The Synthetic Theory of Evolution in the School Biology Curriculum: From Scientific Concept to Teaching Methodology

Abstract

The key provisions of the synthetic theory of evolution (STE) are systematized in the context of their pedagogical adaptation to the school biology course and effective methodological approaches to overcoming persistent conceptual errors of students during the study of evolutionary theory are substantiated. The following methods are used: theoretical analysis and synthesis of scientific and methodological literature, comparative analysis of approaches to teaching evolutionary theory in educational institutions, generalization of data from modern pedagogical research on the identification and overcoming of students’ conceptual errors. It is established that the synthetic theory of evolution, which arose in the 1930s–1950s as a synthesis of Darwinism, Mendelian genetics and population genetics, remains the dominant paradigm of biological education, although modern science is developing in the direction of an extended evolutionary synthesis (EES). Three main groups of students’ conceptual errors were identified: teleological (explanation of evolution through a goal or intention), Lamarckian (inheritance of acquired traits), and regarding the unit of selection (confusion between the individual and population levels). The evidence base of methodological approaches to overcoming these errors was summarized: inquiry learning, modeling of evolutionary processes, data-based argumentation, connection with students’ everyday experience. Conclusions: effective teaching of STEM requires the integration of scientific accuracy of content with active teaching methods that form the ability of students to think evolutionary, and not just reproduce definitions. For the reform of the National School of Biology, it is critically important to ensure the methodological training of biology teachers to work with persistent conceptual errors of students and the implementation of evidence-based approaches to teaching evolutionary theory.