An updated view of the theory of evolution

http://www.sciencealert.com/the-world-s-top-biologists-have-met-to-discuss-whether-we-should-update-evolution

Examples of recent evolutionary changes in humans

http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/7-strange-and-surprising-ways-that-humans-have-recently-evolved/all/

Advances in genetics class since your high school biology class

Over the past decades, the field of genetics rapidly developed, for example in the areas of inherited diseases, cancer, personalized medicine, genetic counseling, the microbiome, diagnosis and discovery of viruses, taxonomy of species, genealogy, forensic science, epigenetics, junk DNA, gene therapy and gene editing.

Joel Eissenberg, Ph.D., associate dean for research and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine summarizes major advances in genetics since the 1960s:

When Did You Go to High School?

If you took high school biology in the …

1960s, you learned about the structure of the double helix and how sequences of DNA encode amino acids.

1970s, you may also have learned about cloning and the potential for recombinant DNA.

1980s, your class may have covered the clinical use of recombinant human insulin for diabetes treatment and the advent of GMO foods.

1990s, your class may have studied the molecular basis for human genetic disorders, like cystic fibrosis.

2000s, your teachers likely described how the human genome was being sequenced.

You can find further information: http://www.slu.edu/news/2016/august/Eissenberg-genetics-essay.php

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What’s changed in genetics since your high school biology class?: The field of genetics has seen astonishing breakthroughs and the development of world-changing technologies in the past half century.

Do-It-Yourself Gene-Editing Kit for biology education

CRISPR Kit

Biophysicist and entrepreneur Josiah Zayner offers a do-it-yourself kit that allows you to cut, past, and string genes from one organism to another - on your kitchen table.

Moving genes from one organism to another used to be done only by big-budget labs. Three years ago, UC Berkeley developed the CRISPR gene-editing tool. CRISPR stands for 'Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats', which refers to a protein(Cas9) that can use an RNA guide to make highly specific cuts in DNA. This allows unprecedented abilities to edit DNA. Zayer is the first to make the CRISPR tool kit available to the masses.

The DIY gene-editing kit allows altering bacteria and yeast (which can change color, fragnance, or living requirements). The DIY CRISPR kit is available for 120$: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/diy-crispr-kits-learn-modern-science-by-doing#/



Read more here: Do-It-Yourself Gene-Editing Kit Transforming Biology | Sci-Tech Today

Multi-level analysis strategy to make sense of concept maps

I presented my paper 'Multi-level analysis strategy to make sense of concept maps' at the sixth international conference on concept mapping in Santos (Brazil).



You find find more resources about concept maps here.

The difference between fruits and vegetables

This video explains why bananas are berries but strawberries are not.

Major misconceptions about evolution

Source: http://molecularlifesciences.tumblr.com/

How humans, birds, and insects breathe differently [animated gif]

Different ways of breathing
[Source: http://tabletopwhale.com/img/posts/10-24-14.gif]

Comparing two forms of concept map critique activities

Knowledge Integration Map (KIM)
Source: Wikipedia

Concept maps can be versatile tools for learning and assessment. However, evaluating concept maps can be challenging. What are effective ways to analyze concept maps?

I presented a paper at the 6th international conference on concept mapping in Santos, Brazil in October 2014 (See conference program with links to papers here). The paper introduces a new form of concept map, called Knowledge Integration Map (KIM). Different from Novakian concept maps, KIMs divide the drawing area into discipline-specific sections (see example above). Placing concept in these designated areas elicits how learners categorize these concepts and it highlights cross-links between sections. Cross-links can be seen as particularly interesting as they link concepts in different categories. 

The empirical study presented in the paper compares two forms of KIM activities implemented in biology classrooms. Concept  map  activities  often  lack  a  subsequent  revision  step  that  facilitates  knowledge  integration.  This  study compares two kinds of concept map critique activities embedded in an evolution unit: Student dyads in one group compared their concept maps against an expert map while dyads in the other group conducted a peer-review. Analysis of the concept maps suggests that both treatment groups significantly improved their understanding of evolution. However, the two groups developed different criteria: The expert-map group focused mostly on concept-focused criteria like concept classification while the peer-review group used more link-focused criteria like link labels and missing connections. This paper suggests that both critique activities can be beneficial to making more coherent connections across different topics in biology. 

The paper is available here (as PDF). The title of the paper is 'Comparing two forms of concept map critique activities to support knowledge integration in biology education'.

Creationist education in Swiss private schools

A newspaper article published in "Le Temps" reports that three private schools in the French-speaking part of Switzerland are teaching creationist ideas in their classrooms. A representative of the three schools stated that "the theory of evolution is also presented, but not as a truth."

Teaching creationism as truth violates the local education policies that demand that students in private schools receive an education equivalent to public schools.

I find it interesting to note that the journalist found it necessary to provide a description of what creationism is "Creationism is a doctrine which, in its minimalist version postulates that the universe and living beings were created ex nihilo by God, as opposed to the theory of evolution." [I doubt that a US journalist would have found it necessary to provide a definition of creationism.]

Source: "Les écoles créationnistes réveillent les autorités romandes",  Friday 31 January 2014, Le Temps (Switzerland)

Examples of directly observed evolutionary changes

Anolis Lizards

150 years after Charles Darwin (and others) first proposed the theory of evolution due to natural selection, many people still struggle to accept and understand the theory. One frequently observed claim is that evolutionary change cannot be observed.

The website phylointelligence.com has a great list (with scientific references) of examples of evolutionary changes that have been directly observed by scientists. A great resource for science teachers (and everyone interested in evolution).

See the list of observed evolutionary changes here. The examples also include the occurance of human lactase persistence which I used as a case study in my PhD (see PDF here).

A brief introduction to evolution

This youtube video by "Stated Clearly" introduces the basic mechanisms of evolution.

Knowledge Integration Maps (KIM)

Knowledge Integration Map (KIM)

A Knowledge Integration Map (KIM) is a discipline-specific form of concept map. Concept maps are a form of node-link diagram for organizing and representing connections between ideas as a semantic network. KIMs consist of concepts and labeled arrows. Different from traditional concept maps, KIMs divide the drawing area into discipline-specific areas, for example in biology into genotype/phenotype. 

Knowledge Integration Maps (KIMs) have been developed at the University of California, Berkeley by Beat A. Schwendimann in the research group of Marcia Linn.

You can learn more about Knowledge Integration Maps in this Wikipedia article.

More about the research on Knowledge Integration Maps in my dissertation (available for free here).

Causes for the persistent denial of evolution

Source: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWFZbj8Rb3st3cV-wf4VGimgU0IpBZJVnDng91tAoTsL33oegAdf9igjR9kFZn-pvgEqyn97NIT7QOPW_yZhfx98NMrkw4M68pkN1c7I5qiJeQNkXvts7_s6w4PMs6wvpScoZ4g1IHrcg/s1600/denialism.jpg

Why are many people resistant to accept the theory of evolution despite the overwhelming evidence? The blog post below from NothingInBiology discusses three studies that explore why some people reject science over religious views.

Read more here: http://nothinginbiology.org/2012/11/27/science-denial-is-rationa/

Unfortunately, the article doesn't have any concrete suggestions how to better promote scientific understanding and acceptance among religious people.

Understanding where new genes come from

New mutation in DNA
[Image source: http://www.topnews.in/health/genetic-mutation-may-have-allowed-great-expansion-early-humans-216902]

Researchers from the University of California, Davis, und Uppsala University observed for the first time how new genes emerge.

In their model, a mutated copy of an existing gene first gains a weak function next to its primary function. If conditions change, the secondary function might become increasingly more important.

The researchers tested their model in the bacterium Salmonella and observed changes for over 3.000 generations.

The new model aims to explain how new functional genes emerge (given that cells have mechanisms in place to constantly remove mutations).

Read more here: Evolution of new genes captured

Why is evolution so hard to understand?

I gave a talk today at the University of Sydney Institute for Innovation in Science and Mathematics education (IISME) on the topic "Why is evolution so hard to understand?". You can find my slides below.

Why is evolution so hard to understand? from Beat Schwendimann

Green ideas how to improve our cities

Source: Best Sociology Programs

Introduction to Genetics Video

Weird science toy: Kangaroo Egg

Kangaroo Egg

An example of a highly confusing "science toy" (found in the gift store of the otherwise recommendable Australian Reptile Park): The "Kangaroo Egg"! 

Children are  instructed to put the kangaroo egg into a glass of water to watch a "pet kangaroo" hatch within 48h. Ironically, the emerging kangaroo carries a joey (baby kangaroo) in its pouch. How confusing is that! There is no explanatory text on the box that would clarify that kangaroos are marsupials that do not lay eggs.

  

Concept maps as knowledge integration tools for evolution education [Talk]

I presented a study from my dissertation (open access here) at the CoCo seminar at the University of Sydney. My talk focused on the implementation and iterative development of concept maps as collaborative tools to support the integration of concepts of evolution.

I used TheBrain as a presentation tool in combination with a SmartBoard. The Adobe Connect recording of my talk is available here. My TheBrain mindmap is available online here or see embedded dynamic map below (Click on the nodes to explore).