Using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy to Reconsider the Genetics Canon

• Published in: Journal of microbiology & biology education Vol. 21; no. 1
• Main Authors: Sparks, Rachel A, Baldwin, Kara Esther, Darner, Rebekka
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society of Microbiology 2020; American Society for Microbiology
• Subjects: Inclusive Science
• ISSN: 1935-7877; 1935-7885
• DOI: 10.1128/JMBE.V21I1.1901

In this article, we explore culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) to work toward alleviating persistent underrepresentation in STEM fields of oppressed minorities. We argue that biology instructors can practice agency, or the capacity to act in ways that undermine opportunity gaps that lead to underrepresentation, by developing themselves into culturally relevant pedagogues who are committed to underrepresented minority (URM) students' learning and career success, who demonstrate cultural competence, and who develop a sociopolitical consciousness regarding the culturally laden nature of their discipline. We then explore Gregor Mendel's story to demonstrate the culturally laden nature of the history of science as well as the nature of our current curricular canon. The article concludes with a postulated alternative method to genetics education in a general biology course that reflects the culturally laden nature of our genetics knowledge, as well as our current understanding of inheritance.