Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2025
09:37
Navigating MARRVEL, a Web-Based Tool that Integrates Human Genomics and Model Organism Genetics Information
Published on: August 15, 2019
9.8K
Mendelian or Multifactorial? Current Undergraduate Genetics Assessments Focus on Genes and Rarely Include the
Kelly M Schmid1, Dennis Lee2, Monica Weindling2
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
|December 19, 2022
Summary
Undergraduate genetics assessments rarely include multifactorial genetics, focusing instead on simple genetic models. This study highlights the need to incorporate environmental influences and gene-by-environment interactions into genetics education.
Area of Science:
- Genetics Education
- Molecular Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Traditional undergraduate genetics courses often emphasize simple genetic models.
- This approach does not reflect the complex interplay of genes, environment, and gene-by-environment interactions in trait determination.
- Current teaching methods can lead to deterministic thinking and do not align with national curriculum standards for multifactorial concepts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the extent to which multifactorial genetics is assessed in undergraduate genetics courses.
- To identify the current emphasis on genetic versus environmental factors in genetics assessments.
- To inform the development of more comprehensive genetics curricula.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of over 1,000 assessment questions from a popular undergraduate genetics textbook.
- Review of published genetics concept assessments.
- Examination of open-source, peer-reviewed genetics curriculum materials.
Main Results:
- Genetics assessment questions predominantly focus on the impact of genes on phenotypes.
- The influence of the environment on genetic traits is infrequently addressed in current assessments.
- A significant gap exists in assessing multifactorial genetics concepts.
Conclusions:
- Current undergraduate genetics assessments overemphasize genetic determinism.
- There is a critical need to integrate multifactorial genetics, including environmental influences, into genetics education.
- Recommendations are provided for introducing these crucial concepts into undergraduate courses.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Behavioral Genetics and Its Designs
460
Behavior genetics explores how genetic inheritance influences human behavior. It focuses on how genes, passed from parents to offspring, contribute to the development of behavioral traits and tendencies. This branch of genetics seeks to understand the complex interplay between inherited genetic factors and environmental influences in shaping our behaviors.
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
The primary methodologies used in behavior genetics include family studies, twin studies, and adoption studies, each providing unique...
460
01:25Inheritance
449
Gregor Mendel's pioneering work on the principles of inheritance fundamentally transformed our understanding of how traits are transmitted from generation to generation. His experiments with pea plants laid the groundwork for the discovery of genes, discrete units within organisms that control heredity.
Each gene exists in pairs, and the combination of these genes from both parents forms an individual's genotype. This genotype is a blueprint of potential traits. Examples of genotype...
Each gene exists in pairs, and the combination of these genes from both parents forms an individual's genotype. This genotype is a blueprint of potential traits. Examples of genotype...
449
01:20Gene-Environment Interactions
400
Gene expression is a dynamic process that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. This interaction underlies the complex nature of biological development and the phenotypic differences observed among individuals, even among those with identical genetic makeups. Factors such as radiation, temperature, behavior, nutrition, and stress play pivotal roles in determining how genes are expressed. The concept of the reaction range is central to understanding this interaction. It posits...
400
01:28Human Genetics
661
Human genetics provides a profound framework for understanding the interplay between genetic predispositions and human psychology. At the heart of this discipline lies the study of how genes influence physical traits, behaviors, and susceptibility to diseases. Each person carries a unique genetic code that subtly or significantly shapes their psychological and behavioral landscape.
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
661
02:27Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
6.6K
Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
6.6K
01:43Incomplete Dominance
24.9K
Gregor Mendel's work (1822 - 1884) was primarily focused on pea plants. Through his initial experiments, he determined that every gene in a diploid cell has two variants called alleles inherited from each parent. He suggested that amongst these two alleles, one allele is dominant in character and the other recessive. The combination of alleles determines the phenotype of a gene in an organism.
24.9K