The Transformation of Scientific Knowledge Concerning Evolution into the Content of the Curriculum and its Potential to Create a Conceptual Change in the Conceptual Structures of Pupils

Jana Fančovičová

doi:10.29333/ejmste/106199

Full Text (PDF)

Jana Fančovičová ¹ ^*

More Detail

¹ Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Trnava University, Priemyselná, Trnava, SLOVAKIA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Understanding of evolution helps solve biological problems in areas that affect our lives. One of the ways of adopting the concept of evolution leads through a conceptual change. We investigated whether inductively prepared educational activities, focused on evolution, have the potential to create conceptual changes in students’ conceptual structures. We used a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests in four classes with 10 – 16 year-old students. To measure their knowledge and understanding of evolution, we used two different instruments. Students who have received an education about evolution obtained significantly more factual knowledge. Pupils who participated in active education focused on diversity and adaptation of organisms, achieved not only a higher level of knowledge, but the transfer came also to an understanding of evolutionary mechanisms. Using appropriately chosen examples illustrating evolution will enable pupils to confront their naive ideas and misconceptions with scientific reality and can influence students’ understanding of evolution.

Keywords

conceptual change
evolution
education
pupils
understanding

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2019, Volume 15, Issue 10, Article No: em1759

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/106199

Publication date: 09 May 2019

Article Views: 1698

Article Downloads: 1122

Open Access References How to cite this article

References

Bishop, B. A., & Anderson, C. W. (1990). Student conceptions of natural selection and its role in evolution. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 27(5), 415‒427. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.3660270503.
Blancke, S., Hjermitslev, H. H., Braeckman, J., & Kjærgaard, P. C. (2013). Creationism in Europe: Facts, gaps, and prospects. Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 81(4), 996‒1028. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/lft034.
Bybee, R. W. (2002). We should teach about biological evolution. AIBS Bulletin, 52, 616‒618. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2002)052[0616:WSTABE]2.0.CO;2.
Catley, K. M., & Novick, L. R. (2008. Seeing the wood for the trees: an analysis of evolutionary diagrams in biology textbooks. BioScience, 58, 976‒987. https://doi.org/10.1641/B581011.
Clores, M. A., & Limjap, A. A. (2006. Diversity of students’ beliefs about biological evolution. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 26(1), 65‒77. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188790600607960.
Cofré, H. L., Santibáñez, D. P., Jiménez, J. P., Spotorno, A., Carmona, F., Navarrete, K., & Vergara, C. A. (2018). The effect of teaching the nature of science on students’ acceptance and understanding of evolution: myth or reality? Journal of Biological Education, 52(3), 248‒261. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2017.1326968.
Deniz, H., & Donnelly, L. A. (2011). Preservice secondary science teachers’ acceptance of evolutionary theory and factors related to acceptance. Reports of the National Center for Science Education, 31(4).
Glaze, A. L., & Goldston, M. J. (2015). US science teaching and learning of evolution: A critical review of the literature 2000–2014. Science Education, 99(3), 500‒518. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21158.
Ha, M., Haury, D. L., & Nehm, R. H. (2012). Feeling of certainty: uncovering a missing link between knowledge and acceptance of evolution. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 49(1), 95‒121. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20449.
Irez, S., & Bakanay, Ç. D. Ö. (2011). An assessment into pre-service biology teachers’ approaches to the theory of evolution and nature of science. Egitim ve Bilim, 36(162), 39.
Jensen, M. S., & Finley, F. N. (1996). Changes in students’ understanding of evolution resulting from different curricular and instructional strategies. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 33(8), 879‒900. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-2736(199610)33:8<879::AID-TEA4>3.0.CO;2-T.
Johnson, R. L., & Peeples, E. E. (1987). The role of scientific understanding in college: student acceptance of evolution. The American Biology Teacher, 49(2), 93‒98. https://doi.org/10.2307/4448445.
Kampourakis, K., & Strasser, B. J. (2015). The Evolutionist, the Creationist, and the ‘Unsure’: Picking-Up the Wrong Fight?. International Journal of Science Education, Part B 5(3), 271‒275. https://doi.org/10.1080/21548455.2014.931613.
King-Heiden, T. C., & Litster, M. (2018). Using case-study based modules to promote a better understanding of evolution in an undergraduate anatomy and physiology course. Journal of Biological Education, 1‒15. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2018.1501406.
Miller, J. S., & Toth, R. (2014). The Process of Scientific Inquiry as It Relates to the Creation/Evolution Controversy. The American Biology Teacher, 76(4), 238‒241. https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2014.76.4.4.
Moore, R. (2002). Teaching evolution: do state standards matter? AIBS Bulletin, 52, 378‒381. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2002)052[0378:TEDSSM]2.0.CO;2.
Nehm, R. H., & Reilly, L. (2007). Biology majors’ knowledge and misconceptions of natural selection. BioScience, 57(3), 263‒272. https://doi.org/10.1641/B570311.
Nehm, R. H., Kim, S. Y., & Sheppard, K. (2009). Academic preparation in biology and advocacy for teaching evolution: biology versus non‐biology teachers. Science Education, 93(6), 1122‒1146. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20340.
Neumann, K., Boone, W. J., & Fischer, H. E. (2014). Quantitative Research Designs and Approaches. In Handbook of Research on Science Education, Volume II. Routledge, 32‒51.
O’Brien, D. T., Wilson, D. S., & Hawley, P. H. (2009). Evolution for Everyone: a course that expands evolutionary theory beyond the biological sciences. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 2(3), 445‒457. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12052-009-0161-0.
Osif, B. A. (1997). Evolution & religious beliefs: a survey of Pennsylvania high school teachers. The American Biology Teacher, 552‒556. https://doi.org/10.2307/4450382.
Reiss, M. J. (2011). How should creationism and intelligent design be dealt with in the classroom? Journal of Philosophy of Education, 45(3), 399‒415. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9752.2011.00790.x.
Rutledge, M. L., & Mitchell, M. A. (2002). High school biology teachers’ knowledge structure, acceptance & teaching of evolution. The American Biology Teacher, 64(1), 21‒28. https://doi.org/10.2307/4451231.
Scott, E. C. (1997). Antievolution and creationism in the United States. Annual review of anthropology, 26(1), 263-289. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.anthro.26.1.263.
Short, S. D., & Hawley, P. H. (2015). The effects of evolution education: examining attitudes toward and knowledge of evolution in college courses. Evolutionary Psychology, 13(1), 67‒88. https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491501300105.
Šorgo, A., Usak, M., Kubiatko, M., Fančovičova, J., Prokop, P., Puhek, M., & Bahar, M. (2014). A Cross-Cultural Study On Freshmen’s Knowledge Of Genetics, Evolution, And The Nature Of Science. Journal of Baltic Science Education, 13(1), 6‒18.
White, P. J., Heidemann, M. K., & Smith, J. J. (2013). The effects of evolution education: examining attitudes toward and knowledge of evolution in college courses. A new integrative approach to evolution education. BioScience, 63, 586‒594. https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2013.63.7.11.
Wilson, D. S. (2005). Evolution for everyone: how to increase acceptance of, interest in, and knowledge about evolution. PLoS Biology, 3(12), 364. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0030364.

How to cite this article

APA

Fančovičová, J. (2019). The Transformation of Scientific Knowledge Concerning Evolution into the Content of the Curriculum and its Potential to Create a Conceptual Change in the Conceptual Structures of Pupils. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 15(10), em1759. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/106199

Vancouver

Fančovičová J. The Transformation of Scientific Knowledge Concerning Evolution into the Content of the Curriculum and its Potential to Create a Conceptual Change in the Conceptual Structures of Pupils. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2019;15(10):em1759. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/106199

AMA

Fančovičová J. The Transformation of Scientific Knowledge Concerning Evolution into the Content of the Curriculum and its Potential to Create a Conceptual Change in the Conceptual Structures of Pupils. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2019;15(10), em1759. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/106199

Chicago

Fančovičová, Jana. "The Transformation of Scientific Knowledge Concerning Evolution into the Content of the Curriculum and its Potential to Create a Conceptual Change in the Conceptual Structures of Pupils". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2019 15 no. 10 (2019): em1759. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/106199

Harvard

Fančovičová, J. (2019). The Transformation of Scientific Knowledge Concerning Evolution into the Content of the Curriculum and its Potential to Create a Conceptual Change in the Conceptual Structures of Pupils. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 15(10), em1759. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/106199

MLA

Fančovičová, Jana "The Transformation of Scientific Knowledge Concerning Evolution into the Content of the Curriculum and its Potential to Create a Conceptual Change in the Conceptual Structures of Pupils". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 15, no. 10, 2019, em1759. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/106199