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. 2021 Jan;23(1):222-229.
doi: 10.1038/s41436-020-00962-5. Epub 2020 Sep 15.

The NHGRI Short Course in Genomics: energizing genetics and genomics education in classrooms through direct engagement between educators and scientists

Sarah M Robbins  1   2 , Christina R Daulton  1 , Belen Hurle  1 , Carla Easter  3
Affiliations

The NHGRI Short Course in Genomics: energizing genetics and genomics education in classrooms through direct engagement between educators and scientists

Sarah M Robbins et al. Genet Med. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recognizes an urgent need for educator resources on cutting edge scientific topics due to increased public interest in genetics and genomics. We developed a Short Course in Genomics ("Short Course") to inspire new teaching materials through collaborative course development sessions and lectures, to expand access to cutting edge scientific information, and to provide a framework to consider when crafting new coursework related to scientific education.

Methods: We compared publicly available participant data from 2015 to 2019 with data from the National Center for Education Statistics to assess our progress in serving diverse educator and student populations. We also evaluated course agendas and interviewed participants and instructors.

Results: Middle school, high school, community college, and tribal college course attendees from the last five years were more likely to teach students from diverse communities underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Both attendees and Short Course instructors emphasized the importance of bidirectional learning through interactive curriculum development.

Conclusion: This course has the potential to facilitate the engagement of educators and students at all levels, recruit and maintain a diverse STEM workforce, and improve genomic literacy and future health decision-making.

Keywords: STEM workforce; curriculum development; diversity; education; genomic literacy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: All authors assert that they have no conflicts to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:. Configuration of Short Course.
A. Course format as allocated into five categories: classroom lesson plan, hands-on workshop, lecture, social/networking, and tour. Lectures make up the bulk of course time, but are interspersed with other activities for about 40-50% of total course time. B. Course faculty is allocated into six categories: local teacher, NIH intramural senior investigator, NIH staff, NIH trainee, non-NIH partner, and Short Course alumni teacher. NIH staff numbers remained fairly constant, but were increasingly supplemented with outside lecturers, trainees, and teacher volunteers. C. Course topics as allocated into eight categories : basic research, bioinformatics, clinical and translation research, forensics, NIH training opportunities, resources for teachers, sequencing technologies, and social science research.
Figure 2:
Figure 2:. Characteristics of teachers attending the Short Course in Genomics.
A. Year of participation for 91 attendees from 2015-2019. B. Level of home institutions for 91 attendees from 2015-2019. C. Number of years of teaching experience for 91 attendees from 2015-2019. D. Map of 91 attendees from 2015-2019. States with the most attendees appear in lighter blue, while those with fewer attendees appear in darker blue. States with no attendees during these years appear in grey. E. Subjects taught by 81 attendees from 2016-2019.
Figure 3:
Figure 3:. Characteristics of schools with participating Short Course educators from 2015-2019.
A. Ethnicity of students from selected schools, as indicated by colors in the legend at right. Schools with Short Course Teachers have more American Indian or Alaska Native Students, Black or African American students, and Hispanic students, than Community Colleges in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) or all schools in IPEDS or the Common Core of Data (CCD) in general. B. Lunch program eligibility of students from selected schools. Students from Short Course Schools were not more likely to be eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. C. Number of Pell grants awarded from selected schools, as indicated by colors in the legend at right. Schools with Short Course teachers have similar numbers of Pell grant recipients as in all schools in IPEDS on average and all community colleges on average. D. Amount of Pell grant awards from selected schools. Schools with Short Course teachers have a significantly higher Pell grant dollar amount awarded, as compared to all schools in IPEDS on average and all community college on average.
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References

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