Science should provide students an accurate and contemporary education on genetic influence, particularly how it impacts trait variability and developmental norms. Stories involving familial, racial, and sexual differences routinely appear in the popular media and sales of over-the-counter genetic tests are mounting. Unfortunately, research suggests genetic curricula in secondary education and university courses have little impact on genetic literacy; instead they appear to amplify genetic essentialism. This position paper reports on genetic essentialism, the impact of three components of science education (teachers, students, curriculum), and critiques existing genetic lessons in two prevalent scientific disciplines, biology and psychology. Two entrenched 19th century genetic paradigms (e.g., Mendelian inheritance and behavioral genetics) are specifically examined. The paper closes with specific recommendations for improving students' genetic literacy including important contemporary genetic science (e.g., epigenetics) and instructional approaches (e.g., learning progression, refutational teaching).

中文翻译：

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揭露 19 世纪遗传科学教学的危险

科学应该为学生提供关于遗传影响的准确和当代的教育，特别是它如何影响性状变异和发育规范。涉及家庭、种族和性别差异的故事经常出现在大众媒体上，非处方基因测试的销量也在不断增加。不幸的是，研究表明中等教育和大学课程中的遗传课程对遗传素养影响不大；相反，它们似乎放大了遗传本质主义。这篇立场文件报告了遗传本质主义、科学教育三个组成部分（教师、学生、课程）的影响，并批评了生物学和心理学这两个流行科学学科中现有的遗传课程。两个根深蒂固的 19 世纪遗传范式（例如，孟德尔遗传和行为遗传学）得到了专门研究。本文最后提出了提高学生遗传素养的具体建议，包括重要的当代遗传科学（例如表观遗传学）和教学方法（例如学习进程、反驳教学）。