Open AccessUsing primary literature on SARS‐CoV‐2 to promote student learning about evolution
Author(s) -
Hsu Jeremy L.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.17
H-Index - 63
ISSN - 2045-7758
DOI - 10.1002/ece3.6501
Subject(s) - covid-19 , pandemic , capstone , transmission (telecommunications) , data science , computer science , mathematics education , biology , psychology , medicine , virology , computer security , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , pathology , outbreak , telecommunications
The ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 has caused widespread deaths, illnesses, and societal disruption. I describe here how I pivoted a discussion‐based senior biology capstone course to include a multiweek module surrounding one primary literature paper on the evolution of SARS‐CoV‐2 and the subsequent scientific discourse about the paper. Using a gradual reveal of the paper following the CREATE method (consider, read, elucidate, and think of the next experiment), I challenged students to learn new evolutionary principles and critically analyze the data surrounding the evolution and transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 presented in the paper. I also provide general advice for implementing this module in future courses.