Teaching Evolution for the 21st Century: Using Modern Methods and Real Data to Enhance Student Learning

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

The Department of Integrative Biology, in collaboration with the University of California Museum of Paleontology (UCMP), American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), and the BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium (BioQUEST), is developing a series of five laboratory modules that introduce concepts and methods from current, cutting-edge research in evolutionary biology that are quantitative and computational in nature. The laboratory modules are being implemented and assessed in a gateway biology course that introduces over 1600 undergraduates a year to basic concepts in evolutionary biology, ecology, and plant diversity. The course is a prerequisite for 13 majors and is the only exposure to evolution that many of the students receive while at Berkeley. Intellectual Merit: A novel aspect of the design of the laboratory sequence is that it employs the same databases and programs that research scientists use in order to introduce students to the process of science, yet maintains a connection to tangible specimens and real organisms. It also addresses the importance of building students' quantitative skills, which are especially relevant to evolutionary biology. The comprehensive approach of the lab series is founded on a tested method of effective teaching: making materials explicit, allowing time for reflection, and placing concepts in multiple contexts. A Research Highlights component of the modules is being designed to reinforce the nature of science, relate concepts and skills in lab to true scientific research, and make them relevant to students. The Research Highlights section introduces students to a research "hot topic," a research opportunity for undergraduates on campus, or the personal profile of a researcher chosen particularly to demonstrate the diversity of individuals in the life sciences. The program is being evaluated to assess targeted learning gains in concepts of evolution and quantitative reasoning. In addition, the assessment plan is documenting how the laboratory series affects students' attitudes about science and quantitative thinking, success in future courses and participation in research over multiple semesters. Broader Impacts: In addition to reaching a large immediate audience at UC Berkeley, the laboratory modules are being designed to allow for potential adoption by introductory biology and evolution instructors at other institutions nationwide. The teaching strategies employed in the laboratory sequence are being developed to make quantitative science more accessible and thereby promote students' success. The NSF-funded Understanding Evolution (UE) and Understanding Science (US) web-based programs at the UCMP, BioQUEST, and AIBS are guiding development and dissemination of laboratory materials to help ensure that the materials are distributed as broadly as possible to diverse audiences.