Levels of Public Engagement

Great piece, Mark … involving students in authentic research, especially work that directly ties them to issues with personal relevance, certainly goes a long way towards stimulating student excitement.  We find the same level of excitement with our students; their contributions were covered earlier this week on a piece that aired locally during NPR's Morning Edition:

http://www.kclu.org/news/local/story.php?story_id=612

Apart from recognizing their outstanding achievements, this clip highlights an extremely important point with respect to the unmet educational potential of BOLI and levels of public engagement (two issues that I think warrant serious attention as public interest in barcoding is heightened).  As Ms. Butler (Foothill Technology High School) aptly noted during the interview, the fundamental scientific concepts and laboratory techniques associated with the generation of reference barcodes are covered in many high school settings and are certainly within the grasp of most high school students. Indeed, the talented students who are highlighted in this story (Joshua Lipstone, Colin O'Neill, and Patrick Sudre), together with many of their peers from 14 cities along the California coast and beyond, have successfully undertaken DNA barcoding in our labs as a complete and integrated discovery process that includes their application of very straightforward and conceptually accessible molecular biology-based tools to generate barcodes.  This is an extremely powerful level of engagement with nature and science; when students understand the origins of these tools and their ties to the natural world, are empowered to apply them to a landmark project that seeks to understand Earth’s biological heritage, and are cited as authors for the submission of genetic records, their contribution assumes new meaning, significance, and personal relevance.  These features, which are sorely lacking in most skills-based, “cookbook style” science curricula, exemplify what is needed to stimulate interest in science and enhance student
performance in science disciplines. 
In this context, DNA barcoding is an educational “slam dunk” that
addresses many of the key recommendations for science education reform (especially when students are directly involved in creating the pages of a genetic encyclopedia of life).  

Our challenge, of course, rests in creating opportunities for the veritable legions of students who are willing to build upon what they’ve already learned in the classroom to meaningfully contribute to BOLI. Although high school teachers are certainly capable of instructing students on how to use BOLD as a genetic search engine, most lack the expertise necessary to help students participate in the creation of this resource.  For this latter goal, which our students and others demonstrate is possible, we need a high level of investment (and a sustained commitment) from the scientific community to maximize the educational potential of the initiative, which is remarkable for its ability to span systematics, environmental science and policy, ecology, developmental, molecular and cell biology, genetics, and various forms of computer science (to say nothing of its power to connect students with the natural world and help them recognize the importance of biodiversity preservation -- two points that could be made more clear in future media coverage of student achievements).

Karen, before we delineate best practices, I wonder if we should first discuss the levels of engagement that we envision for different segments of the public (middle schoolers, high schoolers, undergraduates, naturalists, and others), the types of groups or organizations or institutions that are best suited to engage citizens at different levels, and the investment required from the scientific community to help these groups in their efforts to engage (which will certainly vary according to engagement level).

I also think that this group should consider soliciting commitments from a handful of organizations that are interested in engaging various segments of the public at different levels (middle schoolers, high schoolers, teachers, naturalists, and others).yes"">  As we capture the interest and fascination of the general public in DNA barcoding, we need to provide them with a clear means to contribute at an appropriate level.