journal articles and presentations at meetings that focus on informal STEM education. The process and content will be rigorously evaluated throughout the project.This project is funded by the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program, which seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of, the design and development of STEM learning in informal environments. This includes providing multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences, advancing innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments, and developing understandings of deeper learning by participants.