Discusses issues regarding evolution instruction in public schools and focuses on misconceptions such as the use of the word "belief", lack of evidence for theories of evolution, and the belief that teaching evolution as fact is proselytizing students. Presents teaching approaches to the topic of evolution. (Contains 33 references.) (YDS)

A bioinformatics laboratory exercise based on inherited human morphological traits is presented. It teaches how morphological characters can be used to study the evolutionary history of humans using parsimony. The exercise can easily be used in a pen-and-paper laboratory, but if computers are available, a more versatile analysis can be carried…

Described are simulations that can be used to illustrate evolution by natural selection. Suggestions for simulating phenomena such as adaptive radiation, color match to background and vision of predators are offered. (BR)

Whether poor knowledge of evolution among Singapore students might be linked to low levels of content knowledge about evolution among junior high school and senior high school teachers was studied. A teacher questionnaire on biological evolution was developed. Twelve teachers from Singapore junior college (JC) schools and 42 from the lower…

Discusses mechanics of and experiences with an urban land use simulation game. Students were able to practice developing analytical skills, improve their capacity to collect thoughts and present them orally, and participate in a real life "adult" situation where they could apply concepts learned in the course of their education.…

Explores the use of concept mapping in a college course on evolution and the effect of the use of graphics in the instructional process on the construction of a concept map. Results indicate a positive correlation between concept map scores and the number of graphics used by the instructor during lecture. (JRH)

A historically rich teaching intervention was developed for biological evolution with the intent of promoting a conceptual change from students' initial understanding to a more Darwinian understanding. Results from evaluation of the intervention indicate promise in the use of historical materials in conjunction with a conceptual change strategy.…

Describes an activity that uses paper airplanes to demonstrate natural selection and is preceded by a lesson on the fossil record to supply a foundation for the concept of evolution. (JRH)

Explores the influence of offering different instructions to undergraduate students prior to their learning an expository text on evolutionary biology. Participants were asked to either explain, summarize, or listen to another's explanation. Overall, explainers outperformed summarizers. Moreover, the teach-through-explanation condition had the…

Discusses the National Academy of Science's recommendations on teaching evolution and the nature of science. Describes a biology college course that uses evolution and history of life as the curriculum framework with an extensive unit on the history and philosophy of science. (Contains 14 references.) (ASK)

Reviews the methods being utilized to teach Darwinism in English schools. (SL)

This research compared the outcomes of teaching middle school students two different methods of classification and phylogeny. Two classes were randomly selected and taught using traditional methods of instruction. Three classes were taught using the "Pseudozoid" approach, where students learned to classify, develop and read dichotomous keys, and…

The background to Charles Darwin's little-known visit to Australia, and the account of his experiences while here, provide some invaluable historical material for teaching evolution, geology, meteorology, and the determination of longitude. Indeed, by using his Australian experiences as a foundation, it is possible to explain the theory of…

By providing religious grounding in favor of modern science and creating effective strategies for dealing with common creationism arguments, this book is a must-read for administrators and teachers alike. This important resource provides readers with an understanding of the nature of science and the relationship between science and religion. This…

Recent education reform documents emphasize the need for students to develop a rich understanding of evolution's power to integrate knowledge of the natural world. This paper describes a nine-week high school course designed to help students understand evolutionary biology by engaging them in developing, elaborating, and using Charles Darwin's…