Transcript Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution

Opportunities to engage students
with evolution
Robert M. Ross
Paleontological Research Institution
is biological evolution different
from other public contoversies
about science?
Gallup ® – June 1 2012
Gallup ® – June 1 2012
Pew Research Center, 2015,
comparing general public to AAAS members
“Regardless of what you may personally believe,
which of these do you believe should be taught in public schools?”
VCU Poll
2005
(%)
Harris Poll
2005
(%)
CCD poll
1987
(%)
NBC poll
1981
(%)
Creationism only
21
23
11
10
ID only
5
4
Creationism + ID
only
4
Combination incl.
evolution
43
55
68
76
Evolution only
15
12
11
8
Don’t know/NA
12
6
10
6
Berkman and Plutzer, 2010, Evolution, creationism, and the battle to control America’s classrooms.
evolution in K-12 education
• is more prominent in NGSS
• long history of attempts to diminish
teaching evolution, add non-scientific
alternatives
– e.g., Intelligent Design
– the science standards of a number of states say students should
critically analyze/discuss evolutionary theory and its evidence
Understand the audience
Commonly, students....
• hold blend of science-based and religionbased views
• have no direct experience with nature of
science or study of evolution
• take years to change conceptions
Reasons for not “accepting”
evolution are diverse
Scientific obstacles
 Insufficient understanding
Affective obstacles
 Religious
 Psychological
 Political/social
Allmon 2011 Evolution Education and Outreach
Public opinion may change....
....when pushed to consider practical issues regularly.
• health implications:
– disease and antibiotics
• economic implications:
– agriculture, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals
• environmental implications
...too abstract or technical in the case of evolution?
Practical considerations that
don’t always receive attention....
avoiding extended confrontation
Understanding social groups
is important, but be careful
about assumptions....
(e.g., quoting a Pope’s views on evolution does not
impress an evangelical Christian)
Innocent humor to some may be
perceived as disrespect by others
Rich history of evolutionary thought before
and especially after Charles Darwin
Likewise, if you choose to
address students’ existing
Creationist existing conceptions,
try placing them in a historical
context
Creationism has not been overlooked or
ignored by science.
- leading hypothesis until well into 1800s
Students may carry variety of
ideas within Creationism,
which has its own history
• For example,
– young Earth vs. old Earth
– one creation (“special”) vs. many
(“sequential”)
– non-humans vs. humans
– Intelligent Design (“ID”)
Do you have other favorite
examples?
Some of the issues are
described in this short book
Many great resources are
available through
the National Center for
Science Education.
“Nothing in biology makes
sense except in the light of
evolution”
Theodosius Dobzhansky (1900-1975)
- Geneticist & Evolutionary Biologist
How do we engage students
in local or current evolutionary issues
beyond “classic” textbook examples?
“Nothing in biology makes
sense except in the light of
evolution”
What is that does make sense
in light of evolution?….
What makes sense is….
•
•
•
•
•
•
1) Biogeography
2) Fossil record
3) Classification
4) Comparative anatomy
5) Observed small-scale changes
6) Genetics
If this biological evidence
is all around us,
why do people perceive that
there is limited evidence for
evolution?
“Evolution in Your Backyard”
“Evolution in Your Backyard”
1. Imagine you took your students into a natural
environment near the school.
2. You want to show your students evidence of
past evolution from observations they
can make of animals or plants around them.
3. Describe the activity you would use. Share it
with your neighbor.
4. What would be the primary challenges?
In other words, “How has
evolution influenced why these
organisms look or behave the
way they do?”
Take 3 minutes or so....
organisms are a product of....
characters passed on through
descent
with
modification,
often local adaptations
organisms are a product of....
characters passed on through descent
with
modification,
often local adaptations
In education we often focus on
adapation and natural selection,
though it’s conserved traits that tell us
about evolutionary history
Evolution in the fossil record
If paleontological evidence is so extensive,
why do people perceive that there is limited
evidence for evolution?
misconception promoted by the media:
•there are few evolutionary “links”
•new finds are unexpected and generally
controversial to interpret