Personalized Genetics and Genealogy exercises to enhance introductory biology courses

历史黑人学院和大学本科项目(HBCU-UP)通过有针对性的灌输项目，支持基于证据的创新模式和方法的开发、实施和研究，以改善HBCU本科生的准备和成功，使他们能够攻读STEM研究生课程和/或职业。斯佩尔曼学院的这个项目试图测试一种新的方法，通过开发以遗传学和系谱(G&amp；G)方法为中心的入门生物学课程干预，来增加历史上的黑人学院和大学(HBCU)的学生对STEM领域的参与。这种与个人有关的课程被认为是吸引和留住少数族裔学生的关键。预计该方法在以下方面将比目前的方法更成功：1)促进内容知识学习；2)激发人们对科学的热情；3)提高进化论方面的科学素养。这个项目将产生长期的影响，减少生命科学中代表性不足的学生的流失。G&amp；G方法旨在通过发现关于他们自己、他们的历史以及他们与世界上其他人类的关系的独特事实来激发学生对科学研究的兴趣，并追求STEM职业生涯。该项目将通过以下方式为STEM教育领域做出贡献：1)在跨学科背景下将个性化与基于发现的方法相结合的新的教学模式；2)以独特的方式解决学生对进化论接受度低这一真正具有挑战性的问题的战略；3)将视觉艺术和叙事有效地纳入生物学教育的“STEAM”模式；以及4)通过采用流行的社交网站进行教师发展和建立网络的模式。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Targeted Infusion Projects supports the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based innovative models and approaches for improving the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may pursue STEM graduate programs and/or careers. The project at Spelman College seeks to test a novel approach to increase student engagement in STEM fields at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), through development of an introductory biology course intervention centered on a genetics and genealogy (G&G) approach. This personally relevant curriculum is considered key in attracting and retaining minority students. The approach is expected to be more successful than current approaches at: 1) promoting content knowledge learning; 2) generating enthusiasm for science; and 3) increasing scientific literacy with respect to evolutionary theory. This project will have the long-term impact of reducing attrition of underrepresented students from life sciences.The G&G approach is aimed at stimulating interest in the study of science and the pursuit of a STEM career by priming students with the discovery of unique facts about themselves, their history, and their relatedness to other humans in the world. This project will contribute to the field of STEM education by providing: 1) a new pedagogical model for combining personalization with a discovery-based approach in an interdisciplinary context; 2) a strategy for addressing the truly challenging issue of the low acceptance of evolution among students in a unique way; 3) a "STEAM" model to meaningfully incorporate visual art and narrative into Biology education; and 4) a model for faculty development and networking through the adoption of a popular social networking site for the same.