An educational innovative pilot project on Portuguese professional schools,

1. An educational innovative pilot project on Portuguese professional schools, ‘Multimedia Didactic Material on Plant Genetics and Biotechnology’: some environmental issues. Lima*, M. Alexandra; Abreu**, M. Filipa and Silva**, Márcio, M.; *Dep. Protecção de Plantas/ Estação Agronómica Nacional INIAP, 2784-505 Oeiras, Portugal ; **Instituto Virtual/ISQ 2781-951 Oeiras, Portugal (maa@sapo.pt) ; (MFAbreu@isq.pt) INTRODUCTION AND AIMS The Portuguese identified educational situation of an absence or inadequacy of pedagogic contents concerning plant genetics and biotechnology topics, has challenged us and teachers from schools to engage on this Pilot Project, included on the specific «Aid Programme for Research Projects on Educative Domain’ 2001» from the Educational and Grants Section of Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (Lisbon). The project aims are, succintly: 1)identify and surpass difficulties that students meet while attempting to comprehend issues of biotechnology; 2) development of new teaching materials on these issues, covering areas of knowlegde application on various activities sectors (eg.: agri-food, environment, health, raw-material industries). Outcomes may be expected to occur at both instructional and citizenship levels. • METHOD • Project team includes five Portuguese secondary professional schools (mainly agricultural and rural development ones), located all over the country and covering a range of rural, suburban and urban areas (Figure 1). These are called ‘enrolled schools’ (ES- green spots , figure 1) and they have received and explored didactic material, both on paper and digital formats, that wasn’t available to the other five secondary professional schools (with similar school curricula) that agreed to collaborate as a ‘control group’, whenever necessary during the pilot project, and that were designated as ‘collaborative schools’ (CS- red spots, figure 1). Teachers were asked to select a class within each school, and a total of 189 students (adolescents) are engaged on this pilot project, being 94 from ‘enrolled schools’ and 95 from ‘collaborative schools’. • The Post-test was done (March-April 2003) by a total of 162 students (82 from ES and 80 from CS; an approximately ratio of 1:1) in order to study, not only the students comprehension about genetics and genetic engineering, but also to evaluate their perceptions, concerning plant biotechnology, namely about it’s: Development pace (great vs. slow); Need of specific legislation (is subjected/does need vs. not subjected/doesn’t need); Relationship with environment (theirs is a relationship vs. none relationship exists) and Utility (useful vs. useless). Their interest or motivation on these issues was also evaluated. Post-test had 6 groups of questions. (shortened version -questions 1.1. A & B; 1.2.; 2.; 4.and 5., here omitted) • 1.1.) Complete sentences fulfilling each blank space with correct term(s), to be chosen among those shown at the 4 ‘puzzle pieces’’. • Sentence C ) «A gene can be defined, in a simple way, as _______________________ , being known that on some genetic modification protocols enzymes that are used ‘to cut’ desoxirribonucleic acid, are called___________________________________________.» • restriction enzymes ------ -------- a certain DNA sequence • a certain aminoacid sequence ------ -------- reductases • 3.) On environmental matter, which aspects of plant biotechnology are of your concern? Enumerate them on these ‘thought balloons’ and justify. • ☺ • 6.) On this group there are no correct or incorrect answers. Only your opinion is of interest. • 6.1.) Among the expressions below shown, indicate 4 of your choice to make your own description about “plant biotechnology” (circumvent them) • Development at great pace Isn’t subjected to/ Doesn’t need specific legislation None relationship exists with environment • Development at slow pace It is useless It is subjected to/need specific legislation It is useful There exists a relationship with environment • 6.2.) Are these themes of your interest? (underline your option): -Very much; -Reasonably; -Few • Project didactic material focused:1. ABC of genetics; 2. ABC of genetic transformation and plant biotechnology; 3. Plant protection; 4. New products and substances; 5. Phytorremediation; 6. Quality of plant; 7. Law and regulatory aspects, 8. Intellectual property rights and patents. Within each section a set of different activities were scheduled both inside and outside school (eg.: guided-tours; web-portfolios and a ‘opinion gallery’ for the project web page) Web project page (under construction at: http:\\www.institutovirtual.pt/edu-agri-biotec). • Figure 1-Location of Portuguese schools of this project. • Green- five enrolled schools • Red- five collaborative schools FINDINGS Knowledge about genetic and genetic engineering –A group of three sentences to fulfil with a similar structure of question 1.C (see above) were performed. Relevant data: (question 1.C) among all answer categories ‘correct, semi- correct, incorrect, no answer’ only this last one -’no answer’- is absenton resultsfrom the set of 5 ES. In fact, only among students from Collaborative Schools –CS- ‘no-answering’ was shown. This result occured for similar questions 1.A and 1.B (data not shown), suggesting that increased information access and/or knowledge (situation of Enrolled Schools –ES- compared with Collaborative Schools –CS-) allows higher responding rates among students (Graphic 1). Students’ perceptions A- about Plant BiotechnologyRelationship with Environment Relevant data: the majority of students (from both ES and CS) consider existence of this relationship. (Table I.1). B- about Plant BiotechnologyDevelopment Pace Relevant data: the majority of students (from both ES and CS) perceive this development pace as being great. Slow development pace was an option for few students (7 from ES vs. 14 from CS; ratio of 1:2).(Table I.2). C- about Plant BiotechnologySpecific Legislation Existence/Subjection Relevant data: the majority of students (from both ES and CS) stated an existence of/subjection to such specific legislation. About 40% of students from CS were unable to answer this question, a value double of the one obtained to non-responding students from ES (19,5%).(Table I.3).D- about Plant BiotechnologyUtility Relevant data: the majority of students (from both ES and CS) perceive plant biotechnology as useful. Useless was an option for few students (7 from ES vs. 14 from CS; ratio of 1:2).(Table I.4). Students’ environmental concerns Some students were unable to express their concerns. Other expressed them quite well. Expressed concerns can be included on these three categories of environmental impacts (Williamson et al., 1990, cit. Tommeras, B.A., 1998): «(1) effects caused by the genetically modified organism itself, (2) effects resulting from dispersal of genes from the genetically modified organism to other organisms (intra- and interspecies) in the environment, and (3) altered practice in the use of an organism because of the genetic modification. These categories were named, by these authors as: «(1) ‘invasion potential’, (2) ‘gene flow’ and (3) ‘altered use’». Students’ interest F- with focus on students’ motivation/interest level on genetics and plant biotechnology, was performed question 6.2. Relevant data: Interest/motivation were Medium and High (Graphic 2), with few students declaring a Low level of interest. These results are encouraging and, as cited by John Krumboltz: “Learning is an exciting adventure –unless, of course, we go out of our way to make it unpleasant.” (cit. Covington, 1998). Graphic 1- Relative distribution of responses (reply categories) to question 1.1 C., by the set of students (10School: total of 162; 5 ES: sub-total of 82; 5 CS: sub-total of 80 students). Graphic 2- Level of Interest declared on responses to question 6.2., by the set of students (total of 162 students) A FINAL CONSIDERATION In agreement with Styles (2002) «There is only one way forward. It is essential to demystify biotechnology. (…)It is important that young people are exposed to balanced information about the advantages and disadvantages of biotechnological advances». REFERENCES Covington, M.V. (1998). The Will to Learn. A guide for motivating young people. Cambridge University Press, 322pp. Styles, M.L.B. (2002). Using education as a public relations tool for biotechnology. PCTOC70: 23-26. Tommeras, B.A. (1998). Assessing environmental impacts, transgenic Norway spruce as a timescale case. Proc. of workshop Past, Present and Future Considerations in Risk Assessment when using GMO’s, pp: 113-118, Gert E. de Vries(Ed.), 155 pp. Financed by Acknowledgements Authors wish to express their acknowledgements to all the schools communities that have accepted our invitation to participate on this pilot project, and that are performing crucial tasks with their students. Our Acknowledgements are also extended to all other project colleagues and technicians working on our Cd rom and Web project page (under construction). Finally, but equally important, are our acknowledgements to Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, by their financial support to the project, and by trusting in us to perform this challenging project.