by Steve Olson
First published 2014
Biology's central organizing principle gets pushed to the margins. More than 150 years after Darwin introduced natural selection, evolution occupies just a few textbook chapters and class sessions in most biology courses. Steve Olson documents a growing movement to change this reality. His book summarizes a 2011 National Academy of Sciences convocation in Washington that brought together educators, researchers, and policymakers. The gathering explored how to weave evolutionary thinking throughout life science curricula rather than confining it to isolated units. Participants examined teaching methods, curriculum design, classroom tensions, and target audiences from elementary grades through lifelong learning. Olson shows how understanding evolution requires grasping broader principles of scientific inquiry. The book reveals ongoing efforts to make evolutionary concepts central to high school and college biology courses, addressing both pedagogical strategies and the institutional changes needed to transform science education.
Genres: science, education, non-fiction, biology, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, educational, informative
Setting: Washington
Period: 2011
111 pages · Unknown Binding · National Academies Press