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Science

Free Seminars

Evolution and the Nature of Science

 

 

Dr. Gregory Forbes

gforbes@grcc.edu       gforbes@evolutioneducation.org

Dr. Forbes is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Grand Rapids Community College where he also served as the Director of its Science Education Center.  Dr. Forbes served as the Education Director for the Michigan Evolution Education Initiative, a state-wide initiative designed to help teachers to effectively teach evolution.  He also serves as the Director of the Institute for Evolution Education, an initiative that expands the Michigan project nationally.  Dr. Forbes is the National Course Director for the National Science Foundation’s Chautauqua course on evolution and evolution education for college and university professors and he is the Evolution Education Specialist for the 4,000 member Michigan Science Teachers Association.

The Seminars

 

Thursday March 13            Evolution:  What's the Fuss After 3 1/2 Billion Years?

7:00-8:30 p.m.                     Jackson Community College Baughman Theater

Audience:  This presentation is intended for the general public.

Registration:  No registration is required for this community seminar.

Seminar Description:
An examination of the socio-political reasons that evolution education has and continues to be a very controversial topic in education and in the socio-political arena. Topics presented include the relationships between science and religion, obstacles to the acceptance of evolution, public attitudes towards evolution education and the evolution of the anti-evolution movement. This presentation is appropriate for science teachers as well as social studies teachers and general audiences with an interest in the topic.

 

Friday March 14                  Science Educator Workshop:  Evolution and the Nature of Science

8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.           Jackson County Intermediate School District

Audience:  This full day workshop is intended for science educators (college professors, K-12 teachers, and pre-service teachers).  The intent is to provide teachers with knowledge about Evolution/Science, and appropriate lessons and strategies to use in the classroom to deal with related issues.

Registration:  Educators must register online at the Jackson County Intermediate School District website, www.jcisd.org.  Click on the "Professional Development" link in the left hand margin, and follow the directions.  If you need assistance, contact Sandy Rogers at 517-768-5157.  The registration deadline is Friday, March 7, 2008.

Session Module:  Evolution Primer
Designed to provide an overview of the basic and unifying principles of scientific evolution to teachers and pre-service teaching students with a limited background in this area. The presentation emphasizes the nature of science in order to establish an understanding of the context in which evolution is studied and should be taught. This module can be easily modified for presentation in the classroom.
Session Module:  Evidence In Support of Evolution
Designed to provide empirical evidence that scientific evolution has occurred in the past and is continuing to this day. The module emphasizes the nature of science in order to establish an understanding of the context in which evolution is studied and should be taught. Evidence and examples are presented that can be used in the classroom at the middle and high school level. This module can be easily modified for presentation in the classroom.
Session Module:  Responses to Anti-Evolutionists' Claims
Designed to provide teachers with scientifically-based responses to the most commonly made claims against scientific evolution and its instruction. While this module can be modified for classroom use, it is intended for the instructor.

These seminars are made possible through a grant from the Jackson Community College Foundation and the Jackson County intermediate School District Mathematics and Science Center.