Darwin’s Theory of Evolution revolutionized scientific thinking. Since the publication of The Origin of Species 147 years ago, this theory has been extensively and rigorously tested. Overwhelming scientific evidence from many disciplines exists to support this theory. From the vast body of scientific evidence that has accumulated, we have come to an understanding of all areas of the biological world – from our cells and DNA to our lakes and forests. Evolutionary principles are the foundation of all modern biology and have led to major advances in fields as diverse as molecular biology, developmental biology, genetics, behavior, and paleontology. As such, evolution is a fundamental and necessary component of modern science education.
Evolution: Education & Outreach, a new quarterly journal from Springer Science and Business Media, will promote accurate understanding and comprehensive teaching of evolution for a wide audience. Targeting K-16 students, teachers and scientists alike, the journal will publish articles to aid members of these communities in the teaching of evolution. Authors are encouraged to submit general review articles about evolution and the teaching of evolution on a variety of topics from cosmology to genetics and earth history to the evolution of cultural artifacts. We actively seek contributions of: (1) peer reviewed evolutionary science; (2) peer reviewed educational papers on curricula and experiences in the classroom; (3) "reports" and "reflections" style pieces from qualified professionals.
The journal will address the question of why we should care about evolution by exploring the practical applications of evolutionary principles in daily life and the impact of evolutionary theory on culture and society throughout history. Evolution: Education and Outreach will connect teachers with scientists by adapting cutting-edge, peer reviewed articles for classroom use on a variety of instructional levels. Teachers and scientists will collaborate on multi-authored papers and offer tools for teachers such as unit and lesson plans and classroom activities, as well as additional online content such as podcasts and PowerPoint presentations.
Evolutionary principles are the foundation of all modern biology and have led to major advances in fields as diverse as molecular biology, developmental biology, genetics, behavior, and paleontology. As such, evolution is a fundamental and necessary component of modern science education. As the famous evolutionary geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky stated in 1973, "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution."
