Education

In the process of technology acceptance or rejection, the educational community can have a major impact on if and how quickly a technology is accepted. The Midwest Biotechnology Consortium focuses on K-12 biology, agriculture, family, and consumer science teachers. It also applies to the educators of youth in 4-H and other non-classroom settings. The objective of the education component of this proposal is to provide educators and students with fact-based print and electronic information and interactive learning opportunities to facilitate an examination of the science, economic, ethical, and social impacts of agricultural biotechnology products.

Students face a variety of difficult ethical questions. Who should decide questions about the safety of genetically engineered foods? How, if at all, do the welfare and rights of transgenic animals constrain genetic manipulation of them? How do we encourage honesty, integrity, and public accountability in scientific research? College/university faculty and K-12 educators often lack the training necessary to discuss such issues with students. A major objective of the Midwest Biotechnology Consortium is to train educators how to incorporate ethical issues into classes.

Bioethics Institutes will be held each summer for faculty wishing to explore these questions. The week-long Institutes provide hands-on activities and lectures to faculty interested in incorporating ethical issues into their classes.
(See: Workshops)
(See: Biotech Ed Websites)

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