Why is evolution so hard to understand?

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Why is evolution so hard to
understand?
Beat A. Schwendimann, Ph.D.
Coco

IISME Seminar August 15 2012

FACULT...

What makes understanding
evolution so challenging?

Think. Discuss with your neighbour. Share.

“Nothing in biology
makes sense but in the
light of evolution.”

Dobzhansky (1973)

Importance of Understanding
Evolution

Understanding vs. Acceptance

Acceptance
No acceptance...

Evolution is still not well accepted

Challenges to Understanding
Evolution

“Evolution, in a way,
contradicts
common sense.”

Mayr (1982)

“Evolutionary theory is
probably one
of the most
counterintuitive ideas
the human mind has
encountered, so ...

Repertoire of Alternative Ideas

Conceptual Change

Knowledge Integration

Alternative Ideas of Evolution

Mechanism: Sources of Variation

• Intentionality: Goal directed behaviour
(teleology)

Mechanism: Sources of Variation

• Need

Source: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/misconceps/IEn...

Mechanism: Sources of Variation

• Use/ Disuse

Evolution is random

Random Effects EVOLUTION Non-random Effects
-Mutations -Natural Selection
-G...

Evolution is directed towards perfection

Evolution happens to individuals

Mechanism: Inheritance of variation

• Essentialism: Evolution happens to all individuals of a species.

Evolution is over
• In the past 10,000 years….

Think. Discuss with your neighbour. Share.

Subject: Humans

Subject: Humans

Subject: Humans
• Contextualization: Species-specific reasoning
• Human Exceptionalism
• Mixed beliefs (Evans 2008)

Terminology

• Confusion of scientific and vernacular use of evolution
terminology:

• Survival of the fittest
...

The theory of evolution explains the origin of life

Evolution is a theory in crisis

• Scientists
do not argue IF evolution
happened but HOW it happened.

Don’t call it “Darwinism”

• Not just the work of a single person

• Substantial extensions: Modern synthetic theory o...

Evolution in School
• Often taught in isolation

• Only for a short amount of time

•Teachers’lack of
...

Teach the Controversy

Teaching the Controversy

Conceptual Change

Repertoire of alternative ideas

Evolution Mechanism-Subject Model

Active Integrated Knowl...

Challenge Implementation

Subject pillar Human exceptionalism Use human case study

...

Genotype - Phenotype

Genotype
? Phenotype

Knowledge Integration Map

Two Treatment Groups

Generation

Critique

Gene Pool Explorer

Dynamic Visualisation Allele A1

Classroom Implementation

Knowledge Integration Score
What changes occur gradually over time in groups of
finches that live in different environment...

Knowledge Integration Gains

Integration Across Contexts

Using Evolution Ideas

KIM overall Changes

Student Example: Pre-Test

Student Example: Post-Test

KIM cross-link Changes

Implications

• Alternative ideas should be directly addressed.
• Human evolution can be used as a pivotal case for
evol...

Recommendations

http://ncse.com

http://undsci.berkeley.edu

http://evolution.berkeley.edu

Thank you!

• schwendimann.org

• beat.schwendimann@gmail.com

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