Abstract to NSF Project
Over the past twenty years, evolutionary biology has developed in to a vibrant,
investigative science with a potent relevance to societal issues such as origins
of infectious disease and biotechnology. The emerging role of evolutionary
biology as a scientific discipline is in stark contrast to the continuing
efforts to limit teaching evolution in high-schools, or to question evolutionary
ideas as a valid province of science. While the teaching of evolutionary biology
at both high school and college levels is now struggling to emerge from such
censoring and neglect, evolution is still largely taught as a theoretical,
dialectical discipline that often seems only to impact on theoretical ideas
and broad conceptual landscapes. Rarely is it taught as an experimental, analytical
science of applied relevance on a par with, say, physiology or molecular
biology. We propose to rectify this situation in two ways. First, we will
develop an experimental investigative laboratory in evolutionary biology
that can serve as a "flagship" for illustrating how evolution can be taught
at the college level as an experimental and investigative science that is
societally relevant. We also illustrate how such an investigative course
could be run with minimal resources and using a wide range of possible materials.
Second, recognizing that curricula and colleges will vary in terms of their
ability or desire to commit to such a focused laboratory course, we will
also stimulate the teaching evolution as a hands-on science by additionally
developing a web-site for distribution via the internet of laboratory exercises
in evolutionary biology. Currently, such a resource is not available, and
we only know of one manual on teaching evolution as a laboratory course. We
will therefore gather, collate, and distribute materials that can be used
to enrich discussion sections and laboratory classes.
Specific Goals of NSF Funded Project
- To develop a model laboratory course in evolution that emphasizes
and illustrates the societal importance and direct applied relevance of evolutionary
biology. This will be accomplished using labs that have a strongly investigative
component, so that students can see how evolutionary principles bear directly
on problem solving in the present day world.
- To gather information on laboratory exercises in evolutionary biology
suitable for college level and advanced high school courses. We will collate
this information with three levels of exercises in mind
- Hands-on experiences intended to supplement discussions associated
with large lecture courses
- Those intended for the standard three-hour "stand-alone" lab
- Exercises that would be suitable for an intensive lab of the kind
we propose to develop.
- To make information on these various types of laboratory courses available
on the internet. By providing this information as part of an interactive
web page, updates and experiences on these labs can be shared by users, and
exercises can be down-loaded selectively depending on the goals and curriculum
content.
