¿Qué saben niños y niñas sobre evolución? Diseño y aplicación de un modelo científico escolar de evolución para educación primaria

Abstract

This paper presents a school scientific model designed to serve as an instrument for teaching the theory of evolution in primary education. The model was developed from a selection of evolutionary core ideas and biological levels of scale later organised into a heptagon. This format could allow to gradually increase its complexity in later stages. To check its utility, this model has been employed to create and analyse an initial assessment on evolution aimed to a class-group of fifth graders (10-11 years old). Findings show students at this age have numerous and diverse preconceptions related to evolutionary core ideas. However, very few of those preconceptions could be considered an obstacle to their learning; just the opposite to what usually happens in secondary school. Such an outcome reinforces the convenience of introducing this content from early stages and in a progressive way.