The interests of the class will guide somewhat the topics chosen for discussion. The goal of the lab is to learn to recognize members of common plant families and identify strange specimens using keys, as well as to learn good experimental design and data analysis techniques. And to get wet and muddy at least twice, and to be outside on at least some lovely spring mornings. While sex is usually used to describe discrete, qualitative categories, gender is defined differently in different disciplines. We will discuss the context dependent utility of each definition, and to what organisms it applies.
General dictionaries define gender as basically equivalent to sex.
The anthropological definition is that gender is a product of culture. According to the botanical definition, gender is a continuum based on the degree of reproduction in which a plant participates as a female, and is often influenced by the social and physical environment. In addition, this course will cover multiple biological definitions of sex, gender roles in human and non-human organisms, and how each of these affect and are affected by organic evolution. Laboratory exercises and class discussions that reinforce lecture topics require participation of all students. M McVorran Explores the cultural foundations of American education and examines the challenge to the schooling process, presented by cultural diversity.