Providing vertical coherence in explanations and promoting reasoning across levels of biological organization when teaching evolution

ABSTRACT

Students' explanations of biological phenomena are frequently characterized by disconnects between levels and confusion of levels. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects of a hands-on lab activity that aims at fostering the ability to reason across levels. A total of 197 students (18 years of age) participated in a randomized, pre–post-test design study. Students in the experimental group engaged in a lab activity focused on artificial selection and designed to demonstrate how selection affects both phenotypes and genotypes. In contrast, the lab activity in the comparison group focused on phenotype alone. Data sources for the study included pre-tests of basic concepts in genetics and evolution and two post-test items requiring the students to reproduce and apply their knowledge about artificial selection. The findings indicated that the lab activity which allowed students to explore the interplay between different levels, provided vertical coherence and enhanced students’ ability to explain evolutionary change in both reproduction and transfer items. In contrast, the lab activity in the comparison group failed to do so, and most students did not improve their ability to explain evolutionary change. Implications for instruction and recommendations for further research are discussed in light of these findings.

KEYWORDS:

• Levels of biological organization
• vertical coherence
• evolution
• thinking across levels
• integrated knowledge

Acknowledgements

The lab activity ‘Why are Atlantic Cod shrinking?’ was developed in the context of ‘Design and Evaluation of Teaching Materials for the Evolution of Life’, a project aimed at developing new teaching materials funded by VolkswagenStiftung on the occasion of the Darwin bicentennial. We would like to thank Erich Bornberg-Bauer, professor of evolutionary biology at University of Münster, for his helpful advice and the participating teachers for their support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Janina Jördens is a certified biologist currently working on a Ph.D. thesis in biology education at Zentrum für Didaktik der Biologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany. Her dissertation focuses on different aspects of teaching evolutionary biology to high school students.

Roman Asshoff studied Biology and Philosophy at Jena University and Leipzig University, Germany. He received a Ph.D. in Ecology from Basel University, Switzerland. Currently, he is a senior lecturer in biology education at Zentrum für Didaktik der Biologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany. Research areas include student conceptions and scientific inquiry.

Harald Kullmann studied Biology at Bonn University, Germany, where he did his Ph.D. at the Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology. Afterwards, his research focused on several aspects of evolutionary ecology of fishes. Currently, he is a senior lecturer at Zentrum für Didaktik der Biologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany.

Marcus Hammann studied Biology and English at Kiel University, Germany, and Kansas University, USA. He received a Ph.D. in biology education from Leibniz-Institute of Science Education (IPN), Kiel, Germany. Currently he is a professor for biology education at Zentrum für Didaktik der Biologie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany. His research focuses on cognitive and affective aspects of biology teaching and learning.

ORCID

Janina Jördens http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5051-4240

Roman Asshoff http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1001-4479

Harald Kullmann http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6540-2436

Marcus Hammann http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4820-5219