Table 6 Possibilities for the use of cladograms
Possibilities for the use of cladograms (n = 48) (Answers expressed when teachers were asked: “What are the main possibilities that you find in your classroom practices when using cladograms in biodiversity education?”) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Categories | Description | Key example | Teachers (%) |
To visualize the kinship among organisms | Teacher reports that cladograms make it possible to see the ancestry relationships among organisms | "To approach the biodiversity in an evolutionary perspective using cladograms makes it possible to show how evolution “organized” life on the planet and what are the impacts of environmental changes on biodiversity” | 30 (49.2%) |
To connect different themes related to biodiversity education | Teacher reports that cladograms make it possible to connect themes about biodiversity education, such as evolution, ecology, among others | “Working with cladograms on biodiversity education makes it possible for me to make connections with ecology, evolution, genetics, philosophy, history, anthropology, and sociology. Cladograms graphically represent the evolutionary history and how that history directly affects the relationships of organisms with the environment. It allows me to build bridges with transversal themes” | 11 (18.0%) |
To use playful/practical activities | Teacher reports that using playful or practical activities is a possibility to teach about cladograms | "This week I brought into the classroom plants, moss, plants with flowers, strobilus, and leaves of ferns. I also brought scissors, tape, paper, and pens. I had already explained the content in a previous class, and I proposed a cladogram construction activity. Students made it on the classroom floor and had contact with plant species, which facilitated their understanding. It was really cool!!!” | 10 (16.4%) |
To use activities of cladogram construction | Teacher reports that using activities of cladogram construction is a possibility to teach about cladograms (but not specifying any playful or practical activity) | "I see as a possibility an activity in which students can build a cladogram, demonstrating the degree of kinship among some species and, thus, working at the same time evolution and biodiversity" | 4 (6.6%) |
To use small cladograms | Teacher reports that, when teaching about cladograms, prefers to use small cladograms, with only some groups of organisms | "I used something really simple, just to demonstrate the evolution from bryophytes to angiosperms" | 3 (4.9%) |
To use supplementary material | Teacher reports bringing supplementary materials to teach about cladograms | " To explain it through images, videos[…]" | 3 (4.9%) |
Total | 61 (100%) | ||
Teaching materials used in the classroom that contains cladograms (Answers expressed when teachers were asked: “What teaching materials used by you in classroom contains this kind of representation for biodiversity education?”) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Categories | Description | Key example | Teachers (%) |
Textbooks | Textbooks are the teaching material that contains cladograms and teacher uses in the classroom | "In the 9th-grade textbook" | 40 (32.6%) |
Slide Presentations | Slides presentations are the teaching material that contains cladograms and the teacher uses them in the classroom | "Usually lectures, with slides presentations made by the teacher" | 23 (18.7%) |
Other printed materials | Printed materials such as workbooks are the teaching material that contains cladograms and teacher uses in the classroom | "[…] I also bring printed activities for students to build their own cladograms" | 22 (17.9) |
Internet teaching materials | Teaching materials from the internet are the teaching material that contains cladograms and teacher uses in the classroom | "Through […] internet research" | 10 (8.1%) |
Videos/other media | Videos are the teaching material that contains cladograms and teacher uses in the classroom | "Not always the textbooks present the image. It is more common to see the linear representation, thus, I bring it in supplementary materials and videos" | 10 (8.1%) |
Teaching materials made by the teacher | Teacher builds teaching materials with cladograms to use in the classroom | "In my construction of teaching materials" | 10 (8.1%) |
Blackboard | Teacher uses the blackboard to teach about cladograms | "[…] I draw the image on the blackboard" | 8 (6.5%) |
Total | 123 (100%) | ||
Challenges in cladogram use in the classroom. (n = 55) (Answers expressed when teachers were asked: “What are the main challenges that you find in your classroom practices when using cladograms in biodiversity education?”) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Categories | Description | Key example | Teachers (%) |
Teacher's conceptual challenges about the theme | Teacher reports having challenges in understanding the concepts about systematics | “I still did not approach cladograms in my science classes, but I am thinking about using it. I believe I will have many challenges because I need to be well-prepared to do it. Studying more about this topic and looking for an efficient approach” | 18 (28.1%) |
Students’ difficulty in understanding about the theme | Teacher reports that students usually have challenges in understanding the concepts about systematics | “The few times that I used this resource (cladograms), students presented interpretation challenges” | 16 (25%) |
*Students’ alternative conceptions | Teacher reports that students usually have challenges in understanding the concepts about systematics due to alternative conceptions | “Knowing students' conceptions about evolution and about its main terms and analyzing the influence of external factors, such as religion, culture, among others, in their conceptions” | 12 (18.8%) |
Insufficient/incorrect approach by the textbooks | Teacher reports that textbooks usually do not approach enough the theme or that it contains incorrect information | “I always bring supplementary materials, because in textbooks the most present model is the linear model of evolution” | 11 (17.2) |
Insufficient approach by the curriculum | Teacher reports that curriculum usually does not approach enough the theme | “Time of class and the "short" curriculum” | 5 (7.8%) |
Insufficient approach in previous grades | Teacher reports that since the theme is not present in previous grades, it is harder to work with the theme with students | “Unfortunately, the majority of teachers do not usually approach the theme in initial grades. Therefore, when these students come in final grades of Basic Education (my field of work), those students cannot understand the basic knowledge about biological evolution, even less knowing a cladogram” | 2 (3.1%) |
Total | Â | Â | 64 (100%) |