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Does Increasing Biology Teacher Knowledge of Evolution and the Nature of Science Lead to Greater Preference for the Teaching of Evolution in Schools?

  • Published:
Journal of Science Teacher Education

Abstract

This study investigated whether or not an increase in secondary science teacher knowledge about evolution and the nature of science gained from completing a graduate-level evolution course was associated with greater preference for the teaching of evolution in schools. Forty-four precertified secondary biology teachers participated in a 14-week intervention designed to address documented misconceptions identified by a precourse instrument. The course produced statistically significant gains in teacher knowledge of evolution and the nature of science and a significant decrease in misconceptions about evolution and natural selection. Nevertheless, teachers’ postcourse preference positions remained unchanged; the majority of science teachers still preferred that antievolutionary ideas be taught in school.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210-1172, USA

    Ross H. Nehm

  2. Education and Psychology, The City College, The City University of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA

    Irvin Sam Schonfeld

  3. The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, NY, 10016-4309, USA

    Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Authors
  1. Ross H. Nehm
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  2. Irvin Sam Schonfeld
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Correspondence to Ross H. Nehm.

Appendix

Appendix

Selected Likert-scale survey questions

Variable

a. As evolution cannot be observed, it is outside the realm of science.

ENOS

b. After scientists determine that theories are well supported, they refer to theories as facts.

ENOS

c. Mutations are harmful and therefore cannot give rise to new characteristics.

ECK

d. Evolution is weaker than many other scientific concepts because it is only a theory.

ENOS

e. Fossil species have been found that are intermediate between humans and apes.

ECK

f. The survival of early humans was difficult because of predatory dinosaurs.

ECK

g. The organisms that cause malaria, gonorrhea, and tuberculosis have become resistant to antibiotics. The biological cause of this resistance is evolution.

ECK

h. Radiometric dating of rocks indicates that the Earth is billions of years old.

ECK

i. If evolution were true, “living fossils” like the horseshoe crab would not have stayed the same for millions of years.

ECK

j. Evolution is not a testable scientific hypothesis because it cannot be refuted by any observation.

ENOS

k. Chance cannot be a key factor in the origin of complex organisms.

ECK

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Nehm, R.H., Schonfeld, I.S. Does Increasing Biology Teacher Knowledge of Evolution and the Nature of Science Lead to Greater Preference for the Teaching of Evolution in Schools?. J Sci Teacher Educ 18, 699–723 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-007-9062-7

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