A Case for the Use of Open Data as a Tool to Incorporate Socioscientific Topics into Neuroscience Education

Education scholars have called for an increased focus on developing curricula based on culturally relevant pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995). A key tenet of Ladson-Billings' (1995; 2014) theory of culturally relevant pedagogy is the development of students' sociopolitical consciousness, whereby students feel empowered and encouraged to evaluate and solve real-world interdisciplinary problems. Here, we propose that open science datasets could serve as a valuable tool for neuroscience educators to foster their students' sociopolitical consciousness. Using the open data available through the Seattle Alzheimer's Disease Brain Cell Atlas (SEA-AD) as a case study, this article will explore how open science can be leveraged as a tool to encourage socioscientific thinking amongst neuroscience students. We overview a collection of lessons created by the Allen Institute's Education & Engagement team that provides a scaffolded exploration of an open science resource through a socioscientific lens. We supplement our discussion of the lessons with feedback from students who completed the lessons during a day-long workshop hosted at the Allen Institute in Seattle, WA. We conclude by reflecting on the future role this type of interdisciplinary, open science-based approach to curricula could have across neuroscience education more broadly.