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ERIC Number: EJ1304804
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-May
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1539-2422
EISSN: N/A
Using Simulations to Support Undergraduate Elementary Preservice Teachers' Biological Understanding of Natural Selection
Thomas, Nicole Juliana; Vo, Tina
Bioscene: Journal of College Biology Teaching, v47 n1 p29-39 May 2021
Natural Selection is prevalent throughout life science learning standards across K-12 contexts. Additionally, undergraduates who are interested in the fields of biology and education must also be well informed on the topic, as it is foundational to some biology research and necessary to touch upon within elementary and secondary classrooms. This pilot study explores the understanding of undergraduate preservice teachers' understanding of evolution mediated by a simulation called SEPUP, which explains evolution within generations of bird populations. By utilizing this simulation, we were able to identify how students engaged with a simulation to think about natural selection. Through analyzing student artifacts, findings suggest that employing a simulation to teach natural selection afforded students' a positive learning experience which likely could not have been easily achieved otherwise. This work provides recommendations for technology usage (e.g. creating meaningful reflection questions which target content) and development (e.g. ensure simulations provide a clear scope and scale around time) for evolution simulations.
Association of College and Biology Educators. Web site: http://acube.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A