Participating in an Object-Based Learning Project to Support the Teaching and Learning of Biological Evolution: A Case Study at the Grant Museum of Zoology

Abstract

Biological evolution can be regarded as a vast continuum of inter-related ideas important to understanding biology. It is known that teaching such a complex topic is challenging for teachers. This research looks at how the use of objects through the participation in an object-based learning project supports pre-service science teachers in both their subject knowledge and pedagogic knowledge of biological evolution. A series of workshops were designed at the Grant Museum of Zoology in London, where students were given the opportunity to handle and touch real specimens. Data from project shows an increase in pre-service teachers’ knowledge of biological evolution after engagement with the project, with confidence indicators showing changes in their perceptions of the certainty of their knowledge. Involvement in the project encouraged them to make important observations, ask questions and engage in discussions that questioned their understanding of biological evolution. In addition, participants identified and valued a range of pedagogies associated with object-based learning that could be applied either within the informal museum setting or the more formal classroom setting. The research ALSO highlights the potential importance of a ‘knowledgeable driver’ for these rich discussions and suggests the role that such a historical and enchanting place may play in these outcomes.