Teaching biological evolution can be difficult on a number of levels, be it student confusion arising from prior conceptions and the controversy surrounding evolution, or simply because the material is complex. Games and simulations can help to convey complex topics and also to increase variety in teaching methods. Here I describe a card game that…

EvoluZion is a forward-in-time genetic simulator developed in Java and designed to perform real time simulations on the evolutionary history of virtual organisms. These model organisms harbour a set of 13 genes that codify an equal number of phenotypic features. These genes change randomly during replication, and mutant genes can have null,…

Questions why the presentation of evolution in class frequently does not achieve acceptance of evolutionary theory. Suggests using a simple test formulated to try to direct students toward the application of information on evolution to material already familiar to them. Reports positive impact of the questionnaire on student attitudes towards…

Explores the conceptions of evolutionary processes held by a group of university students (n=126) before receiving instruction on evolution. Focuses on students' linguistic usage in order to speculate about the source of some of the conceptual problems students encounter in this area. (Contains 19 references.) (Author/YDS)

Introduces MacClade which is a Macintosh-based software package that uses the techniques of cladistic analysis to explore evolutionary patterns. Describes a novel and effective exercise that allows undergraduate biology majors to test a hypothesis about behavioral evolution in insects. (Contains 13 references.) (Author/YDS)