Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misconceptions about evolution persist. Pop science nonsense has led people to believe that biologists aren't believers in evolution.
This site, which is a companion to the PBS series It provides teachers with materials that promote evolution education and avoids the kinds of misinformation that can hinder it. It's organized in a "bread crumb" format to aid in navigation and orientation.
Definitions
Evolution is a complex and challenging subject to teach effectively. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists, and even scientists use a definition that confuses the issue. This is especially true when it comes to discussions on the nature of the word.
As such, it is essential to define terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website helps you define these terms in an easy and helpful manner. The site is a companion to the show which first aired in 2001, but is also an independent resource. The content is presented in a way which aids navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms like common ancestor, the gradual process, and adaptation. These terms help to frame the nature of evolution and its relationship to other concepts in science. The site gives a comprehensive overview of the ways that evolution has been tested. This information can be used to dispel misconceptions that have been engendered by creationists.
You can also consult a glossary that includes terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation: The tendency of heritable characteristics to become more suitable to a particular setting. This is due to natural selection, which happens when organisms that are more adaptable characteristics are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less adapted traits.
Common ancestor (also called common ancestor): The most recent ancestor that is shared by two or more species. The common ancestor can be identified through analyzing the DNA of these species.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A massive biological molecule that holds the information necessary for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotide sequences, which are strung into long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are the cause of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution is a relationship between two species, where the evolution of one species are influenced evolutionary changes in the other. Coevolution can be seen in the interaction of predator and prey, or parasites and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups that can crossbreed), evolve by a series of natural variations in their offspring's traits. The changes can be triggered by a variety such as natural selection, genetic drift, and mixing of genes. The development of a new species can take thousands of years, and the process could be slowed down or accelerated due to environmental conditions, such as climate change or the competition for food or habitat.
The Evolution site tracks the evolution of a number of different animal and plant groups through time with a focus on the key transitions that occurred in the history of each group. It also focuses on the evolutionary history of humans which is especially important for students to know.
When Darwin wrote the Origin, only a handful of antediluvian human fossils had been discovered. The famous skullcap, along with the associated bones, was discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now regarded as an early Homo neanderthalensis. Although the skullcap was not published until 1858, which was a year before the first edition of the Origin was published, it is highly unlikely that Darwin had ever heard of it.
While the site focuses on biology, it offers a lot of information on geology and paleontology. Among the best features of the website are a timeline of events that show how climatic and geological conditions have changed over time, and a map of the geographical distribution of some fossil groups listed on the site.
The site is a companion for the PBS TV series but it could also be used as a resource for teachers and students. The site is extremely well organized and provides clear links between the introductory content in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more specialized elements of the museum Web site. These hyperlinks help users move from the engaging cartoon style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. In particular, there are links to John Endler's experiments using guppies that illustrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life on Earth has resulted in a variety of animals, plants, and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures within their geological context and has numerous advantages over the current observational and experimental methods in its exploration of evolutionary phenomena. Paleobiology focuses on not just the processes and events that occur regularly or over time, but also the relative abundance and distribution of various animal groups across geological time.
The site is divided into various pathways to understanding evolution which include "Evolution 101," which takes the viewer on a line through the scientific process and the evidence that supports the theory of evolution. The course also focuses on misconceptions about evolution, and the background of evolutionary thinking.
Each of the other sections of the Evolution site is equally well created, with resources that can be used to support a range of educational levels and pedagogical styles. The site has a range of multimedia and interactive resources which include video clips, animations and virtual laboratories in addition to general textual content. The breadcrumb-like structure of the content assists with navigation and orientation on the vast Web site.
For example the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides a comprehensive overview of coral relationships and their interaction with other organisms, then concentrates on a specific clam that can communicate with its neighbors and respond to changes in the water conditions at the level of the reef. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary, multimedia and interactive pages on the website, provide an excellent introduction to the broad range of topics in evolutionary biology. 에볼루션코리아 includes an explanation of the role of natural selection as well as the concept of phylogenetic analysis which is an important tool in understanding evolutionary change.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is a common thread that connects all branches of biology. A vast collection of resources can help teachers teach about evolution across the life sciences.
One resource, the companion to PBS's TV series Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of a Web site that provides depth and broadness in terms of educational resources. The site has a wide array of interactive learning modules. It also features an encased "bread crumb" structure that helps students move from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this massive website that are closer to the world of research science. An animation that introduces students to the concept of genetics links to a page about John Endler's experiments in artificial selection using Guppies living in ponds native to Trinidad.
Another helpful resource is the Evolution Library on this website, which includes an extensive multimedia library of resources that are related to evolution. The content is organized according to courses that are based on curriculum and follow the learning objectives outlined in biology standards. It contains seven videos designed specifically for classroom use, which can be streamed for free or purchased on DVD.
Many important questions remain in the midst of evolutionary biology, such as what triggers evolution and the speed at which it occurs. This is especially applicable to human evolution which has made it difficult to reconcile the idea that the physical traits of humans derived from apes, and the religious beliefs that hold that humans are unique among living things and has an enviable place in creation, with soul.
There are also a number of other ways evolution could occur, with natural selection as the most widely accepted theory. However scientists also study other kinds of evolution, such as mutation, genetic drift and sexual selection, among others.
While many fields of scientific inquiry have a conflict with the literal interpretations of the Bible evolutionary biology has been the subject of particularly fierce debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. Some religions have reconciled their beliefs with evolution, while others haven't.