Crossing the Threshold: Bringing Biological Variation to the Foreground

Area of Science:

• Biology Education
• Genetics
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Threshold concepts are critical, transformative ideas essential for discipline mastery.
• In biology, variation is a proposed threshold concept impacting core areas like genetics and evolution.
• Existing frameworks guide curriculum development, but integrating threshold concepts offers new pedagogical insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the utility of threshold concepts in guiding biology instruction and curriculum design.
• To examine the specific threshold concept of variation and its potential impact on student understanding of genetics and evolution.
• To propose a schema for teaching variation to foster deeper learning in biology.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and conceptual analysis of threshold concepts in biology.
• Examination of the proposed threshold concept of variation.
• Development of a schema based on dimensions of scientific inquiry for teaching variation.
• Connecting variation to core concepts in genetics and evolution.

Main Results:

• Variation is identified as a key threshold concept that can significantly influence student comprehension of genetics and evolution.
• A schema using scientific inquiry dimensions is proposed to help students experience and apply the concept of variation.
• Integrating threshold concepts with existing frameworks like Vision and Change can enhance targeted instruction.

Conclusions:

• The concept of variation, when treated as a threshold concept, can fundamentally improve student learning in genetics and evolution.
• The proposed schema offers a practical approach for educators to foster a deeper understanding of variation.
• Adopting a threshold concept lens alongside Vision and Change core concepts can bridge conceptual understanding and competency in biology.