Monday, September 25, 2006
Resourceful Evolution
The National Center for Science Education just posted a link to a new resource from the New York Academy of Science based on a a two-day conference on "Teaching evolution and the nature of science" it held in April of 2006. As the NCSE describes it, the conference was:
... aimed at answering such questions as: What are the basic tenets of the concept of evolution and how does understanding evolution play an essential role in comprehending science, and in particular, modern biology? How can science educators from elementary schools to college campuses respond to challenges from those who claim that intelligent design is as valid a theory as evolution? How can we prepare and support teachers so that they will be able to teach evolution effectively despite the controversy? How can state and local officials in charge of education policy respond to attempts by religious groups and others who seek to change the investigative nature of science education?
The conference was:
... divided into three sections: the nature of science and the evidence for evolution; pedagogy: a view from the trenches; meeting the challenges: reconciling evolution and morality.Participants included: the NCSE's Glenn Branch, theologian John F. Haught, Kenneth R. Miller and Robert T. Pennock. The only drawback is that the video and audio presentations are in a rather annoying format but the content appears to more than make up for that.
