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This course will give you the background and skills you need to counter pressures to present or address religiously based alternatives to the theory of evolution in your science classroom.
The structure of this course is based on the assumption that adults, like children, acquire knowledge by building upon what they already know and constructing it in their own way. Each section of this course plays a specific role in this process.
Invitation:
- creates interest in learners in a particular content topic;
- gives learners a clear view of the purpose of the lesson; and
- uncovers each learner's prior knowledge so that both the teacher and the learner are aware of his or her existing understanding.
Exploration:
- provides learners with a common base of information on particular aspects of the topic through hands-on activities, Teachers' Domain resources, readings, etc.;
- actively involves learners in the learning process; and
- continues to model one or more metacognitive strategies that learners will encounter throughout the session.
Explanation:
- provides opportunities for learners to develop and discuss their own explanations of what they explored;
- provides learners with feedback on their explanations through comments from the course facilitator or other participants, or through resources or readings that offer a scientifically valid way of explaining the content; and
- enhances vocabulary for effective communication.
Application:
- provides learners with the opportunity to apply what they've learned earlier in the session to a new situation or to their own experiences.
Putting It into Practice:
- reviews the learning strategies and content from the session; and
- provides opportunities for learners to apply these strategies to their teaching experiences.
The course features materials developed for the NOVA program, "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial," and other media resources, which are presented as part of the public television digital library, Teachers' Domain. As you progress through the course, you will be invited to use these online resources, including video segments, interactive activities, readings, and other multimedia materials, to further your learning. You will need to register and sign into Teachers' Domain to view many of these resources.
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Notebook
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Whenever you see this Notebook icon, you will take notes in your personal notebook. While you may wish to share your notebook, or parts of it, with your facilitator or the other participants, this is optional. Feel free to record all your relevant thoughts and observations and any other data you collect. You will be creating a trail of your learning. You will be asked to draw from your notes to complete the written assignments for this course.
Take a few moments to take stock of your current understanding of some of the questions that this course will address. Write down your thoughts on each of these questions in your notebook:
- How would you describe the theory of evolution?
- What is science?
- What constitutes a scientific theory?
- When and how do you teach about evolution in your science curriculum?
In 2007, NOVA first broadcast the program, "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial." You will watch segments from this program as you work through this course, but if you have the time, it is helpful to watch the entire program before proceeding. You can watch the program on
NOVA Online
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