Mention the word ‘evolution’ and what springs to mind?
The Charles Darwin (and Alfred Wallace) theory of evolution of species, plus a number of refinements (including Mendelian genetics, DNA) and speculations (eg. the role of symbiosis), and, of course, palaeontology. Also, the dispute with creationism.
In discussions about evolution in thread after thread on this board (and most other boards) this is about all that people seem to focus on and flog to death.
It’s possible that teaching just the final stage of the total process in isolation of the foundation parts makes it difficult for some people to see the big picture.
Evolution should be taught as a unified subject. It should cover each stage in a logical order and from the ground up, and not commence at the third floor, by which I mean the ‘evolution of living species’, the final stage of the process.
Stage 1 – Cosmology - Evolution of the Universe
The creation of the universe. The creation of the first elements and their spread throughout the universe to form planets. Discuss various competing theories for the creation of the universe (Note: ‘Big Bang’ – Inflation theory is not the last word and shouldn’t be taught as if it were). The formation of the first stars made of the lightest elements that eventually formed the first heavy elements and spread them around via novas and supernovas. Some idea of the vast periods of time involved should be instilled in the student.
Stage 2 – Geology – High Metallicity Star Systems, Planets and Satellites
Start from the evolution of stars and galaxies, the creation of the first heavy elements in the first stars. The dispersal of the first heavy elements via novas and supernovas and the formation of high Metallicity solar systems and galaxies. An explanation of how planets and moons form and evolve and the many eons it took for them to reach their present stage. The contribution of simple life forms to the development of rock formations on Earth in the later stages should not be ignored. This should be linked to the ordering of the fossil record from old rock layers to more recent.
Stage 3 – Bioscience - Evolution of Life
Development of life forms on Earth during the last three or four billion years, from the simple to the complex, as revealed through the fossil record from K bacteria to sea and land life forms (not omitting periodic extinction events) leading to the life forms common today. This part of the course should cover speciation, the rise of new orders, genetics, cladistics, and more recently, the significance of DNA as a means of identifying relationships between species and orders. For a bit of historical background, briefly touch on Lamarckianism, Piltdown Man, Intelligent Design, Creationism and even Sheldrake’s highly speculative theories.
To focus exclusively on biological evolution as “evolution” is a poor strategy. By omitting an in depth explanantion of the crucial forerunners to the origin of life, teachers of “bio-evolution” have, to date, provided an incomplete picture of what evolution (in the complete sense) is all about and this approach may have caused a lot of unnecessary confusion.
To sum up, I believe that it would be better to teach evolution as a complete package, rather than the “start at stage three” approach adopted by modern educationists.