Collaboratively generating and critiquing technology-enhanced concept maps to improve evolution education
Beat A. Schwendimann, Ph.D.
UC Berkeley/ The University of Sydney
CSCL 2013
Time in the science classroom is short and precious
On average, 3-10 hours on evolution (Berkman 2008)
“Evolutionary theory is probably oneof the most
counterintuitive ideas the human mind has encountered, so far.”
Evans (2008)
Repertoire of alternative ideas
Knowledge Integration
Genotype - Phenotype
Genotype Phenotype?
Knowledge Integration Map (KIM)
Two Treatment Groups
Generation
Critique
Gene Pool Explorer
Classroom Implementation
9th/10th grade science classroom93 students5-6 hours
Knowledge Integration ScoreSample question: What changes occur gradually over time in groups of finches that live in different environments?
KI score Sample answer
No answer 0 None
Off-task 1 I don’t know
Incorrect 2 Finches develop new beaks because they need to adapt to a new environment.
Partially correct 3 Finches inherit traits from their parents.
Basic correct 4 Finches have differently shaped beaks that give them different chances to survive natural selection.
Complex correct 5 Natural selection causes those finches with helpful mutations to their beaks to be more genetically fit and adapt to the environment better. Therefore, the finches with the beaks adapted to their environment are more likely to reproduce and the trait gradually becomes dominant in the group.
Knowledge Integration Gains
Using Normative Evolution Ideas
0=Non-normative ideas; 1=partial; 2=normative ideas
Student Example: Pre-Test
Student Example: Post-Test
KIM cross-link changes
KIM idea “Mutation”
Time spent on KIM tasks
Findings
• KIM critique tasks took only half the amount of time than the KIM generation tasks
• Knowledge Integration Maps can elicit and facilitate cross-connections between genotype and genotype ideas
• Both treatment groups showed similar knowledge integration pre-posttest gains
Questions?