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

Thank you!

schwendimann.org

beat.schwendimann@gmail.com

Questions?