AIDS Research: Global Understanding and Engagement (ARGUE)
Sherryl Broverman, Associate Professor of the Practice, Department of Biology, Duke University
In 2000 Duke University modified its general education curriculum to place a greater emphasis on "the ability to make meaning of complex information...the ability to evaluate and discern among competing claims... the ability to collaborate... the ability to engage difference... and the ability to apply knowledge in the service of society." This introductory science course for non-majors and pre-majors was developed in 2000 in response to these new curricular requirements and has been taught ever year ever since. The course links curricula at Duke University (USA) and Egerton University (Kenya) by teaching the science related to HIV/AIDS through collaborative learning and common research projects of value to an international community partner. The overarching goals of the course are to
1) to increase the ability of students to evaluate, research, and communicate scientific knowledge clearly;
2) to increase awareness of how science is perceived and utilized across cultures; and
3) to foster an lifelong interest in understanding the role science plays in globalization and international development.
Students in the course explore the biology of HIV, including viral transmission, pathology, virulence and treatment, as well as the relationship that these scientific processes have to social, political, and economic life. They gain experience in evaluating the quality of scientific data and hypotheses and in effectively conveying results to their peers as they work on common assignments and collaborative research projects. The products of these collaborations have included the development of curricula on HIV/AIDS (which has been used by over 2000 students at Egerton), HIV peer education materials, resources on the relationship between gender inequality and health, and programs to support girls' education. Since its inception, the course's development has been supported by awards from the NSF, including the Women's International Science Collaboration Grant (2003) and the Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement program (2004). It received the Josiah Charles Trent Memorial Foundation Award in Medical Ethics and Humanities in 2006.
