RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 EcoEvoApps: Interactive Apps for Teaching Theoretical Models in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2021.06.18.449026
DO 10.1101/2021.06.18.449026
A1 Rosa M. McGuire
A1 Kenji T. Hayashi
A1 Xinyi Yan
A1 Madeline C. Cowen
A1 Marcel C. Vaz
A1 Lauren L. Sullivan
A1 Gaurav S. Kandlikar
YR 2021
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/06/19/2021.06.18.449026.abstract
AB Theoretical models are fundamental in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB), but they can be difficult to teach in undergraduate classrooms because students come in with inconsistent mathematical training and varying attitudes towards mathematics. A promising way to make these models more approachable is to use active learning exercises that allow model exploration and simulation. Thus, we present EcoEvoApps, a collection of free, open-source interactive web apps that simulate various theoretical EEB models. By surveying students who used these apps in two remote undergraduate Ecology courses in the U.S.A., we found that using the apps led to considerable gains in students’ confidence and understanding of the focal models and underlying concepts. We envision EcoEvoApps as a widely available, equitable tool for students around the globe. Consequently, we have developed EcoEvoApps as a fundamentally collaborative platform, with an aim to build an international community of EEB researchers, educators, and students.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.