BEST PRACTICES IN EVOLUTION EDUCATION

We are thankful to William Saucier, M.D., who has contributed to support this seminar.

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SEPT 23         TERI BALSER, Director ICBE

On Carts and Horses and Improving STEM Education

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SEPT 30           DON WALLER, Professor, Botany

Dealing with Resistance to Learning About Evolution

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OCT 7                ROBERT BOHANAN, CBE

Developing Systems-thinking using model-based reasoning with Evolutionary Ecology Narrative: Perspectives from Intro- and Upper-level Ecology

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OCT 14               SCOTT WOODY, Biochemistry

                          (  NOTE ROOM CHANGED TO 1360 GENETICS/BIOTECH )

Scott Woody will describe the work that he, Rick Amasino, and a team of undergraduates have been doing to create a collection of plant resources useful for K12 and undergraduate education in genetics. He will describe lessons-learned from deployment of selectively bred plant resources in Madison high school biology classrooms, and in a non-majors evolution course B375: Evolution and the Nature of Scientific Inquiry to explore the power of selection.

The “Teaching Evolution” brown-bag series will be “cross-listed” with the weekly Arabidopsis/plant research seminar series (aka ATG) in 1360 Genetics/Biotech

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OCT 21            KRISTIN JENKINS, NESCent

Ripped from the headlines! Breaking evolution to students through breaking news.

Bringing current evolutionary biology research into the classroom dispels the misconception that evolution is a stagnant and unchanging field. This approach also relates evolution to current topics of interest to students such as conservation and human health, reinforcing the relevance of evolution. Kristin will present a resource for bringing evolution to introductory students - the Evolution in the News program from NESCent and Understanding Evolution. Do you use media stories in your classroom? If so, how, and what are your favorite media sources?

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OCT 28             DAVID BAUM. Chair, Botany and the Evolution

                                                     Initiative

Learning Goals for Evolution

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NOV 4            HEIDI BISSELL, Zoology Graduate Student

Answering Challenging Questions Well

This session will focus on answering common questions about the validity of evolution that can catch one off guard. Being prepared with a scientifically correct and engaging response can create an atmosphere in which students are willing to discuss their ideas about evolution.

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NOV 11           CHARLES BYERS, Professor Emeritus, Geoscience

Teaching Evolution to Art Majors

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NOV 18         DAVID ABBOTT,ProfessorDepartment of Ob/Gyn

& Wisconsin National Primate Research Center

Working towards timely student engagement in a large lecture class

NOTE ROOM CHANGE: Rm 117, 445 Henry Mall (Old Genetics)

Dr. Abbott will report on a large lecture intervention developed to improve timely engagement of undergraduate students in Introductory Biology 151/152.  This series of activities gave students early practice with future exam-like challenges in a supportive environment that included their fellow classmates and teaching staff. The progressive series of learning activities allowed students to develop a level of comfort with online work-assessment technology.This presentation is part of the Teaching Adventures and Outcomes program. 
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NOV 25           THANKSGIVING RECESS

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DEC 2     KEVIN NIEMI, Center for Biology Education

Evolution, AAAS Project 2061, and the Atlas of Science Literacy

What we teach at the undergraduate level is tied to what our students have learned previously. Dr. Niemi will lead a discussion of what AAAS has outlined as key knowledge about evolutionary biology for K-12 levels, and how that is tied into the overall curriculum. 

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DEC 9