Developing the BETTSI: A tree-thinking diagnostic tool to assess individual elements of representational competence

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology education
• Scientific visualization interpretation

Background:

• Phylogenetic trees are crucial visual tools in evolutionary biology.
• Interpreting phylogenies requires both general representational competence and specific technical knowledge.
• Educational strategies are needed to aid students in understanding these complex diagrams.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a diagnostic tool for assessing students' skills in interpreting phylogenetic trees.
• To evaluate students' representational competence and technical knowledge related to phylogenies.
• To provide instructors with a quick assessment of student understanding of evolutionary trees.

Main Methods:

• Development of the Basic Evolutionary Tree-Thinking Skills Instrument (BETTSI).
• BETTSI is a short, multiple-choice instrument.
• The instrument was checked for reliability and validity.

Main Results:

• BETTSI effectively assesses students' ability to read and interpret phylogenetic trees.
• The instrument measures both representational competence and technical skills.
• BETTSI serves as a convenient formative and summative assessment tool.

Conclusions:

• The Basic Evolutionary Tree-Thinking Skills Instrument (BETTSI) is a reliable and valid tool for assessing student understanding of phylogenies.
• Instructors can use BETTSI for quick diagnostics of student learning.
• Improving the interpretation of phylogenetic trees is essential for mastering evolutionary biology concepts.