Abstract
- Experiential learning has been touted as an effective way to introduce students to a subject area, and using experiential learning to teach evolution can be particularly powerful. We highlight three honors-level experiential learning seminars that combined teaching topics related to evolution with a field trip to the Galápagos Islands. One class took place in Spring 2002 with a semester focus on Animal Behavior, Biodiversity, and Evolution (13 students), and the other two took place in Spring 2009, with one seminar focusing on International Environmental Policymaking (3 students) and the other on how the natural history of the Galápagos influenced the development of Darwin’s thought (7 students). The Spring 2009 seminars traveled together to the Galápagos, along with a group of 10 adult learners through the university Continuing Studies program. The purpose of this paper is to describe three different perspectives related to teaching evolution in the Galápagos, highlight similarities and differences in course structure, compare the two trips to the Galápagos, and compare student comments and learning objectives. Finally we present conclusions about the importance of experiential learning involving travel.