Ciclo de modelización para la enseñanza de la adaptación biológica apoyado en información geográfica

Abstract

This study designed and implemented a modeling cycle supported by geographic information for teaching biological adaptation, aiming to overcome the difficulties students face in understanding biological adaptation as a result of natural selection. The proposal, comprised of three activities, promoted the construction, revision, and complexity of explanatory models using graphic resources, geographic tools, and the analysis of key concepts of evolutionary thought (change, biodiversity, inheritance, adaptation, natural selection, common ancestors, and variability), evaluated through content analysis, conceptual maps, and a Likert-type questionnaire administered three times. The results showed a transition from intuitive, finalistic explanations focused on individual changes to more abstract and mechanistic models, incorporating notions such as genetic variability, inheritance, and environmental pressure, although hybrid conceptions persisted. This approach favored the development of reasoning closer to scientific thought and articulated student knowledge about biological adaptation with local contexts.