Evolution Site - Teaching About Evolution
Despite the best efforts of biology educators, misconceptions persist regarding evolution. Pop science nonsense has led people to think that biologists don't believe in evolution.
This site, which is a companion to the PBS series - provides teachers with materials that promote evolution education and help avoid the kinds of myths that make it difficult to understand. It's laid out in a nested "bread crumb" format for ease of navigation and orientation.
Definitions
It's not easy to teach evolution well. Non-scientists often misunderstand the subject and some scientists employ a definition that confuses it. This is especially relevant when discussing the meaning of the words themselves.
It is therefore essential to define the terms used in evolutionary biology. Understanding Evolution's website does this in a simple and efficient manner. The site is a companion to the series that first aired in 2001, but also functions as an independent resource. The content is presented in a nested manner which aids navigation and orientation.
The site defines terms such as common ancestor (or common ancestor), gradual process and adaptation. These terms help frame the nature and significance of evolution with other scientific concepts. The site gives a comprehensive overview of the way the concept of evolution has been tested. This information can help dispel the myths created by creationists.
You can also consult a glossary that includes terms used in evolutionary biology. These terms include:
The process of adaptation is the tendency of heritable traits to become better suited to an environment. This is a result of natural selection. Organisms with more adaptable characteristics are more likely than those with less adaptable traits to survive and reproduce.
Common ancestor (also known as common ancestor) The most recent ancestor that is shared by two or more species. By studying the DNA of these species it is possible to identify the common ancestor.
Deoxyribonucleic Acid: A huge biological molecular that contains the information required for cell replication. The information is stored in a sequence of nucleotides that are strung together to form long chains, also known as chromosomes. Mutations are the basis for new genetic information in cells.
Coevolution is a relation between two species in which the evolution of one species influence evolutionary changes in the other. Coevolution can be observed in the interaction of predator and prey, or parasite and hosts.
Origins
Species (groups of individuals that can interbreed) change through a series of natural changes in the characteristics of their offspring. The causes of these changes are many factors, such as natural selection, gene drift and mixing of the gene pool. The development of a new species could take thousands of years and the process may be slowed down or speeded up by environmental conditions such as climate change or competition for food or habitat.
The Evolution site tracks through time the evolution of different animal and plant groups and focuses on major changes in each group's past. It also focuses on the human evolutionary roots which is particularly important for students to comprehend.
Darwin's Origin was published in 1859, when just a handful of antediluvian fossils of humans had been found. One of them was the infamous skullcap and associated bones found in 1856 in the Little Feldhofer Grotto in Germany that is now thought to be an early Homo neanderthalensis. Although the skullcap was not published until 1858, which was one year after the first edition of the Origin was published, it is very unlikely that Darwin had heard or seen of it.
While the site focuses on biology, it offers a lot of information about geology and paleontology. The Web site has numerous features that are particularly impressive, such as the timeline of how climate and geological conditions have changed over time. It also has a map showing the distribution of fossil groups.
While the site is a companion to the PBS television show, it also stands on its own as an excellent resource for teachers and students. The site is extremely well organized and provides clear links between the introductory content in Understanding Evolution (developed with support from the National Science Foundation) and the more specific elements of the museum's web site. These hyperlinks make it easier to transition from the cartoon-style Understanding Evolution pages into the more sophisticated worlds of research science. In particular there are links to John Endler's experiments with Guppies that demonstrate the importance of ecology in evolutionary theory.
Diversity
The evolution of life has produced an array of plants, animals and insects. Paleobiology, the study of these creatures in their geological context, has many advantages over modern observational or experimental methods of studying evolutionary phenomena. Paleobiology can examine not only the process and events that happen frequently or over time, but also the relative abundance and distribution of different species of animals in space over the course of the geological time.
The site is divided up into different options to learn about evolution. One of the paths, "Evolution 101," walks the reader through the complexities and evidence of evolution. The path also reveals common misconceptions about evolution and the evolution of thought.
Each of the main sections on the Evolution website is equally well-designed, with materials that are suited to a variety of levels of curriculum and teaching methods. In addition to the standard textual content, the site features an array of multimedia and interactive content, such as video clips, animations, and virtual labs. The breadcrumb-like arrangement of the content aids in navigation and orientation on the massive Web site.
For instance the page "Coral Reef Connections" provides an overview of coral relationships and their interaction with other organisms, then narrows down to a single clam that is able to communicate with its neighbors and react to changes in 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 material includes an explanation of the importance of natural selection and the concept of phylogenetics which is a crucial method for understanding the evolution of change.
Evolutionary Theory
For biology students evolution is a crucial thread that binds all the branches of the field. A vast collection of resources helps teachers teach about evolution across the life sciences.
One resource, a companion to the PBS television series Understanding Evolution, is an outstanding example of a Web site that offers both depth and breadth in its educational resources. The site features a wealth of interactive learning modules. It also has an embedded "bread crumb" structure that allows students to move from the cartoon style of Understanding Evolution to elements on this large Web site more closely linked to the world of research science. For instance an animation that explains the concept of genetic inheritance links to a page highlighting John Endler's experiments with artificial selection with guppies in native ponds of Trinidad.
Another helpful resource is the Evolution Library on this Web site, which contains an extensive multimedia library of resources that are related to evolution. The contents are organized into courses that are based on curriculum and follow the learning objectives outlined in the standards for biology. It includes seven short videos designed specifically for use in the classroom, and can be streamed for free or purchased on DVD.
Many important questions remain at the core of evolutionary biology, such as what causes evolution to occur and how fast it occurs. This is particularly relevant for humans' evolution which was a challenge to reconcile religious beliefs that held that humanity has a unique place in the creation and a soul with the notion that our physical traits evolved from Apes.
There are also a number of other ways evolution can occur and natural selection being the most popular theory. However scientists also study other kinds of evolution like mutation, genetic drift, and sexual selection, among others.
While many scientific fields of inquiry conflict with literal interpretations of religious texts Evolutionary biology has been the subject of particularly controversial debate and resistance from religious fundamentalists. 에볼루션사이트 have reconciled their beliefs to evolution while others haven't.