In Darwin’s Footsteps: An On and Off-Campus Approach to Teaching Evolutionary Theory and Animal Behavior

Oct 15, 2026

The paper explains how student learning about evolutionary theory and animal behavior becomes more rigorous when classroom instruction is paired with fieldwork. It presents a 6-week, 6-credit travel course integrating on-campus study of Darwin, evolutionary concepts, and Galápagos natural history with an overseas component in the United States, Ecuador, and the Galápagos Islands. The article details course logistics and design considerations, demonstrating benefits for both science and non-science undergraduates.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Course benefits of travel learning

Designing travel courses for science teaching

Course description and planning

In Darwin’s Footsteps: An On and Off-Campus Approach to Teaching Evolutionary Theory and Animal Behavior Lynn Gillie* and Anne L. Bizub Elmira College, One Park Place, Elmira, NY 14901 *[Corresponding Author:](Corresponding Author: mlgillie@elmira.edu)[ ](Corresponding Author: mlgillie@elmira.edu)[mlgillie@elmira.edu](Corresponding Author: mlgillie@elmira.edu) Abstract: The study of evolutionary theory and fieldwork in animal behavior is enriched when students leave the classroom so they may test their abilities to think and act like scientists. This article describes a course on evolutionary theory and animal behavior that blended on campus learning with field experience in the United States and in Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands. The on-campus portion of the course covered Darwin􀁏s life and travels, evolutionary theory, natural history of the Galápagos Islands, and field ecology techniques. The travel component was a two-week excursion where the students studied the ecology of the islands directly. Unlike other courses described in the literature, this one was offered to science and non-science majors alike, demonstrating the benefits of offering these kinds of learning experiences to a wide variety of undergraduates. Logistics with regard to planning for the course are discussed in detail, as are important elements to consider when taking students to South America. Considering the many benefits to students and faculty alike, this is an innovative and highly stimulating way to teach science. Key words: Galápagos Islands, travel course, field biology, evolution, student research INTRODUCTION The year 2009 was a banner year for all things related to Charles Darwin. It was a celebration of the 200th anniversary of his birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On Origin of Species. Academic institutions worldwide honored these two events in a variety of ways, one of which was to emphasize courses on Charles Darwin and evolutionary theory. At Elmira College, a course was developed for science majors and non-majors on evolution and field biology that went beyond the classroom to include study in the place that inspired Darwin􀁏s masterwork. This article describes this learning experience and offers insight into developing similar courses. We begin by examining the overall benefits of designing and implementing travel courses; later, we discuss the specific details that went into our course, demonstrating its feasibility. Courses in the biological sciences involving travel impart far more information to students than those that offer only classroom instruction (Bodycottand Walker, 2000; Drummond, 2001; McLaughlin and Johnson, 2006; Stanitski and Fuelhart, 2006; Zervanos and McLaughlin, 2003) . This seems to be especially true when one takes a constructivist approach to learning about science. It is imperative for learners to interpret information, which requires making meaningful connections between conceptsand ideas (Wubbels and Girgus, 1997) . However, traditional classroom experiences in the biological sciences often provide few opportunities for such interpretation and concomitant deeper scientific insight (McLaughlin and Johnson, 2006) . In contrast, direct experience with different cultures and biomes enables students to contextualize concepts in a meaningful, 􀁬hands-on/minds-on􀁭 way (McLaughlin and Johnson, 2006). This may be of particular importance for non-science majors who may otherwise shy away from science coursework. Moreover, these experiences do not need to involve protracted stays abroad. Rather, shorter-term travel courses (i.e., six or fewer weeks) can be highly effective in promoting scientific knowledge (McLaughlin and Johnson, 2006; Zervanos and McLaughlin, 2003) . Generally speaking, there are additional benefits to extending instruction to foreign nations. Adults and students alike find the ability to learn abroad tobe highly valuable (Marcum and Roochnik, 2001) . These exper

FAQs

How does the course connect evolutionary theory to animal behavior learning?

It blends on-campus instruction with field ecology activities, letting students observe natural systems directly and apply scientific thinking during the travel component.

Why does the article argue that travel courses benefit non-science majors?

The authors emphasize that hands-on, context-based experiences help non-science students build confidence and meaningfully engage with science concepts.

What planning and logistics considerations are discussed?

The article covers detailed logistics for implementing the course and highlights key elements to consider when taking students to South America.

Oct 15, 2026

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