Evolution Education at the
Undergraduate Level
Peter White
Merle Heidemann
Jim Smith
• The Evo-Ed Project: What is it?
• “[Students] leave schools without fully understanding how
well supported evolutionary theory is.”
• “Many teachers are not scientifically capable of teaching
evolution using modern approaches.”
(above) Word cloud of the Aims and Scope of journals that have “Evolution” in their title
• Science Teaching Must Evolve:
– Learning of evolution as an integrative biological
theory.
– Resources for science teachers so they can teach
evolution as an integrative biological theory.
• The Two-Track Problem:
1. Cell and Molecular Bio., Genetics, Biochemistry
2. Organismal Bio., Ecology, Evolution
(capstone course? integration here?)
• The Evo-Ed Project:
– A Case Approach to Evolution Education
– Integrative cases that explore trait evolution
across biological scales.
Trichromatic
Vision Evolution
in Primates
Trichromatic
Vision Evolution
in Primates
Fur Color
Evolution in
Beach Mice
Trichromatic
Vision Evolution
in Primates
Seed Taste
Evolution in Field
Peas
Fur Color
Evolution in
Beach Mice
Trichromatic
Vision Evolution
in Primates
Fur Color
Evolution in
Beach Mice
Seed Taste
Evolution in Field
Peas
Toxin Resistance
Evolution in
Clams
Trichromatic
Vision Evolution
in Primates
Fur Color
Evolution in
Beach Mice
Seed Taste
Evolution in Field
Peas
Toxin Resistance
Evolution in
Clams
Trichromatic
Vision Evolution
in Primates
Fur Color
Evolution in
Beach Mice
Seed Taste
Evolution in Field
Peas
Toxin Resistance
Evolution in
Clams
Mouse Fur Color
MC1R protein is
stimulated and
facilitates cAMP
production.
cAMP is used to
regulate gene
expression.
c(tyr)
Tyrp1
Tyrp2
p
Pea Seed Taste
LB145: Introductory Cell and Molecular Biology
- Spring semester 2012
- Second course in intro-bio sequence
- 66 Students (mostly sophomores)
- Taught by Jim Smith (Peter White G.L.)
- Cells & Organelles / Cell Energetics / Dogma
The Evo-Ed Project:
– A Case Approach to Evolution Education
– Integrative cases that explore trait evolution across biological scales.
LB145: Introductory Cell and Molecular Biology
- Spring semester 2013
- Second course in intro-bio sequence
- 66 Students (mostly sophomores)
- Taught by Jim Smith (Peter White G.L.)
- Cells & Organelles / Cell Energetics / Dogma
The Evo-Ed Project:
– A Case Approach to Evolution Education
– Integrative cases that explore trait evolution across biological scales.
The Assessment Tool for Evaluating Evolution Knowledge
(ATEEK)
- Iterative design process (Anderson and Bishop 1990)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Determine essential concepts important to evolution.
Design an assessment tool that probes for those concepts.
Field test the assessment tool.
Evaluate student responses. Revise a given question if the
pattern of responses differs from the expected pattern.
5. Field test the revised assessment tool.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until satisfied with the pattern of
answers.
The ATEEK
Q1. Jaguars can have an orange coat or a black coat.
Orange jaguars have either two G alleles or one G allele
and one g allele, whereas black jaguars have two g alleles.
When a jaguar has the genotype gg, what happens so that
a black coat is produced?
Q2. Toxican mushrooms contain a toxin that causes vomiting when ingested. Recently, some
Toxican mushrooms were found that did not produce the toxin.
Describe in detail what might have happened at the molecular level so that these
mushrooms no longer produce this toxin?
Q3. The non-poisonous Toxican mushroom has become more frequent in mushroom populations
and poisonous Toxican mushrooms have become rare.
Define Natural Selection and use it to explain this scenario.
Q4. Considering genetic mutation –
(i) Describe, at the molecular level, what a mutation is.
(ii)Use your answer from part (i) to describe the process whereby a mutation results in a
change at the phenotype level.
LB145: Introductory Cell and Molecular Biology
Pre-Course
2
LB145
Average Student Score (n = 63)
Post-Course
*
1.5
*
*
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
LB145: Introductory Cell and Molecular Biology
Pre-Course
2
LB145
Average Student Score (n = 63)
Post-Course
*
1.5
*
*
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
Average Student Score (n = 74)
2
LB144
1.5
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
BS162
1.5
*
1
*
0.5
*
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
Q3
Q4i
Pre-Course
2
Q4ii
LB145
Post-Course
Average Student Score (n = 63)
Average Student Score (n = 94)
2
Q2
*
1.5
*
*
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
Did not use
integrative cases.
Organismal
Biology Courses
Used integrative
cases.
Cell and Molecular
Biology Course
BS162
1.5
*
1
*
0.5
*
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
LB144
1.5
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Pre-Course
2
Q4ii
LB145
Post-Course
Average Student Score (n = 63)
Average Student Score (n = 94)
2
Average Student Score (n = 74)
2
*
1.5
*
*
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
Did not use
integrative cases.
Organismal
Biology Courses
Used integrative
cases.
Cell and Molecular
Biology Course
BS162
1.5
*
1
*
0.5
*
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
LB144
1.5
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Pre-Course
2
Q4ii
LB145
Post-Course
Average Student Score (n = 63)
Average Student Score (n = 94)
2
Average Student Score (n = 74)
2
*
1.5
*
*
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
Did not use
integrative cases.
Organismal
Biology Courses
Used integrative
cases.
Cell and Molecular
Biology Course
BS162
1.5
*
1
*
0.5
*
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
LB144
1.5
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Pre-Course
2
Q4ii
LB145
Post-Course
Average Student Score (n = 63)
Average Student Score (n = 94)
2
Average Student Score (n = 74)
2
*
1.5
*
*
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
The ATEEK
Connect
genotypes to
phenotypes.
Describe the
cellular
mechanism of
phenotypic
expression.
Apply NS to
explain
change in
allele freq.
Understand
the genetic
basis of
mutation.
Describe how
mutation results in a
phenotype change.
Learned cell and
molecular
biology in a cell
and molecular
biology course.
BS162
1.5
*
1
*
0.5
*
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
LB144
1.5
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Pre-Course
2
Q4ii
LB145
Post-Course
Average Student Score (n = 63)
Average Student Score (n = 94)
2
Average Student Score (n = 74)
2
Didn’t learn cell
and molecular
biology in
organismal
course.
*
1.5
*
*
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
Learned cell and
molecular
biology in a cell
and molecular
biology course.
BS162
1.5
*
1
*
0.5
*
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
LB144
1.5
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Pre-Course
2
Q4ii
LB145
Post-Course
Average Student Score (n = 63)
Average Student Score (n = 94)
2
Average Student Score (n = 74)
2
Didn’t learn cell
and molecular
biology in
organismal
course.
*
1.5
*
*
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
Pre-Course
2
LB145
Average Student Score (n = 63)
Post-Course
*
1.5
*
*
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
Case Questions
(Final Exam)
1. What is the difference between the R67 and C67 alleles? Specifically how do their
nucleotide sequences differ and what is the resulting difference in the amino acid
sequences they produce?
1. What is the role of the MC1R protein in eumelanin pigment synthesis in Peromyscus
polionotus (i) dark fur populations and (ii) light fur populations?
1. What role does natural selection play in determining the coat color of Peromyscus
polionotus populations? Briefly describe some of the studies that have been done to
support this.
1. Do populations of Peromyscus polionotus with light fur tend to have a high C67 allele
frequency? Why or why not?
1. What phenotypes do the following genotypes typically code for:
R67R67, R67C67, C67C67
1. Can the genotype R67R67 result in a phenotype different from the one you listed
above? Why or why not?
Multiple Regression Analysis:
Post-Course ATEEK = Pre-Course ATEEK + Course Grade + Case Score
Variable
Standard
Coefficient
Standard
Error
t-value
p-value
Pre-Course ATEEK
0.37
0.12
3.4
0.0013
Course Grade
0.11
0.054
0.82
0.42
Case Score
0.36
0.13
2.8
0.0077
(F3,55 = 13.76, Adjusted R2 = 0.40)
LB145
Post-Course
Average Student Score (n = 63)
• Use of cases was
linked to higher
post-course ATEEK
scores.
• Suggestive that an
integrative cases
approach may
help students in
their learning of
evolution.
Pre-Course
2
*
1.5
*
*
*
1
0.5
0
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4i
Q4ii
Variable
Standard
Coefficient
p-value
Pre-Course ATEEK
0.37
0.0013
Course Grade
0.11
0.42
Case Score
0.36
0.0077
(F3,55 = 13.76, Adjusted R2 = 0.40)
The Evo-Ed Project:
• “[Students] leave schools
without fully understanding
how well supported evolutionary theory is.”
 Cases may help students understand how novel
phenotypes arise starting from the most basic
building blocks of life.
 Cases give students concrete examples of
evolution.
 Integrative approach good idea anyways?
(Data seem to support it too)
The Evo-Ed Project:
• “Many teachers are not
scientifically capable of
teaching evolution using
modern approaches.”
• Evo-Ed Website:
http://www.evo-ed.com
• Explanation of cases and
corresponding .ppt
resources.
Games/Simulations
Games/Simulations
Next Steps:
1. Include population genetics and speciation into our
assessment tool (ATEEK).
2. Among-courses analysis:
Case
Approach
Biology
Students
Low Use of
Cases
Approach
LB144
Cases
Approach
 Cases x 2
No Cases
Approach
 Cases x 1
Cases
Approach
 Cases x 1
No Cases
Approach
 Cases x 0
LB145
1. Continued development and dissemination of the case
approach and our education resources.
Acknowledgements:
Partial support for this work was provided by
the NSF TUES program under Award
No. 1043876. Any opinions, findings, and
conclusions or recommendations expressed
in this material are those of the author(s)
and do not necessarily reflect the views of
the National Science Foundation.
Thanks to Kathis Ellis, Joe Murray,
Miles Loh, Kendra Cheruvelil, Chuck
Elzinga, Gerry Urquhart, Cherryl
Murphy, Andy Jarosz, Doug Luckie,
Craig Nelson and Lyman Briggs
College for their contributions to the
project.
Questions?