The Gene Educator Series
Join NPT this September for a three-part virtual professional development series as we bring experts and educators together for a science-filled journey.
Have you ever compared jelly doughnuts to human cells? Whether you are a doughnut lover, a science teacher or are just curious about how doughnuts are connected to genetics, this workshop is for you!
This workshop series brings the PBS Learning Media Collection The Gene: An Intimate History into your class or at-home school room. Participants will gain access to resources and be able to ask questions about enhancing classroom learning as well as discovering new career paths for their students.
Expert panelists and partnerships include:
Robin Bowman educator, Personal Genetics Education Project (pgEd)
Nadine Vincenten educator, Personal Genetics Education Project (pgEd)
Chris Durrance co-director, The Gene: An Intimate History
The Vanderbilt Genetics Institute
Meharry Medical College
Metro Public Nashville Public Schools STEAM Initiative
This series is free for educators and will feature a participant chat using What'sApp to share ongoing discoveries and resources. All professional presentations will be held on the Zoom platform and will be recorded and distributed to participants to allow for flexible viewing and chat participation.
Event 1
Thursday, September 17, 4 – 5 p.m.
Our first virtual teacher training will be facilitated by educators Robin Bowman and Nadine Vincenten from the Personal Genetics Education Project (pgEd). The workshop leaders will introduce various resources, including segments on PBS Learning Media from The Gene: An Intimate History, a series executive-produced by Ken Burns. The presentation includes a panel discussion featuring local educators and MNPS STEAM teachers who will explore best practices about teaching genetics in the classroom. All participants will be encouraged to explore these resources over the next week and share their discoveries with a community of educators using What’sApp.
Event 2
Thursday, September 24, 4 – 6 p.m.
The second virtual teacher training workshop begins with special remarks from Vanderbilt Genetics Institute and Meharry Medical College experts who will discuss local work being done in the field of genetics. Later, educators Robin Bowman and Nadine Vincenten will lead an in-depth discussion about educator resources and access with pgEd. All participants will be encouraged to explore these resources over the next week and share their discoveries with a community of educators using What’sApp.
Event 3
Thursday, October 1, 5 – 6 p.m.
The third and final virtual training course will take place as a live Zoom meeting. Chris Durrance, co-director of The Gene: An Intimate History, will illustrate how the film unveils the impact genes play in our everyday lives. Next, educators Robin Bowman and Nadine Vincenten lead a discussion about participant discoveries with pgEd. Breakout rooms will be facilitated by MNPS STEAM teacher leaders who will pose the following question to participants: “How will the new knowledge and resources benefit your own classrooms by integrating genetics into their curriculum?”
Resources
Production funding for KEN BURNS PRESENTS THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY has been provided by Genentech, 23andMe, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Gray Foundation, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) & Conquer Cancer Foundation, Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation, Craig and Susan McCaw Foundation, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The Outreach and Education Partner is National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute. Outreach support is provided by Foundation Medicine.