Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misconceptions persist about evolution. People who have absorbed pop science nonsense often assume that biologists claim they do not believe in evolution.
This rich Web site, a companion to the PBS program offers teachers resources that promote evolution education, while avoiding the kinds of misconceptions that can hinder it. It's arranged in a nested "bread crumb" format to facilitate navigation and orientation.
Definitions
Evolution is a complicated and difficult subject matter to teach well. It is often misunderstood by non-scientists and even some scientists use definitions that confuse the issue. This is particularly true when discussing the meaning of the words themselves.
It is therefore crucial to define the terms that are used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website does this in a straightforward and useful way. It is an accompaniment to the 2001 series, and also a resource of its own. The material is presented in a nested fashion that assists in navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor, gradual process, and adaptation. These terms help define the nature of evolution and its relationship to evolution to other concepts in science. The site also provides an overview of how the concept of evolution has been tested and verified. This information can help dispel the myths that are created by the creationists.
You can also access a glossary that contains terms that are used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
Adaptation is the process of changing heritable traits to be more suited to the environment. This is a result of natural selection, which occurs when organisms that are more adaptable characteristics are more likely to survive and reproduce than those with less adapted traits.
Common ancestor (also called common ancestor): The most recent ancestral ancestor shared by two or more species. By analyzing the DNA from these species, it is possible to determine the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic acid: A large biological molecule that contains information necessary for cell replication. The information is stored in nucleotides arranged in sequences that are strung together to form long chains, also known as chromosomes. Mutations are the cause of new genetic information within cells.
Coevolution: A relationship between two species where evolutionary changes in one species are dependent on evolutionary changes in the other. 에볼루션게이밍 can be seen in the interactions between predator and prey, or parasites and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups of individuals that are able to interbreed) develop through natural changes in the traits of their offspring. The changes can be triggered by a variety of factors that include natural selection, genetic drift, and mixing of gene pools. The evolution of a new species can take thousands of years and the process could be slowed or increased by environmental conditions such as climate change or the competition for food or habitat.
The Evolution site tracks the development of various groups of animals and plants over time and focuses on the most significant shifts that occurred throughout each group's history. It also examines the evolutionary history of humans and humans, a subject that is especially important for students to understand.
Darwin's Origin was written in 1859, at a time when only a handful of antediluvian fossils of human beings had been discovered. The most famous among them was the skullcap and the associated bones discovered in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany which is now believed as an early Homo neanderthalensis. It is highly unlikely that Darwin was aware of the skullcap, which was published in 1858, a year after the publication of the first edition of The Origin. Origin.
The site is mostly a biology site however it also includes a lot of information on paleontology and geology. Among the best features of the website are a series of timelines which show how geological and climatic conditions changed over time, as well as an interactive map of the geographical distribution of some of the fossil groups featured on the site.
Although the site is a companion to the PBS television series however, it can stand on its own as an excellent resource for teachers and students. The site is well-organized and has clear links between the introduction information in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more specific elements of the museum's web site. These links make it easier to move from the cartoon-style Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated worlds of research science. There are also links to John Endler's experiments with guppies, which illustrate the importance ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has led to a variety of animals, plants and insects. Paleobiology, the study of these creatures in their natural environment, has many advantages over the current observational or experimental methods for studying evolutionary processes. In addition to examining the processes and events that happen regularly or over a lengthy period of time, paleobiology is able to examine the relative abundance of various kinds of organisms as well as their distribution in space over geological time.
The website is divided into various ways to learn about evolution that include "Evolution 101," which takes the user on a linear path through the scientific process and the evidence to support the theory of evolution. The course also focuses on common misconceptions about evolution as well as the history of evolutionary thought.
Each of the other main sections of the Evolution site is similarly created, with resources that can support a variety of different pedagogical levels and curriculum levels. In addition to general textual content, the site offers a wide range of multimedia and interactive content like video clips, animations, and virtual laboratories. The content is laid out in a nested bread crumb fashion that aids navigation and orientation on the Web site.
The page "Coral Reef Connections" For instance, the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides an overview of the coral's relationships, their interaction with other organisms and then zooms in on one clam that is able communicate with its neighbours and respond to changes in conditions of the water at the reef level. This page, along with the other multidisciplinary multimedia and interactive pages, gives a good introduction to a variety of topics in evolutionary biology. The material also provides an explanation of the role of natural selection and the concept of phylogenetic analysis which is an important tool in understanding evolutionary changes.
Evolutionary Theory
Evolution is a common thread that is found throughout all branches of biology. A vast collection of resources helps teachers teach about evolution across all life sciences.
One resource, a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an excellent example of a Web site that offers both depth and a variety of educational resources. The site has a variety of interactive learning modules. It also has a nested "bread crumb" structure that helps students transition from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this massive website that are closer to the world of research science. An animation that introduces students to the concept of genetics, which links to a page that highlights John Endler's artificial-selection experiments with guppies on native ponds in Trinidad.
Another resource that is worth mentioning is the Evolution Library on this site, which has an extensive collection of multimedia assets related to evolution. The contents are organized into courses that are based on curriculum and follow the learning objectives outlined in the biology standards. It includes seven short videos specifically designed for use in classrooms. They can be viewed online or purchased as DVDs.
A number of important questions remain at the heart of evolutionary biology, such as what triggers evolution and the speed at which it occurs. This is particularly true for the evolution of humans which was a challenge to reconcile religious beliefs that held that humanity has a special place in creation and a soul with the notion that human beings have innate physical traits were derived from Apes.
There are a myriad of other ways evolution can occur including natural selection, which is the most popular theory. However, scientists also study other kinds of evolution like genetic drift, mutation, and sexual selection, among others.
Many fields of inquiry have a conflict with the literal interpretations of religious texts evolutionary biology has been the subject of fierce debate and opposition from religious fundamentalists. Certain religions have reconciled their beliefs with evolutionary biology, while others haven't.