BOIS 412/812: Human Genetics—A Peer Review of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio

This portfolio focuses on Human Genetics, an upper-division course taken primarily by biology majors to fulfill elective credit in their degree. This course studies the genetic basis for human variation, with the goal of placing this variation in the context of human evolutionary history and the consequences of this variation for medical understanding and treatments. In Human Genetics, students complete an original synthetic research paper on a human genetic disorder. Through writing this paper, students are expected to learn how to navigate electronic databases and online resources on human genetic diseases, and to read and synthesize the primary scientific literature. This portfolio describes the teaching methods used to guide students through this process. The information and concepts to be taught in Human Genetics are expected to be useful for students going on to do research in a biological field, for those intending to pursue medical and health-related professions, and in general in producing informed and critical citizens who are empowered to make scientifically sound decisions