The importance of education of future elementary teachers about modern biotechnology issues

Abstract

The tremendous development of science and technology has influenced many aspects of our everyday lives, society and environment. A good example of such technology is biotechnology. However, besides its promise, this technology has also
raised several controversial issues to which answers are not easily available. With increasing knowledge and applications on one side and controversy on the other the teaching of science is, anything but easy. Development of competencies for these issues, and questions like why, when, and how to integrate modern biotechnology into science education are becoming prominent in the near future. Nowadays, when we are confronted with issues of varying degrees of complexity and importance, it is necessary that teachers at all levels of education have the basic tools to cope with these issues. This is one of reason why we have attempted to establish what kind of knowledge, values and opinions about genetic engineering and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are characteristic for the students, future Elementary Teachers, at three Slovene Faculties of Education. We collected answers of 360 questionnaires from pre-service elementary school teachers and analysed their statements from the field of general and classical genetics, modern biotechnology, legislation and the acceptance of different kind of GMOs. Prospective teachers have some knowledge of general and classical genetics and less knowledge about the use of modern biotechnology. They have concerns and fears about different kind of GMOs, mostly negative attitudes towards different kinds of GMOs, or they hold no strong opinions about them. Microorganisms and plants are generally more acceptable than GM animal. Furthermore, more knowledge does not mean that individual GMOs are more acceptable.