https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3558-0167
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ABSTRACT
In this paper, we present a simulation of artificial selection of maize that can be used as a bridging case for the subsequent introduction of natural selection in school. The proposed simulation takes up essential biological elements but also has a cultural meaning for the inhabitants of some regions of Latin America. After implementing a test of the simulation with secondary school teachers, we identified fundamental ideas that are introduced as a result of participating in the simulation: intentionality, recognition of variants, gradual process and population. These ideas are relevant for understanding evolution as natural selection. Therefore, the simulation could be used as a bridging case because it focuses the attention on relevant ideas for artificial selection and leaves aside others that are not productive.
Acknowledgments
To teachers who participated in the workshop and Museum Horno3. This work was supported by CONACYT Mexico SEP- SEB 2013, under Grant No. 231425 and CONACYT Mexico SEP-SEB 2014-01, under Grant No. 240192. To Rocio Balderas, Yei Renteria and José Frias for their collaboration in the workshops with teachers.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1. Here, we exclude the use of technologies, from the mid-twentieth century onwards, that help create new variants through methods such as mutagenesis by radiation, directed mutagenesis, or transgenesis. This exclusion is because the diversity of corncobs used in this exercise are old variants obtained by the traditional artificial selection of variants resulting from spontaneous mutations. In a broad and current model of artificial selection, any source of new heritable variants can be included.
