Research on Learning Education

Research on how adults and children reason about evolution informs all aspects of the Explore Evolution project.

Learning Research Coordinators:
Amy Spiegel, Ph.D., Center for Instructional Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
E. Margaret Evans, Ph.D., Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan.



Articles and Book Chapters:
Spiegel, A. N., Evans, E. M., Frazier, B., Hazel, A., Tare, M., Gram, W., & Diamond, J. (in press, 2011). Changing Museum Visitors' Conceptions of Evolution. Evolution: Education and Outreach.
Diamond, J. & Kociolek, P. (in press, 2010) Pattern and Process:  Natural History Museum Exhibits on Evolution. In Rosengren, K. S., Evan, E. M., Brem, S., Sinatra, G. (eds.) Evolution Challenges: Integrating research and practice in teaching and learning about evolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Diamond, J., Evans, M., and Spiegel, A. (in press, 2010) Walking Whales and Singing Flies: An Evolution Exhibit and Assessment of its Impact. In Rosengren, K. S., Evan, E. M., Brem, S., Sinatra, G. (eds.) Evolution Challenges: Integrating research and practice in teaching and learning about evolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Tare, M., French, J., Frazier, B. N., Diamond, J., Evans, E. M. (2011) Explanatory Parent–Child Conversation Predominates at an Evolution Exhibit. Science Education 95:721-744.

Evans, E. M., Spiegel, A., Gram, W., Frazier, B. F., Thompson, S., Tare, M. & Diamond, J. 2010. A conceptual guide to museum visitors' understanding of evolutionJournal of Research in Science Teaching. 47(3): 326-353.

Evans, E. M., Spiegel, A., Gram, W. & Diamond, J. 2009. Integrating developmental and free-choice learning frameworks to investigate conceptual change in visitor understanding. VSA Articles, Center for the Advancement of Informal Science Education (BriefCAISE January/February, Issue 5).

Diamond, J. & Evans, E. M. 2007. Museums Teach Evolution. Evolution. 61:1500-1506.

Evans, E. M. 2006. Everyday intuition: How children develop their concepts of evolution. ASTC Dimensions: Bimonthly News Journal of the Association of Science-Technology Centers, March/April; 11-13.
Spiegel, A. N., Evans, E. M., Gram, W. & Diamond, J.  2006. Museum visitors' understanding of evolution. Museums & Social Issues 1: 69-86.
Evans, E. M. 2005. Teaching and Learning About Evolution. Chapter 3 in Diamond, J. (Ed) Virus and the Whale: Exploring Evolution in Creatures Small and Large. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.


See also
Explore Evolution and other articles by Dr. E. Margaret Evans are available at the following site:
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~evansem/publications.html



Evaluation Reports:
Front End Evaluation Report for the Explore Evolution Project. Spiegel, A. N., Evans, E. M., Gram, W., Frazier, B., Thompson, S., Tare, M., and Kay, D. 2005.  Part I: Museum Visitors Explain Seven Evolutionary Problems. Part II: Museum Visitor Reactions to Explore Evolution Topics. Lincoln, NE: Center for Instructional Innovation, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Formative Evaluation Report for the Explore Evolution Project. Spiegel, A. N., Evans, E. M., Gram, W., Frazier, B., Kay, D., Loope, C., and Allison, L. 2005. Museum Visitors Interact with the Explore Evolution Exhibition. Lincoln, NE: Center for Instructional Innovation, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation
under Grant No. 0229294. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations
expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).

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