Challenging Misconceptions about Race in Undergraduate Genetics.

ABSTRACT: Racial biases, which harm marginalized and excluded communities, may be combatted by clarifying misconceptions about race during biology lessons. We developed a human genetics laboratory activity that challenges the misconception that race is biological (biological essentialism). We assessed the relationship between this activity and student outcomes using a survey of students' attitudes about biological essentialism and color-evasive ideology and a concept inventory about phylogeny and human diversity. Students in the human genetics laboratory activity showed a significant decrease in their acceptance of biological essentialism compared with a control group, but did not show changes in color-evasive ideology. Students in both groups exhibited increased knowledge in both areas of the conce

SUBMITTER: Ball EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11440743 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature