Would we raise lions in farms? Use of evidence and conceptual knowledge in a problem about aquaculture

Abstract

The objective is to analyze the influence of the task in the use of evidence and scientific models while solving a problem about the sustainability of aquaculture. The participants are 134 biology undergraduates, from three consecutive years. The task asked them to compare the ecological efficiency of eating sardines and herrings or salmons. Results from one cohort when students had elaborated a concept map about ecological efficiency are compared with results from two cohorts when they had not. The findings show substantial differences both in the application of the models of energy flow or trophic pyramid and in the use of appropriate evidence to justify their claims. These differences point to the need to pay attention to the role of conceptual knowledge when designing activities in order to promote the development of the scientific competency in using evidence.