ERIC Number: EJ937829
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9266
EISSN: N/A
Worldviews and Evolution in the Biology Classroom
Schilders, Mariska; Sloep, Peter; Peled, Einat; Boersma, Kerst
Journal of Biological Education, v43 n3 p115-120 2009
This study examined what worldviews are present among Dutch students and teachers and how the students cope with scientific knowledge acquired in the biology classroom. Furthermore, we investigated what learning and teaching strategies teachers adopt when they teach about evolution and worldviews. For this survey, 10 schools for higher general secondary education or pre-university level were selected. The data showed that most teachers did not have an articulated learning and teaching strategy. Controversial topics and discussions with students about their own worldviews were ignored in the classroom. Furthermore, the data revealed that students and teachers have a large variety of different worldviews. Some students acknowledged having difficulties coping with the knowledge gained from the classroom, because it contradicted their own worldviews. These results support our hypothesis that there is need for an explicit learning and teaching strategy that supports both teachers and students to teach and learn about evolution in multiple contexts. (Contains 4 tables and 1 footnote.)
Descriptors: Biology, Science Education, Teaching Methods, World Views, Controversial Issues (Course Content), Teaching Styles, Educational Strategies, Learning Strategies, Scientific Attitudes, Scientific Literacy, Classroom Observation Techniques, Case Studies, Coping, Alignment (Education), Educational Practices, Aptitude Treatment Interaction, Foreign Countries
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Netherlands
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A