Characterization of human genetics courses for nonbiology majors in U.S. colleges and universities

We characterized college human genetics courses for nonscience majors (NSM) by 1) determining the number of U.S. institutions offering courses and the number of students taking them; and 2) surveying course instructors on course demographics, content, materials, and pedagogies. Between 2002 and 2004, an estimated 480 institutions of higher education (15.2%) offered a course: 8.4% of 1667 associate colleges, 16.1% of baccalaureate institutions, 25.3% of master's institutions, and 32.9% of doctoral institutions. This indicates a need to increase access to genetics education in 2-yr colleges. Based on instructor responses, approximately 32,000–37,000 students annually complete an NSM human genetics course out of approximately 1.9 million students earning a college degree each year (2.0%). Regarding course content, instructors consistently rated many concepts significantly higher in importance than the emphasis placed on those concepts in their courses. Although time could be a factor, instructors need guidance in the integration of the various concepts into their courses. Considering only 30.2% of the instructors were reportedly trained in genetics (another 25.4% in molecular and cellular biology) and the small fraction of students completing NSM human genetics courses, these results demonstrate the need for increasing the availability of these courses in undergraduate institutions of higher education, and particularly at 2-yr colleges.     

Precision Teaching and Direct Instruction: Measurably Superior Instructional Technology in Schools

Although educators, policy-makers, business leaders, and the general public have become increasingly concerned about the “basic skills” crisis in American schools, research-based solutions have existed for over two decades in the form of measurably superior teaching methodologies: Precision Teaching and Direct Instruction. In federally validated research, each of these instructional technologies has been shown to produce far greater achievement and self-esteem among students than more traditional teaching practices, with favorable cost-benefit ratios when implemented in schools. These results have been obtained despite adverse socio economic influences on students so of ten blamed for failure in the classroom. These methods have not been widely adopted, partly due to political and philosophical resistance to measurably superior instructional technology among educators. This article provides overviews of Precision Teaching and Direct Instruction, discusses their origins and research backgrounds, cites effec tiveness data, and describes how they can complement one another when used together. It provides sufficient references to the literature and pointers to existing programs to enable interested readers to learn more about each of these measurably superior educational solutions.     

Promoting HPT Innovations A Return to Our Natural Science Roots

The core innovations represented by the field of Human Performance Technology (HPT) trace their origins, by way of Programmed Instruction, to the field of Behavior Analysis, a natural science methodology for the study of behavior developed by B.F. Skinner. This methodology, like all experimental natural science, rests on a foundation of functional analysis and standard units of measurement. Functional analysis is basic experimental method, whereby the investigator or practitioner keeps all but one variable constant, changes the variable in question (an “intervention”), and measures the effect on other variables. Behavior Analysis, like HPT, emphasizes prediction and control of individual behavior rather than determination of average effects across groups of individuals. In order for HPT to support and encourage greater and more effective innovation, it must re-emphasize reliance on standard units of measurement and functional analysis and promote policies and procedures that increase variation of interventions. The combination of encouraging variation and selecting interventions by means of functional analysis and objective measurement will ensure steady, reliable progress in Human Performance Technology.