Learning Tree Thinking: Developing a New Framework of Representational Competence
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
12-21-2012
Department
Biological Sciences
School
Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences
Abstract
Phylogenetic trees are dynamic external representations used to illustrate evolutionary relatedness among taxa. However, students often struggle with correctly interpreting and using these representations in biology courses. In order to optimize learning, it is imperative to understand the challenges students face when trying to correctly understand representations, how students actually learn tree thinking and to identify means to help students overcome these challenges. In this chapter, we synthesize current research findings and discuss the learning process involved with making sense of and generating phylogenetic tree representations at the university level. Furthermore, notions of representational competencevary across contexts and can be representation specific. Thus, we have proposed a new framework for representational competence highlighting learnable skills required for developing tree thinking. This revised framework can inform the design of evolutioncurricula and maximize the instructional potential of phylogenetic representations.
Publication Title
Multiple Representations in Biological Education
First Page
185
Last Page
201
Recommended Citation
Halverson, K. L.,
Friedrichsen, P.
(2012). Learning Tree Thinking: Developing a New Framework of Representational Competence. Multiple Representations in Biological Education, 185-201.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/21493
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