'DNA-labs on the road' as illuminating example
Towards a strategy for embedding genomics literacy in science education: In search of common concepts and issues
Each and every citizen should have a certain basic knowledge of genomics. A level of knowledge that is required to understand heredity issues while in hospital, to be conscious of the food that you buy in the supermarket, to realise the value of DNA traces in case of a crime.
This project is aimed at making this kind of knowledge available to education at various levels. The Mobile DNA Lab serves as the illuminating example in this. That lab offers knowledge to pupils within a context that they are familiar with, such as cancer or forensic research, after which the concept is further expanded upon.
In biology books, DNA is still presented as a pearl chain of genes that can predict personal traits with certainty. Genomics research has significantly changed this vision of how genetic information influences our lives. Nowadays, science has moved away from the general rule of a single gen per characteristic traits, but instead recognizes the presence of networks of genetic factors that influence one another. What's more, many environmental factors, such as food and lifestyle, also play a role. Education on DNA must be revised to give pupils an accurate picture of their genome. The five (soon to be six) DNA Labs cover multiple areas of current research, but also have a degree of overlap. In order to design a coherent educational programme on genomics, the subject matter of the various labs must be integrated to form a concerted product.