The next generation is ……. in high school.
This commentary in the Genomics Law Report’s ongoing series What ELSI is New? is contributed by Dana Waring and Ting Wu, co-founders of the Personal Genetics Education Project.
Personal genetics is just that, it’s personal. Regardless of how many laws or societal norms are in play, any decision an individual makes about knowing or using personal genetic information will ultimately be a personal one, informed by the richness of that individual’s own history and circumstances. Therefore, in order for personal genetics to be adopted in a fair and ethical way, broad-based education is critical. We argue here that the education of high school students may be our most important responsibility and, coincidentally, the most far-reaching, cost-effective, and timely approach for achieving worldwide understanding of the benefits, risks, and ethics of personal genetics.
Let’s assume that predictions are correct, and genome sequencing will be available for less than $1000 US, or equivalent, within five years. If so, current high school students will form the first generation to come of age and face, en masse, the opportunities and consequences of personal genetics. They will be securing first jobs, buying insurance, finding partners, and starting families just as genome sequencing becomes mainstream, allowing them to know themselves, their partners, and their children in unprecedented detail. Will they be prepared?
By focusing educational efforts on high school students, we will ensure that the vast majority of our next generation will have had a chance to understand and debate the complexities of personal genetics. Because infrastructures for educating our youth are in place worldwide, conduits for introducing the concepts of responsible genetics are immediately available. Furthermore, the extant curricula of science, sociology, history, literature, health, and community service offer natural venues for teaching and debate. Our experience with pgEd indicates that high school students find the implications of personal genetics gripping, that targeting educational efforts to them will ensure that the next and subsequent generations will be informed, engaged, and prepared.
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by genomicslawyer: The Personal Genetics Education Project on the importance of high school education to the future of personal genomics: http://bit.ly/1aiIJ1...
We too are figuring out ways to reach a larger audience using modern teaching tools – but thus far are finding that students we talk with appreciate the discussion-based approach we have taken. Turns out everyone has an opinion when it comes to genetics and how it could impact their life, and small group sessions seem to be an ideal format to explore the issues. We also have found that mentioning career options beyond the bench ( or in addition to) can spark interest in any number of areas – the “business” side of personal genomics right now is quite fascinating, I think!
One approach we are looking into is introducing a discussion of personal genetics into high school health classes. Health is required in almost every state, but not subject to the same pressures of standardized testing (and associated curriculum restrictions). We would love to hear about successes and challenges others have experienced when wading into the waters of curriculum reform….