Teaching Evolution Along a Learning Progression: An Austrian Attempt with a Focus on Selection

Abstract

he theory of evolution is the central backbone of biology; therefore, it should be central to biology teaching as well. In the Austrian state curriculum, the topic of evolution is only mentioned twice: first, in grade 7 of the lower secondary school, and second, in grade 12, very close to the final examination. This project has developed a learning progression including the grades 8, 9 and 10 to fill the gap and enable the continuous learning of evolution instead of additive learning. Central to this proposed learning progression are the core concepts of artificial, natural, and sexual selection as well as variation and population thinking. To assess the students’ learning within this learning progression, a longitudinal interview study has been designed. Some students were interviewed prior to and after the respective teaching and learning sequences in grades 8 and 10 (four interviews per student). The analysis of these interviews shows students’ conceptions of teleological thinking and goal-oriented adaptation. During the learning progression, the students include more and more scientific concepts, but the fact that some previous understanding (goal-oriented adaptation) remains and the newly acquired knowledge is attached to this thinking is very interesting. We regard these mixtures as important stepping stones for conceptual learning from everyday conceptions to more scientific ones. This chapter gives details and explains the implications for the further development of the learning progression.