遗传学综合实验的教学改革实践

利用果蝇杂交实验,进行了教学改革的尝试。通过教学实践力求将几个独立的果蝇实验集中于一个,以充分利用实验时间,增加内容,改进方法。在改革的尝试中,学生自主设计实验方案,独立完成实验内容,处于主导地位。充分发挥了学生主动性,达到了培养学生独立思考、实际操作及科研素质等综合能力的目的。     

Building International Indigenous People’s Partnerships for Community-Driven Health Initiatives

In this article we present an international Indigenous people’s partnership project co-led by two Indigenous communities, Musqueam (Coast Salish, Canada) and Totoras (Quichua, Ecuador), as a community-driven health initiative. The Musqueam-Totoras partnership includes Indigenous organizations, universities, international agencies, government, and nongovernmental organizations to address Indigenous health concerns in both communities. Our collaborative approach provides a framework to (a) increase the development expertise of Indigenous people internationally, (b) increase skills among all participants, and (c) facilitate Indigenous knowledge mobilization and translation to promote cultural continuity. This international Indigenous people’s partnership between north and south reflects the diversity and commonalities of Indigenous knowledge, contributes to cultural revitalization, and minimizes the impact of assimilation, technology, and globalization. Indigenous people’s partnerships contribute to self-determination, which is a prerequisite to the building and maintenance of healthy communities and the promotion of social justice. The exchange of Indigenous knowledge upholds Indigenous values of respect, reciprocity, relevance, and responsibility. Given the history of colonization and the negligence of governments in the exercising of these values with respect to Indigenous communities, this contemporary exchange among Indigenous people in the Americas serves to reclaim these values and practices. International cooperation empowering Indigenous people and other marginalized groups has become fundamental for their advancement and participation in globalized economies. An international Indigenous people’s partnership provides opportunities for sharing cultural, historical, social, environmental, and economic factors impacting Indigenous health. These partnerships also create beneficial learning experiences in community-based participatory research and community-driven health initiatives, provide culturally sensitive research ethics frameworks, increase capacity building, and address basic human needs identified by participating communities.     

Capacity-Building for Natural Resource Management: Lessons from the Health Sector

This paper examines capacity-building measures used by the health sector relevant to natural resource management (NRM) using the delivery of two programs in Australia through its recently formalized 56 community-based regional NRM Boards as a reference point. The delivery of NRM outcomes through devolved governance arrangements has been hampered by inadequate capacity in other countries (e.g., New Zealand, Canada). The inherent complexities of NRM, coupled with professional “comfort zones,” often limit actors from looking to other sectors confronting similar issues. This paper summarizes findings from ∼70 sources in health reviewing nine major capacity-building measures. The outcomes of research evaluating the relative benefits and disbenefits of applying these measures are discussed. The paper identifies several opportunities to trial some of these measures in NRM.

Research,capacity-building and empowerment for sustainable management of African wetland ecosystems

African wetlands have important functions and values in terms of the water cycle, water quality management and biodiversity conservation. Especially relevant is their importance in food security, the provision of tradable products, and cultural and aesthetic values for local riparian communities.In Africa, knowledge of the processes, functions and values of wetlands is slim: indeed, in many regions, wetland inventories are yet to be produced. A research strategy is proposed to address some of these issues recommending an intrinsically linked, two-pronged approach: i.e. (i) studies for inventories, assessment and monitoring of wetlands and (ii) research into processes, structure and functioning of wetland ecosystems. The former has an immediate urgency whilst the latter has a long-term perspective. It is argued that curiosity-driven, (basic) research should go hand-in-hand with problem-orientated (applied) studies. Basic research is essential for a nation's scientific and technical empowerment and development. Priority topics include studies on biological diversity and integrated studies on wetlands and water resources (including water quality and the functions and values of wetland buffers).There is clear evidence of a shortage of expertise from within Africa for these topics and the reasons are discussed. Amongst others, blame is directed towards aid strategies from the industrial North and individual research programmes by `Northern' scientists in Africa. However, commitment in Africa to the actual process of scientific research is also wanting. Overall, the North have failed to stimulate a critical mass for research whilst the South suffer from a lack of momentum and from chronic under-investment.A research, training and capacity-building scheme is presented as a viable option for ameliorating the dearth of wetland resource professionals in Africa in which partnerships and networking of institutes from the North and South is encouraged.