IMPACT OF EDUCATION ON THE ATTITUDES OF COLLEGE-STUDENTS TOWARD BIOTECHNOLOGY

An interdisciplinary course was designed as an introduction to the app lications of, and the socio-economic issues associated with, biotechno logy. College students enrolled the course were surveyed prior to the first formal lecture, and again upon completion of the course. Assessm ent was made of the impact of the educational materials on the attitud es and perceptions of the students toward the applications of biotechn ology to agriculture. Data were collected for the first three semester s in which the course was offered. Answers to survey questions were an alyzed on a before and after basis. It was found that students were ve ry accepting of biotechnology prior to taking the course, despite a ge nerally low level of exposure to this type of technology. The course w as effective in increasing the knowledge base of the students, but not as effective in allaying their perceptions of risks associated with b iotechnology.