Evolution + Ecology Learning evo-edu.org

Roadmap for coherent labs, curriculum support, and self-directed study.

Roadmap

Build evo-edu.org around pathways, not disconnected apps.

The next version of evo-edu.org should give teachers and self-learners a stable home for digital evolution labs, field ecology resources, scaffolded learning pathways, and project-based exploration tied to the NGSS.

LS4 + LS2 Start from evolution and ecosystem dynamics, then widen out.
K12 + self-study Support teachers, classrooms, clubs, and motivated autodidacts.
Three pillars Avida-ED labs, EcoSpecies atlas, and Didactopus-guided study.
One frame Consistent theme, navigation, expectations, and progression language.

Site Organization

Target information architecture

Learn

Short concept overviews, glossary pages, teacher-facing launch notes, and self-learner entry points.

  • What evolution is and how evidence works
  • Ecosystem interactions and ecological reasoning
  • Scientific practices: argument from evidence, modeling, data interpretation

Investigate

Interactive tools with clear purpose, expected time, age level, and required background.

  • Avida-ED as the digital evolution lab
  • EcoSpecies Atlas as the ecology and biodiversity investigation space
  • Future data notebooks and smaller concept demos

Teach

Ready-to-run lesson sequences, student handouts, pacing guides, and workshop materials.

  • Classroom launch pages for grade bands
  • Teacher notes linked directly from each lab or atlas activity
  • Professional-development workshop archives

Extend

Repository-hosted open projects, contribution guidance, and research-facing extensions.

  • Didactopus as guided-study and course-pack support
  • EcoSpecies editorial and contributor workflows
  • Future open-source curricular components on Forgejo

NGSS Coverage

Priority expansion order

  1. Phase 1: strengthen the current core. Clarify evo-edu.org around LS4 evolution, LS2 ecosystems, and scientific practices already supported by Avida-ED and EcoSpecies.
  2. Phase 2: add explicit learning pathways. Create K-5, middle school, high school, undergraduate-intro, and self-learner launch pages that point to the same underlying resources with different framing.
  3. Phase 3: add standards maps and lesson bundles. Tie resources to NGSS performance expectations, disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices.
  4. Phase 4: broaden into inheritance, adaptation, biodiversity, and human impact. Use EcoSpecies case materials, Avida experiments, and guided-study scaffolds to cover more of LS3, LS4, and ESS3.
  5. Phase 5: guided study and mastery support. Connect Didactopus to course packs, reading paths, review prompts, and self-directed study flows without turning it into an answer machine.

Platform Roles

How the main projects fit together

Avida-ED

The core lab environment for natural selection, mutation, adaptation, tradeoffs, and evidence from digital experiments.

EcoSpecies Atlas

The field-and-data side of evo-edu.org, where ecology, species life history, biodiversity, and research documentation come together.

Didactopus

A guided-study companion for autodidacts and structured review. It should support evo-edu course packs, concept maps, and reflection workflows.

Recommended next implementation steps

  1. Replace legacy app naming in public navigation with clearer platform names while preserving current URLs.
  2. Create pathway pages for middle school, high school, and self-learners.
  3. Add an NGSS mapping page that links each platform to specific practices and performance expectations.
  4. Develop EcoSpecies activity sets around food webs, habitat change, biodiversity, and evidence evaluation.
  5. Use Didactopus to generate structured study packs and review paths tied to evo-edu resources and readings.