Participants and instructors gather for a group photo
Thanks to another generous grant from the Delta Foundation, Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education (OESE), held their 3rd annual Evolution professional development workshop for Oklahoma high school science teachers. ”Teaching Evolution in the 21st Century” took place last weekend (October 24-26) at the University of Oklahoma Biological Station on Lake Texoma.
Conference participants learned about internet resources for teaching evolution, the logic of scientific investigation, evo-devo, genomics, the fossil record and macroevolution, how to deal with classroom and community controversy, the various forms of creationism, the legal and organizational support for teaching evolution, and classroom approaches to evolution education.
Conference Instructors included Ola Fincke (Zoology, OU), Victor Hutchison (Zoology, OU), Frank Sonleitner (Zoology, OU), Richard Broughton (Zoology, OU), Joseph Maness (Biology, SWOSU), Stanley Rice (Biology, SEOSU), Bob Melton (Science Curriculum Specialist, Putnam City Schools).
The “Teaching Evolution in the 21st Century” series of workshops from OESE provides an opportunity for in-service and pre-service educators to immerse themselves in evolution and approaches to teaching evolution in a retreat-like atmosphere at the OU Biological Station. It’s a beautiful setting with opportunities for professional networking and intensive content and pedagogical exploration. There was even an opportunity to take a geology field trip (with the bonus of a little impromptu herpetology). OESE has other teacher workshops in the offing and OSTA members and website lurkers will be among the first to know. Check the OESE link for more info.