Learning Evolution Through Human and Non-Human Case Studies

探索研究K-12计划（DRK-12）旨在通过研究和开发创新资源，模型和工具（RMT），显着提高学前班学生和教师的科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）的学习和教学。DRK-12计划中的项目建立在STEM教育的基础研究和先前的研究和开发工作的基础上，这些研究和开发工作为拟议项目提供了理论和经验依据。 该项目与亚拉巴马的大学职业准备标准（CCRS）的生物学在9-12年级有关的统一性和多样性。这些标准基于下一代科学标准（NGSS），并于2016-2017学年生效。 在先前工作（DRL-119468）的基础上，该项目将开发和测试两个关于高中普通生物学课程进化主题的课程单元，其中一个单元主要侧重于人类案例研究，以教授进化，另一个单元主要侧重于其他物种的进化案例研究。这两个单位将进行比较，以研究如何不同的教学方法对进化影响学生和教师。 该项目还将开发和实地测试文化和宗教敏感性（CRS）资源，为教师提供创造支持性学习环境的策略，帮助理解进化的科学解释，同时也承认与学习进化相关的文化争议。 使用课程单元和CRS资源对学生和教师成果的影响将在课堂上进行测试，方法是比较人类与非人类单元的成果，以及使用或不使用CRS资源的课堂策略。该项目将检查学生和教师四个治疗组的成果：1）课程单元1，2）课程单元1与CRS资源，3）课程单元2，和4）课程单元2与CRS资源。 研究问题是：1）在高中生物学导论学生中，使用人类与非人类进化的例子来教授核心进化概念会以何种方式影响对进化的理解、接受和学习进化的动机？2)如何使用教学策略，重点是承认文化争议的进化使用程序中立的方法影响高中生物学教师的舒适度和信心与教学进化？ 3)如何使用人类与非人类进化的例子来教授基本的进化概念，并结合教学策略，重点是承认使用程序中立的方法对进化的文化争议，影响高中生物学入门学生对进化的理解，接受和学习动机？ 4）使用人类与非人类进化的例子来教授基本进化概念，并结合注重使用程序中立方法承认有关进化的文化争议的教学策略，会以何种方式影响高中生物学入门教师对教学的舒适度和信心进化论？ 该项目将采用2 × 2 × 2混合析因的准实验研究设计来回答这些问题，总共将包括32名教师，每个治疗组8名，沿着约800名学生。 每次评估将作为预测试开始前两个星期的课程单元，并作为后测试完成后立即单位管理。本研究以测验成绩为科内因素，以课程单元及CRS资源为科间因素。

The Discovery Research K-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools (RMTs). Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects. This project aligns with Alabama's College & Career-Ready Standards (CCRS) for biology in grades 9-12 relating to Unity and Diversity. These standards are based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and go into effect during the 2016-2017 school year. Building on prior work (DRL-119468), this project will develop and test two curriculum units on the topic of evolution for high school general biology courses, with one unit focusing primarily on human case studies to teach evolution and one unit focusing primarily on case studies of evolution in other species. The two units will be compared to examine how different approaches to teaching evolution affect students and teachers. The project will also develop and field test a Cultural and Religious Sensitivity (CRS) Resource to provide teachers with strategies for creating supportive learning environments where understanding of the scientific account of evolution is aided while also acknowledging the cultural controversy associated with learning about evolution. The impacts on student and teacher outcomes of using the curriculum units and the CRS Resource will be tested in classrooms by comparing the outcomes of the human versus non-human units, and by using or not using classroom strategies from the CRS Resource.The project will examine student and teacher outcomes of four treatment groups: 1) Curriculum Unit 1, 2) Curriculum Unit 1 with the CRS Resource, 3) Curriculum Unit 2, and 4) Curriculum Unit 2 with the CRS Resource. The research questions are: 1) In what ways does using examples of human versus non-human evolution to teach core evolutionary concepts affect understanding of, acceptance of, and motivation to learn about evolution among high school introductory biology students? 2) In what ways do using teaching strategies that focus on acknowledging the cultural controversy about evolution using a procedural neutrality approach affect high school introductory biology teachers' comfort and confidence with teaching evolution? 3) In what ways does using examples of human versus non-human evolution to teach fundamental evolutionary concepts in conjunction with teaching strategies that focus on acknowledging the cultural controversy about evolution using a procedural neutrality approach affect understanding of, acceptance of, and motivation to learn about evolution among high school introductory biology students? And 4) In what ways does using examples of human versus non-human evolution to teach fundamental evolutionary concepts in conjunction with teaching strategies that focus on acknowledging the cultural controversy about evolution using a procedural neutrality approach affect high school introductory biology teachers' comfort and confidence with teaching evolution? The project will use a 2 X 2 X 2 mixed factorial quasi-experimental research design to answer these questions, and will include a total of 32 teachers, 8 in each treatment group, along with approximately 800 students. Each assessment will be administered as a pretest two weeks prior to starting the curriculum unit and as a posttest immediately after completing the unit. Test scores will be the within-subjects factors, and Curriculum Unit and CRS Resource will be the between-subjects factors.