Integrative Case Studies in Evolution Education

这个项目正在开发、实地测试和评估一套8个互动的在线案例研究的有效性，帮助大学水平的学生学习和整合他们对进化生物学现代概念的理解。这些研究通过整合从核苷酸到种群的多个尺度上的生物学概念，为理解进化过程提供了丰富的内容。案例研究强调进化过程的分子和生化基础，以及传统上教授的种群遗传变异和自然选择的概念。正在开发的案例研究包括：1)节肢动物的HOX基因和身体平面进化；2)灵长类动物的颜色视觉；3)狗的身体尺寸；4)肌球蛋白、形态和人类进化；以及5)哺乳动物的皮质类固醇受体。这些学习进化概念的资源正在入门和高级生物学课程中进行实地测试和评估。评估被用来衡量它们在帮助学生填补他们对进化论理解中的“漏洞”方面的有效性，并整合他们以前学到的“零碎”进化论，正在通过与学生写作的访谈和分析进行三角测量来测试其有效性和可靠性。此外，这些案例解决了学生普遍存在的问题，即1)进化是以目标为导向的；2)物种是独立的、稳定的和不变的。正在通过加州大学伯克利分校(UE)的理解进化网站(UE)、国家进化综合中心(NESCent)和国家科学案例研究教学中心(NCCSTS)以及LON-CAPA和其他在线分发手段，以及通过在会议和其他学校的演讲和研讨会，在线分发已开发的资源和评估。

This project is developing, field testing and assessing the effectiveness of a set of 8 interactive, online case studies that help college-level students learn and integrate their understanding of modern concepts in evolutionary biology. The studies provide richness to the understanding of evolutionary processes by integrating biological concepts across multiple scales, varying from nucleotides to populations. The case studies emphasize the molecular and biochemical bases of evolutionary processes, in conjunction with the traditionally taught concepts of population genetic variation and natural selection. Among the case studies under development are: 1) Hox genes and body plan evolution in arthropods; 2) color vision in primates; 3) body size in dogs; 4) myosin, morphology and human evolution; and 5) corticosteroid receptors in mammals. These resources for learning evolutionary concepts are being field tested and assessed in introductory and advanced biology courses. Assessments used to measure their effectiveness in helping students fill the "holes" in their understanding of evolution, and to integrate the "bits and pieces" of evolution they previously learned, are being tested for validity and reliability by triangulating with interviews and analyses of students' writing. In addition, the cases address common problems with student ideas that 1) evolution is goal directed; and 2) species are separate, stable and unchanging. Dissemination of developed resources and assessments is occurring by online distribution via the Understanding Evolution website at UC Berkeley (UE), the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent), and the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science (NCCSTS), along with LON-CAPA and other means of online distribution, and via presentations and workshops at conferences and at other schools.