Mapping Biology Knowledge addresses two key topics in the context of biology, promoting meaningful learning and knowledge mapping as a strategy for achieving this goal. Meaning-making and meaning-building are examined from multiple perspectives throughout the book. In many biology courses, students become so mired in detail that they fail to grasp the big picture. Various strategies are proposed for helping instructors focus on the big picture, using the need to know' principle to decide the level of detail students must have in a given situation. The metacognitive tools described...

Mapping Biology Knowledge addresses two key topics in the context of biology, promoting meaningful learning and knowledge mapping as a strategy for achieving this goal. Meaning-making and meaning-building are examined from multiple perspectives throughout the book. In many biology courses, students become so mired in detail that they fail to grasp the big picture. Various strategies are proposed for helping instructors focus on the big picture, using the need to know' principle to decide the level of detail students must have in a given situation. The metacognitive tools described...

Biology education, like science education in general, is in the midst of a revolution that is worldwide in scope. The changes in the ways science education researchers think about learning and understanding represent a major paradigm shift. In this book, international leaders in the field of biology education research give summaries of problems and solutions in biology learning and teaching at various grade levels. Based on a NATO workshop in the Special Programme on Advanced Educational Technology, it provides practical information for teachers, especially in using new interactive,...