Evolving an open, networked, and interdisciplinary evolution education research community

Abstract

Evolutionary theory supports the development of scientific explanations of the biological, behavioral, cognitive, and cultural diversity found around the world. Despite the wide ranging interdisciplinary nature of evolution science, evolution education in the general education context remains almost exclusively within the domain of the biology classroom. To engage this challenge and opportunity in a systematic fashion, the OpenEvo project has emerged as a Networked Improvement Community for evolving an open, networked, and interdisciplinary evolution education research community. The network is organized around principles of sociocratic governance, and focused on creating the conditions for innovations in interdisciplinary evolution education to emerge and thrive. The Concepts & Theory Circle has begun a critical analysis of the internationally recognized Understanding Evolution Conceptual Framework for guiding evolution teaching across K-16 (general education and undergraduate) contexts. The Research Circle is working to develop novel assessment tools for measuring conceptual learning about evolution as an interdisciplinary science, and the supports needed to engage in empirical research on the proposed revisions to the Understanding Evolution Conceptual Framework. The Teacher Education Circle is working to develop open syllabi for model teacher education courses and professional development programs to support teaching evolution as an interdisciplinary science. We will highlight the challenges and opportunities presented by this work, describe the current state of core projects within the network, and discuss the potential for teaching cultural evolution science to emerge as an essential educational innovation needed to foster an understanding of our changing world adequate to the challenges of the moment.