Research in contemporary biology has become increasingly complex and organized around understanding biological processes in the context of systems. To better reflect the ways of thinking required for learning about systems, we developed and implemented a pedagogical approach using box-and-arrow models (similar to concept maps) as a foundational…

Despite concerted efforts by science educators to understand patterns of evolutionary reasoning in science students and teachers, the vast majority of evolution education studies have failed to carefully consider or control for item feature effects in knowledge measurement. Our study explores whether robust contextualization patterns emerge within…

Details two studies: (1) Study A describes a close replication of a Bishop and Anderson study (1990) using the same conceptual-change teaching module to teach a unit on evolution to nonmajor biology students; and (2) Study B used high school students, and the instruction was based on the inquiry approach to science. (28 references) (Author)