Table 4 Categories of teachers’ conceptions of the reasons that justify the importance of evolution to the study of biodiversity, including a brief description of each category and two key examples from the responses
Answers expressed when teachers were asked: “Do you think an evolutionary perspective is important in teaching biodiversity? Why?” | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Categories | Description | Key examples | Teachers (%) |
Self-explanatory/Unjustified | The importance of evolution to biodiversity is evident and without the need for further instruction or information | “It's not possible to speak of life and its diversity without understanding evolution” “The understanding of diversity is closely linked to evolution. It's almost impossible to talk about biodiversity without mentioning evolution” | 43 (29.2%) |
Evolutionary processes/patterns | Evolutionary processes manifested in patterns that can be observed in biodiversity | “Certainly, evolution is constant and so are changes and adaptations in environments” “Yes, because through it [evolution] we have a greater understanding of the factors that shape and maintain diversity” | 28 (19%) |
Epistemic | The knowledge regarding biodiversity is based on evolution | “[…] evolution guides all biological areas, especially when talking about biodiversity, is of paramount importance to understand biological processes” “Yes, because the knowledge of Biology is all based on evolution” | 20 (13.6%) |
Meaning/ Value Biodiversity | Evolutionary perspective allows students to find meaning and value in biodiversity | “Through evolutionary perspective on the teaching of biodiversity there is an awakening to the beauty and at the same time to the fragility of ecosystems, as well as to their importance for the maintenance of the planet” “[…] In addition to importance as knowledge, evolution teaches students to value the existence of living beings” | 19 (12.9%) |
Conservation of biodiversity | Evolution is crucial to understand species better and it would help for conservation action plans | “Yes, only by knowing the evolution of species can we devise strategies for more effective preservation” “Evolution allows the student to understand the effects of human action on species diversity and how this action, in particular climate change, can limit human survival and ecosystem health” | 12 (8.1%) |
Learning | Evolution facilitates understanding of biodiversity | “Teaching based on an evolutionary perspective is important, once it facilitates learning, allowing that information becomes connected in a logical and grounded way” “Yes, very important [evolution] because it helps the student to form a clearer understanding of biodiversity, expanding their understanding” | 12 (8.1%) |
Emergence of new species | Evolutionary process is the mechanism by which a new species comes into being | “Yes, because to know better the current species we need to know about the ancestral species” “Yes, because it makes the student understand more easily the history of animals and how the emergence of different groups happened” | 8 (5.4%) |
Phylogenetics | Evolution provides a system of classification that names groups of organisms according to their evolutionary history | “The evolutionary approach can rely on the identification and classification of new plant species, then, it is indeed important to study from this perspective, in the search for more dynamic and practical studies within a regional context” “[…] because it focuses on knowledge about biodiversity—and sociodiversity—without giving up phylogenetic hypotheses in proposing models for classifying living beings” | 5 (3.4%) |
Total | Â | Â | 147 (100%) |