Authentic Science with Live Organisms Can Improve Evolution Education

2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Dale Broder ◽  
Lisa M. Angeloni ◽  
Stephanie Simmons ◽  
Sarah Warren ◽  
Kaitlin D. Knudson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The United States ◽  
Evolution Education ◽  
Student Understanding ◽  
Authentic Science ◽  
Scientific Process ◽  
Acceptance Of Evolution ◽  
Inquiry Approach ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Science Approach ◽  
Evolution By Natural Selection

Evolution education in the United States remains controversial and challenging. This is in part due to the difficulty educators face when trying to overcome students' preexisting beliefs about evolution, which can bias assimilation of information and inhibit learning. We propose that the most effective way to overcome such belief persistence is through an engaging, hands-on inquiry approach that mimics the scientific process used to study evolution. Although this teaching approach, known as authentic science, has gained recognition for its effectiveness in the classroom, it has not been widely applied to teach evolution. We describe how an authentic science approach can be used to teach evolution by natural selection, and provide a formula for the development of such programs. Following this blueprint, we developed a program using Trinidadian guppies and implemented it in 7th grade classrooms in Colorado. Pre- and post-program assessments revealed significant increases in both the understanding and acceptance of evolution among participants. Authentic science experiments using locally adapted populations of live organisms may be able to overcome belief persistence and improve student understanding of evolution.

Small Fish, Big Questions: Inquiry Kits for Teaching Evolution

2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 124-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily A. Kane ◽  
E. Dale Broder ◽  
Andrew C. Warnock ◽  
Courtney M. Butler ◽  
A. Lynne Judish ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Evolution Education ◽  
Small Fish ◽  
Teaching Evolution ◽  
Local Schools ◽  
Broader Impacts ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Education And Outreach ◽  
Evolution By Natural Selection

Evolution education poses unique challenges because students can have preconceptions that bias their learning. Hands-on, inquiry approaches can help overcome preset beliefs held by students, but few such programs exist and teachers typically lack access to these resources. Experiential learning in the form of self-guided kits can allow evolution education programs to maximize their reach while still maintaining a high-quality resource. We created an inquiry-based kit that uses live Trinidadian guppies to teach evolution by natural selection using the VIST (Variation, Inheritance, Selection, Time) framework. Our collaborative team included evolutionary biologists and education specialists, and we were able to combine expertise in evolution research and inquiry-based kit design in the development of this program. By constructing the kits with grant funds slated for broader impacts and maintaining them at our university's Education and Outreach Center, we made these kits freely available to local schools over the long term. Students and teachers have praised how clearly the kits teach evolution by natural selection, and we are excited to share this resource with readers of The American Biology Teacher.

The Small Mammal Project: Engaging Students as Scientists

2017 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 200-206
Author(s):  
Erika V. Iyengar ◽  
Paul T. Meier ◽  
Rachel E. Hamelers
Keyword(s):  
College Courses ◽  
Scientific Process ◽  
Scientific Creativity ◽  
Scientific Investigations ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Upper Level ◽  
Multiple Species ◽  
Dissemination Of Results ◽  
Scientific Questions

This article describes a sustained, student-driven, inquiry-based set of activities meant to illuminate the scientific process from the initial scientific questions to oral dissemination of results. It is appropriate for science majors and nonmajors, advanced high school through upper-level college courses. Involving students in hands-on, self-driven investigations will allow them to see the challenges of quantitative scientific investigations, and the role of scientific creativity in experimental design and interpretation. This project allows a large group of students to engage in the type of research project often only available to students working one-on-one with instructors or in research labs. This activity requires skeletons of multiple species of small mammals, but there are many ways to alter the project to suit available resources. We expect that students involved in hands-on, self-directed scientific investigations early in their academic careers are less likely to view science as a mere accumulation of facts and more likely to be empowered to participate later in more sustained scientific investigations.

scholarly journals Science standards: The foundation of evolution education in the United States

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 59-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Watts ◽  
Georgy S. Levit ◽  
Uwe Hoßfeld
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Evolution Education ◽  
Science Standards

Effect of Inquiry-Based Biology Laboratory Applications on Scientific Process Skills, Attitude, Self-Efficacy and Self-Confidence

2021 ◽  
pp. 15-29
Author(s):  
Dilek Sultan Acarli ◽  
Sevilay Dervişoğlu
Keyword(s):  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Group Model ◽  
Process Skills ◽  
Guided Inquiry ◽  
Scientific Process ◽  
Biology Teachers ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Inquiry Approach ◽  
Biology Laboratory

This study examined the effects of inquiry-based biology laboratory applications on pre-service biology teachers’ scientific process skills, attitudes, self-efficacy, and self-confidence in the laboratory. In this context, many related tests and scales were applied to first-year students of biology education (N=25). The research adopted the pre-test and post-test control group model. The results showed that laboratory practices based on both the corroborative and the guided inquiry approach increase the scientific process skills of the prospective teachers. Guided inquiry-based laboratory practices have increased the attitudes of pre-service biology teachers toward laboratory lessons. However, self-efficacy and self-confidence of the pre-service teachers taking part in corroborative laboratory practices increased, while guided inquiry methods did not have a significant effect on self-efficacy and self-confidence. The findings of the study highlighted the importance of a guided inquiry approach in the laboratory applications related training of pre-service biology teachers.

Corrigendum: No Missing Link: Knowledge Predicts Acceptance of Evolution in the United States

BioScience ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (10) ◽  
pp. 826-826 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deena Skolnick Weisberg ◽  
Asheley R Landrum ◽  
S Emlen Metz ◽  
Michael Weisberg
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Missing Link ◽  
Acceptance Of Evolution

scholarly journals Making Masculinity in Plasma Physics

2011 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-65
Author(s):  
Helena Pettersson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Plasma Physics ◽  
Experimental Work ◽  
Field Work ◽  
The United States ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Ethnographic Field Work

The aim of this article is to analyse masculinity and experimental practices among plasma physicists. The study is based on ethnographic field work with observations and interviews among experimental plasma physicists in a laboratory in the United States. Through daily practices and hands-on situations, the experimental plasma physicists defined their experimental work as strongly associated with masculinity. Both practices and discourses about working with the experiments were fringed with connotations of a craft, of strength and physical efforts. Together, the practices and discourses were used as marks of identity for the laboratory and for the group of physicists within.

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