About
the Evolution Education Institute
The Evolution Education
Institute (EEI) is a national professional development program that had
it's origins in the Michigan Scientific Evolution Education Initiative (MSEEI).
The MSEEI was administered by the Michigan Science Teacher's Association
and was funded by an Eisenhower Higher Education Competitive Grant
through the Michigan Department of Education (MDOE) from 1999-2002. The mission of the MSEEI was to provide Michigan teachers and pre-service
teacher education students with the necessary content, pedagogy and
support system to effectively teach scientific evolution. The Evolution Education Institute expands upon the MSEEI model and
brings it to a national audience.
Mission-
The mission of the Evolution Education Institute (EEI) is to promote the
understanding of
evolution and natural selection
theory within the educational
community and society at-large and to
advocate for its inclusion in science curricula in a
manner commensurate with its importance to modern scientific thought.
(See
Mission for details of the EEI mission statement)
Demonstrated Need and Significance of EEI
Understanding
the nature of science is at the heart of a quality science education. In
addition to facts, theories and formulas, science involves an
evidence-based process of exploring and understanding our world. It is
incumbent upon science educators to ensure that our teaching is true to
the nature of science. It is this integrity that is threatened when
pseudoscience and nonscientific ideologies are presented as
legitimate alternatives to scientific thinking. Despite a long history
of debate concerning the evolution education issue, legal battles and court
decisions supporting the teaching of scientific evolution, there remains
strong social pressure to replace instruction in scientific evolution
with nonscientific beliefs. As a result, many educators themselves have
not received an adequate scientific evolution education. They
may lack a
sufficient knowledge base, appropriate teaching skills and very
importantly, peer, administrative and community support for the teaching
of scientific evolution.
Many teachers are hesitant or afraid to teach
scientific evolution. In fact, many students will never even be
exposed to the topic of evolution. As a consequence, many K-12 and
college/university students lack an adequate understanding of scientific
evolution. These students will be the teachers of tomorrow. Hence,
this problem is passed on from one generation to another. Without a
significant change in the way schools and teachers deal with the issue
of scientific evolution, there may be little chance that this situation
will be resolved.
The purpose of EEI is to create a culture of
professional and academic support in which teachers feel competent and
secure in teaching scientific evolution in the classroom. To accomplish
this goal, EEI offers a series of content and pedagogy-based programs
for teachers and pre-service teacher-education students. Additionally, EEI offers conference sessions, a web-site, a
list-serve group and
networking with professionals in evolution education.
What is Unique
about EEI?
Science educators throughout
the United States have acknowledged the importance of evolution theory
as evidenced by its inclusion in the science standards of most states. Additionally, both
state and national
organizations have developed materials, programs, workshops, conference
sessions and speakers in an effort to promote the nature of science and
scientific evolution. However, these efforts have not been connected to
or institutionalized into existing organizations. Efforts to date have
focused principally on providing teachers with content and pedagogy.
Little effort has been spent on providing an
ongoing support system needed to sustain a significant change. To
remedy this problem, various groups and individuals will need to
organize a concerted, systemic effort to
promote teaching and learning of evolution within K-12 schools,
higher education (especially teacher preparation programs) and the
community-at-large. There needs to be a broad-based support system so
teachers can obtain an adequate knowledge base, receive peer and
administrative support and acquire the support, knowledge and skills
needed to survive in a sometimes threatening environment. EEI is creating this culture; an academic and professional
culture in which teachers can feel competent and secure in teaching
scientific evolution and can obtain the necessary content and pedagogy.
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