Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution

Despite the best efforts by biology teachers, there are still misconceptions about evolution. People who have absorbed popular science myths often assume that biologists claim they do not believe in evolution.

This rich Web site, which is a complement to the PBS program that provides teachers with resources that promote evolution education while avoiding the types of misconceptions that can undermine it. It's laid out in a nested "bread crumb" format for ease of navigation and orientation.

Definitions

Evolution is a complex and difficult subject to teach effectively. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists, and even some scientists have been guilty of using an interpretation that is confusing the issue. This is especially relevant when discussing the definition of the words.

Therefore, it is essential to define terms that are used in evolutionary biology. The website for the PBS show, Understanding Evolution, does this in a clear and useful manner. It is an accompaniment to the 2001 series, but also a resource on its own. The material is presented in a nested fashion which aids navigation and orientation.

The site defines terms like common ancestor and gradual process. These terms help define the nature and relationship of evolution to other concepts in science. The site then offers an overview of how the concept of evolution has been tested and validated. This information can help dispel myths created by creationists.

It is also possible to get a glossary of terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:

Adaptation is the process of changing hereditary traits to become more suitable to their environment. This is the result of natural selection. Organisms that have better-adapted traits are more likely than those with less-adapted characteristics to survive and reproduce.

Common ancestor: The latest common ancestor of two or more distinct species. The common ancestor can be identified by analyzing the DNA of those species.

Deoxyribonucleic acid: A huge biological molecule that contains the information required for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotides arranged in sequences that are strung together into long chains, referred to as chromosomes. Mutations are the source of new genetic information in cells.

Coevolution is a relationship between two species where evolutionary changes in one species are dependent on evolutionary changes in the other. Coevolution is evident in the interactions between predator and prey, or parasite and hosts.

Origins


Species (groups of individuals that can interbreed) develop through a series of natural changes in the traits of their offspring. The changes can be triggered by a variety of causes such as natural selection, genetic drift and gene pool mixing. The development of a new species could take thousands of years and the process may be slowed down or accelerated by environmental conditions such as climate change or the competition for food or habitat.

The Evolution site traces through time the evolution of different species of plants and animals and focuses on major changes in each group's past. It also examines the evolutionary origin of humans which is crucial for students to comprehend.

Darwin's Origin was written in 1859, at a time when only a few antediluvian fossils of human beings had been discovered. The skullcap that is famous, along with the bones that accompanied it, was discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto of Germany. It is now recognized as an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is highly unlikely that Darwin knew about the skullcap when it was published in 1858, a year after the publication of the first edition of The Origin.

The site is mostly one of biology, but it also contains lots of information about paleontology and geology. One of the most appealing features of the Web site are a timeline of events that illustrate how geological and climatic conditions changed over time, and a map of the distribution of some of the fossil groups featured on the site.

The site is a companion for a PBS television series, but it can also be used as a resource for teachers and students. The site is well-organized and provides clear links to the introduction content of Understanding Evolution (developed under the National Science Foundation's funding) and the more specialized features of the museum's website. These hyperlinks facilitate the move from the enthralling cartoon style of the Understanding Evolution pages to the more sophisticated world of research science. There are also links to John Endler's experiments with guppies. They illustrate the importance ecology in evolutionary theory.

Diversity

The evolution of life has produced many species of animals, plants and insects. Paleobiology is the study of these creatures within their natural environment and has numerous advantages over modern observational and experimental methods in its exploration of evolutionary processes. In addition to exploring the processes and events that happen regularly or over a lengthy period of time, paleobiology can be used to study the relative abundance of different groups of organisms and their distribution throughout the course of geological time.

The site is divided into a variety of pathways to understanding evolution, including "Evolution 101," which takes the user on a linear path through the nature of science and the evidence that supports the theory of evolution. The path also reveals the most common misconceptions about evolution, as well as the evolution of thought.

Each of the other main sections of the Evolution site is equally well constructed, with materials that can be used to support a range of different pedagogical levels and curriculum levels. In addition to the general textual content, the site also has a wide range of multimedia and interactive content, such as videos, animations, and virtual laboratories. The content is laid out in a nested bread crumb fashion that aids navigation and orientation within the vast web site.

For instance, the page "Coral Reef Connections" gives a brief overview of the relationships between corals and their interaction with other organisms, then concentrates on a specific clam that is able to communicate with its neighbors and respond to changes in the water conditions at the reef level. This page, as well as the other multidisciplinary interactive and multimedia pages gives a good introduction to a variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The information also includes an explanation of the role of natural selection and the concept of phylogenetic analysis, which is a key tool for understanding the evolution of change.

Evolutionary Theory

For biology students, evolution is a key thread that binds all the branches of the field. A rich collection supports teaching evolution across the disciplines of life science.

One resource, the companion to PBS's TV series Understanding Evolution is an excellent example of an Web page that offers both the depth and the wide range of educational resources. The site features a wealth of interactive learning modules. It also has a "bread crumb structure" that assists students in moving away from the cartoon-like style used in Understanding Evolution and onto elements on this site that are more closely connected to the realms of research science. Animation that introduces the concept of genetics is linked to a page about John Endler's experiments with artificial selection using guppies on native ponds in Trinidad.

Another resource that is worth mentioning is the Evolution Library on this website, which includes an extensive multimedia library of resources connected to evolution. The content is organized according to the form of curriculum-based pathways that are in line with the learning objectives set out in the standards for biology. It contains seven videos specifically designed for classroom use, which can be streamed for free or purchased on DVD.

Evolutionary biology is an area of study that poses many important questions, including what triggers evolution and how quickly it occurs. This is especially relevant to human evolution, where it has been difficult to reconcile that the physical characteristics of humans derived from apes and religious beliefs that claim that humanity is unique among living things and has an exclusive place in the creation, with soul.

Additionally there are a variety of ways that evolution could occur with natural selection being the most widely accepted theory. However scientists also study different types of evolution such as genetic drift, mutation, and sexual selection, among others.

While many fields of scientific study conflict with literal interpretations in religious texts, the concept of evolution biology has been the subject of intense controversy and opposition from religious fundamentalists. Certain religions have reconciled their beliefs with evolution, while others haven't.