Abstract

Due to the rapid change of technology and the knowledge that is required to produce and make use of it, the need for quality education in new areas of technology is more important than ever before. However, education regarding technology can focus on diverse aspects of a technology ( e.g., factual information, applications, or social, ethical, and religious ramifications), and it can take different forms (e.g., classroom lecture, group discussion, hands-on laboratory, and various distance-learning approaches. In this project, a survey, which measured the students' understanding of and opinions about biotechnology, was administered to forty-eight students divided into three groups. Group 1 was composed of students emolled in Biology Laboratory, Group 2 of students enrolled in Science Seminar, and Group 3 of students emolled in both classes. Data from the survey was used to establish both an initial level of understanding and opinion and a change in the same over the course of treatment. This treatment consisted of the laboratory students performing three biotechnology-related labs and of the seminar students reading and discussing books containing biotechnology-related material. Though the laboratory experience, the seminar, and the combination of experiences did not exhibit a change in students' understanding, the strategies did affect opinions and perceptions differently. This change is seen most notably in the level of familiarity and perception of validity concerning biotechnology , both of which show a marked positive change in both groups involving laboratory experience.