We describe a novel, university-level, introductory biology course that uses evolution as a narrative framework. Our course conveys the content in an introductory biology course by telling the story of the evolution of life on Earth. We begin with early Earth environments in which biological molecules and processes evolved and led to the first…

In the fall of 2009 and in the spring of 2012, supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), we designed a course "Phylogenetic Analysis and Molecular Evolution" (PAME), the first cross-listed course across three different colleges (College of Arts and Sciences,…

This article describes the design and implementation of a 1-credit-hour seminar in comparative psychology as a supplement to an introductory biopsychology course. The purpose of the course was to introduce students to the ecological and evolutionary aspects of animal behavior by building on topics that are introduced in many biopsychology courses.…

As perhaps the most encompassing idea in biology, evolution has impacted not only science, but other academic disciplines as well. The broad, interdisciplinary impact of evolution was the theme of a course taught at Marian College, Indianapolis, Indiana in 2002, 2004, and 2006. Using a strategy that could be readily adopted at other institutions,…

Describes an interdisciplinary, lecture/laboratory course titled "Origins of Life." Includes rationale for the course, course objectives, course outline, list of developed laboratories, and results of course evaluation. (JN)

Describes the commitments and research that went into the design of a 9-week high school course in evolutionary biology designed to bring students to an understanding of the practice of evolutionary biology by engaging them in developing, elaborating, and using one of the discipline's most important explanatory models. (Contains 39 references.)…

Describes "Biology of Mankind," a first-year biology course offered at the University of New South Wales in which biological principles are taught in the context of the evolution of man in relation to his environment. Outlined are aims, course content, and course evaluation methods. (CS)

Presents a teaching model that approaches sociology from an evolutionary perspective, maintaining that human societies are part of the natural world and their evolutionary dynamics are similar to other biological systems. Outlines the advantages of and student responses to the course design and approach. (DMM)

This paper discusses some traditional approaches to the teaching of evolutionary theory at pre-university level, criticising in particular some of the more commonly used models and exemplars. Curricular demands are described and an alternative approach is suggested, using the emerging story of human evolution. Recent discoveries help to illustrate…

When students are given opportunities to use their knowledge to explain interesting and appropriate evolutionary phenomena, their potential for understanding evolutionary concepts increases. In this article, the authors describe a nine-week high school evolutionary biology course designed to engage students in using Darwin's natural selection…

A course on the evolvement of life was developed using a thematic, problem-oriented approach rather than the traditional, discipline-oriented approach. Course content, format, and evaluation are discussed. Textbooks and related materials used in the course are also discussed. (Author/JN)

Describes a course entitled "DNA and Evolution" in which students develop an appreciation for what science is and how it is practiced as well as an understanding of how some of the most central ideas in biology were developed and tested. Discusses the design of the course, the lecture and discussion topics, and the results and their…