Online learning, Guest Speakers, and the Genetic Science Learning Center

This semester,  I am teaching a "Science in Society" general education course for the College of Southern Idaho.  The purpose of the course is to develop a strong sense of connection between a variety of disciplines, including natural sciences, oral and written communication, social sciences, and the humanities.  We will also uncover and correct common misconceptions that impact our decision making and perception of the world. 

Each week we cover a specific scientific discipline and relate it to our daily lives.  Along with every other teacher in America, I moved my class to online delivery using primarily ZOOM sessions.   And of course, I modified the scope of topics to include the ongoing impact of COVID 19 and infectious disease prevention and treatments.

Yesterday, as I mentioned in my previous post, we also had an earthquake in the central mountains of Idaho, so it was great to hear from our local Geology instructor during our class discussion.  Remote learning is a challenge for all of us, but it does allow for new opportunities.

I shared one of my favorite teaching resources from the University of Utah Genetics Learning Center.  Both sites...the learn.genetics.edu and teach.genetics.edu are full of interactive resources and virtual labs for all ages.  For an at-home activity, my students can do the Family Traits Trivia Game.  We can learn a lot about our families while we spend so much unexpected time together!

https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/

https://teach.genetics.utah.edu/