Tree-thinking in Introductory Biology Evolution Education

生物科学(61)。尽管进化论在生物科学中很重要，但它并没有被公众广泛理解或接受，在大学预科和大学阶段的科学教育中，进化论和相关主题的覆盖面也有很大的差异。因此，许多本科生进入生物学入门课程时，可能会带着较差的进化论知识基础离开。为了响应更积极、更以学生为中心的科学教育，特别是更有效的进化论教学的呼声，该项目正在开发一种课程，由一系列主动学习模块组成，可用于专业和非专业的入门级生物学课程，旨在增加学生对进化论作为现代生物学的基本原理的理解和欣赏。由于调查还报告了对遗传学和遗传原理的理解与对进化原理的接受和理解之间的正相关关系，这些单元强调系统发展和遗传数据之间的联系。通过强调一种称为树思维的系统发生学观点，揭示不同谱系之间不间断遗传信息链的遗传数据的力量可以被用来解释其他进化和生物现象。这些模块包括小组习题集、案例研究、同行学习和基于探究的练习，这些练习可以在课堂或实验室环境中使用。由于这些单元依赖于对树思维、主动学习技术和当前教育技术的认识和专业知识，该项目还包括为在这些课程中授课的研究生举办的互动教育学讲习班。教育学论坛提供对当前科学教育研究的经验和接触，旨在补充研究生正在发展的研究技能。这些模块每年影响俄克拉荷马大学375名本科生；每年约有10名研究生参加该计划并接受科学教育学培训，以促进他们专业发展的这一关键方面的发展。正在通过模块前后的多项选择评估、概念图和开放式调查来评估模块对学生学习的影响。该项目的成果正在与俄克拉荷马大学的其他单位分享，这些单位的任务包括科学教育，在专业科学会议上发表，并在科学教育学文献中发表。

Biological Sciences (61). Despite its importance in the biological sciences, evolutionary theory is not widely understood or accepted in the general public, and there is tremendous variation in coverage of evolution and related topics in pre-college and college-level science education. Consequently, many undergraduate students enter and may leave introductory level biology with a poor knowledge foundation about evolution. In response to calls for more active, student-focused science education in general, and more effective teaching of evolution in particular, this project is developing a curriculum comprised of a series of active learning modules that can be used in an introductory-level biology course for majors and non-majors, one that is aimed at increasing student understanding and appreciation of evolution as a fundamental principle of modern biology. Because surveys also report a positive correlation between understanding of the principles of genetics and inheritance and the acceptance and understanding of evolutionary principles, the modules emphasize the link between phylogeny and genetic data. By emphasizing a phylogenetic perspective called tree thinking, the strength of genetic data that reveal the unbroken chain of inherited information among different lineages can be built upon to explain other evolutionary and biological phenomena. The modules include group problem sets, case studies, peer learning, and inquiry-based exercises that can be used in a lecture or laboratory setting. Because the modules depend upon awareness of and expertise with tree-thinking, active learning techniques and current educational technology, the project also includes an interactive pedagogy workshop for graduate students teaching in these courses. The pedagogy forum provides experience and exposure to current research in science education and is designed to complement the research skills the graduate students are developing. The modules are impacting over 375 undergraduate students at the University of Oklahoma each year; approximately 10 graduate students per year participate in the program and receive training in science pedagogy to foster development of this critical aspect of their professional development. The effect of the modules on student learning is being assessed through multiple-choice pre- and post-module assessments, concept maps, and open ended surveys. Results of the project are being shared with other units at the University of Oklahoma whose mission includes science education, presented at professional scientific conferences, and published in the science pedagogy literature.