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Proceedings chapter
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English

Adapting teacher training to new evolution research approaches

Published inInternational Union of Biological Sciences BioEd 2009: Darwin 200, Editors Jungck, John R., p. 70-78
Presented at Christchurch (New Zealand), 10-15 Février 2009
PublisherParis : IUBS
Collection
  • Biology International; 47
Publication date2009
Abstract

As research methods have evolved to include new genomic approaches, based on freely available data and tools, an opportunity for proving and teaching evolution has been translated into teacher training programs in Geneva. The data from countless entire genomes and tools for comparing and extracting evolution evidence in conserved patterns, (BLAST, etc.) or building phylogenetic trees (Phylodendron,...) can be easily accessed via Internet. Ever more research in evolution is based on sequence analysis, providing new and very strong evidence. This authentic data and tools can be freely used by any student or teacher, opening new educational opportunities to explore, test and validate hypotheses. Possibly the strongest evidence ever is directly available to all schools. However new knowledge and competencies need to be developed to allow teachers to integrate these approaches into their classes. Indeed, these new information processing approaches in biology might be unfamiliar to biologists trained only a few years ago. As part of a comprehensive teacher training program in Geneva, evolution teaching and inquiry modules were developed within Geneva university in a collaboration of researchers in educational science LDES (Prof Giordan), TECFA and genomics (UniProtKB - Swiss-Prot,) and was deployed in teacher training programs since 5 years, and the scenario-based modules are freely available. How to include this new approach of evolution teaching in various chapters of biology, opportunities for new inquiry tracks for students will be discussed. Conditions and reasons for uneven acceptance of acceptance by institutions or teachers, and possible solutions will be discussed.

Keywords
  • Biologie
  • bioinformatique évolution didactique
Citation (ISO format)
LOMBARD, François, BLATTER, Marie-Claude. Adapting teacher training to new evolution research approaches. In: International Union of Biological Sciences BioEd 2009: Darwin 200. Christchurch (New Zealand). Paris : IUBS, 2009. p. 70–78. (Biology International)
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  • PID : unige:17850
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