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<h1 class="text-center">Education and Public Engagement</h1> | <h1 class="text-center">Education and Public Engagement</h1> | ||
<h2>Introduction</h2> | <h2>Introduction</h2> | ||
− | <p>Designing educational activities around synthetic biology is difficult because the field is new and interdisciplinary | + | <p>Designing educational activities around synthetic biology is difficult because the field is new and interdisciplinary. Consequently there is a lack of standard principles and definitions, creating an enlarging division of knowledge between the general public and the synthetic biology community; which can foster generalisations and misconceptions. Bidirectional public engagement is necessary to help bridge this gap, and it was therefore a key focus of our public engagement.</p> |
− | <h2> | + | <h2>Summer School Engagement</h2> |
− | <p>A major reason for the gap is a lack of synthetic biology training of the young. To accurately tackle this problem we based our activities on learning objectives for MIT undergraduates training in synthetic biology | + | <p>A major reason for the gap, between the general public and the scientific community, is a lack of synthetic biology training of the young. To accurately tackle this problem we based our activities on the learning objectives for MIT undergraduates training in synthetic biology (Figure 1). Our approach meant that our educational activities were: not generalised, true to core synthetic biology concepts, and encouraged scientific thinking. Although there are a few excellent secondary education tools available (e.g. Biobuilder), many of these require extensive access to lab equipment and expensive resources, creating a barrier to use in teaching. Therefore, our designed activities emphasise low cost, minimal materials and do not assume teaching lab access. |
− | Although there are a few excellent secondary education tools available (e.g. Biobuilder) many of these require extensive access to lab equipment and expensive resources, creating a barrier to use in teaching. Therefore our designed activities | + | |
</p> | </p> | ||
<img class="img-responsive" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/f/f8/T--oxford--public_engagement--table1.png"></img> | <img class="img-responsive" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/f/f8/T--oxford--public_engagement--table1.png"></img> | ||
<h6>Figure 1: Main outcomes of synthetic biology education and activities we designed to fulfil these</h6> | <h6>Figure 1: Main outcomes of synthetic biology education and activities we designed to fulfil these</h6> | ||
− | <h2>Activities</h2> | + | <h2>Our Activities</h2> |
− | <p>To meet these outcomes we designed a variety of activities including: a genetic memory computer lab, bacterial photography system, ethical washing line, biosensor | + | <p>To meet these outcomes we designed a variety of activities including: a genetic memory computer lab, a bacterial photography system worksheet, an ethical washing line activity, and a 'Design your own biosensor' activity. These activities have been formatted into <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/1/13/T--oxford--public_engagement--lesson_plan.pdf">lesson plans and printable resources</a>, made publically available for use by future iGEM teams.</p> |
<p>Our workshops were used at 3 different oxford summer schools: Northwest Science (students aged 17-18 yrs interested a broad range of sciences), Oriel College summer school (students aged 13-14 yrs interested in medicine) and UNIQ (academically selected students aged 17-18 yrs from state schools and disadvantaged backgrounds interested in biochemistry).</p> | <p>Our workshops were used at 3 different oxford summer schools: Northwest Science (students aged 17-18 yrs interested a broad range of sciences), Oriel College summer school (students aged 13-14 yrs interested in medicine) and UNIQ (academically selected students aged 17-18 yrs from state schools and disadvantaged backgrounds interested in biochemistry).</p> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
<div class="container"> | <div class="container"> | ||
− | <h2> | + | <h2>Improvement through Feedback</h2> |
− | <p>Student feedback allowed us to refine our activities after each school <b>(Table 1)</b>. For example, we converted the TinkerCell computer based bacterial photography system activity into a paper based game so | + | <p>Student feedback allowed us to refine our activities after each summer school session <b>(Table 1)</b>. For example, we converted the TinkerCell computer based bacterial photography system activity into a paper based game so computer access was no longer needed, and we also developed a formalised ethical washing line workshop after finding students disengaged by an unstructured ethical discussion. In addition to workshops, Zoe F gave a university style <a href="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/1/1a/T--oxford--public_engagement--zoe_pres.pptx">lecture</a> about synthetic biology and our project to students at the Northwest Science school.</p> |
<table class="table table-hover"> | <table class="table table-hover"> | ||
<thead> | <thead> | ||
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<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li>Due to lack of computer resources we had to create a paper based bacterial tinkercell circuit, which was just as well received in the other sessions</li> | <li>Due to lack of computer resources we had to create a paper based bacterial tinkercell circuit, which was just as well received in the other sessions</li> | ||
− | <li>Originally the ethical discussion was left as an open discussion at the end of the session, however this was not well received and discussion were very general. As a consequence we decided to create structured ethical washing line using real synthetic biology applications as case studies</li> | + | <li>Originally the ethical discussion was left as an open discussion at the end of the session, however this was not well received and discussion were very general. As a consequence we decided to create a structured ethical washing line using real synthetic biology applications as case studies</li> |
<li>Developed the biosensor design into a structured worksheet after the success of the extension activity </li> | <li>Developed the biosensor design into a structured worksheet after the success of the extension activity </li> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
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</table> | </table> | ||
<h2>Curiosity Carnival</h2> | <h2>Curiosity Carnival</h2> | ||
− | <p>The | + | <p>The Curiosity Carnival is an Oxford wide festival for researchers to share their research in innovative ways, as a part of the European Researchers' Night (NIGHT). The Oxford team were thrilled to be accepted in haveing an activities stand at this event. Our stand was in the centre of the city and attracted a diverse audience of more than 4500 members of the public, from young children to other researchers.</p> |
</div> | </div> | ||
<div class="container"> | <div class="container"> |
Revision as of 17:33, 30 October 2017
Education and Public Engagement
Introduction
Designing educational activities around synthetic biology is difficult because the field is new and interdisciplinary. Consequently there is a lack of standard principles and definitions, creating an enlarging division of knowledge between the general public and the synthetic biology community; which can foster generalisations and misconceptions. Bidirectional public engagement is necessary to help bridge this gap, and it was therefore a key focus of our public engagement.
Summer School Engagement
A major reason for the gap, between the general public and the scientific community, is a lack of synthetic biology training of the young. To accurately tackle this problem we based our activities on the learning objectives for MIT undergraduates training in synthetic biology (Figure 1). Our approach meant that our educational activities were: not generalised, true to core synthetic biology concepts, and encouraged scientific thinking. Although there are a few excellent secondary education tools available (e.g. Biobuilder), many of these require extensive access to lab equipment and expensive resources, creating a barrier to use in teaching. Therefore, our designed activities emphasise low cost, minimal materials and do not assume teaching lab access.
Figure 1: Main outcomes of synthetic biology education and activities we designed to fulfil these
Our Activities
To meet these outcomes we designed a variety of activities including: a genetic memory computer lab, a bacterial photography system worksheet, an ethical washing line activity, and a 'Design your own biosensor' activity. These activities have been formatted into lesson plans and printable resources, made publically available for use by future iGEM teams.
Our workshops were used at 3 different oxford summer schools: Northwest Science (students aged 17-18 yrs interested a broad range of sciences), Oriel College summer school (students aged 13-14 yrs interested in medicine) and UNIQ (academically selected students aged 17-18 yrs from state schools and disadvantaged backgrounds interested in biochemistry).
Image 1: Zoë C and John giving a presentation at the Northwest Science school at Corpus Christi College
Image 2: Chun, Jei, Alissa, Helen and Sumaera at the UNIQ summer school
Improvement through Feedback
Student feedback allowed us to refine our activities after each summer school session (Table 1). For example, we converted the TinkerCell computer based bacterial photography system activity into a paper based game so computer access was no longer needed, and we also developed a formalised ethical washing line workshop after finding students disengaged by an unstructured ethical discussion. In addition to workshops, Zoe F gave a university style lecture about synthetic biology and our project to students at the Northwest Science school.
School | Positives | Problems | Modifications |
---|---|---|---|
Northwest School |
|
|
|
Oriel |
|
|
|
UNIQ |
|
|
|
Curiosity Carnival
The Curiosity Carnival is an Oxford wide festival for researchers to share their research in innovative ways, as a part of the European Researchers' Night (NIGHT). The Oxford team were thrilled to be accepted in haveing an activities stand at this event. Our stand was in the centre of the city and attracted a diverse audience of more than 4500 members of the public, from young children to other researchers.
Image 3: Kushal, Angela, Sumera and Zoe C at the Curiosity Carnival
Our stand involved:
- Poster display outlining facts about Chagas disease and our diagnostic solution
- ‘Find-cruzi’ game to highlight the difficulty of identifying the parasite by microscopy of a blood smear
- ‘E. coli pong’ game to explain transformation
- Competition to design a biosensor from magnets on a white board
- Voting on ethical scenarios
Image 4: Sumaera demonstrating our ‘E. coli - pong’ activity
iGEM UK Meet-ups
Engaging with other teams to share ideas and techniques is a vital component of iGEM: we were grateful to be able to attend the UK meet up jointly organised by the University of Westminster, UCL, and Warwick during which we gave Jamboree style poster and powerpoint presentation to other teams, providing invaluable preparation for Boston. The event was lots of fun and we appreciated the opportunity to meet, network and form collaborations with other UK teams.