Effects of an Educational Experience Incorporating an Inventory of Factors Potentially Influencing Student Acceptance of Biological Evolution

Abstract

This investigation provides an extensive review of scientific, religious, and otherwise non-scientific factors that may influence student acceptance of biological evolution. We also measure the extent to which students' levels of acceptance changed following an educational experience designed to address an inclusive inventory of factors identified as potentially affecting student acceptance of evolution (n = 81, pre-test/post-test) n = 37, one-year longitudinal). Acceptance of evolution was measured using the Measure of Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (MATE) instrument among participants enrolled in a secondary-level academic programme during the summer prior to their final year of high school and as they transitioned to the post-secondary level. Student acceptance of evolution was measured to be significantly higher than initial levels both immediately following and over one year after the educational experience. Results reported herein carry implications for future quantitative and qualitative research as well as for cross-disciplinary instruction plans related to evolutionary science and non-scientific factors which may influence student understanding of evolution.

Keywords:

• Biology education
• Nature of science
• Religion
• Evolution acceptance
• Creationism
• Evolution education

Notes

This definition of evolution is derived from that used by Scott (2004, p. 23). This definition is consistent with Bell (1996, p. 9) and with the definition used by Alters and Alters (2001, p. 10), which was originally found in Futuyma (2000, p. 3), a document endorsed by the following scientific societies: American Society of Naturalists, American Behavior Society, American Institute of Biological Sciences, Ecological Society of America, Genetics Society of America, Paleontological Society, Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, Society for the Study of Evolution, and the Society of Systematic Biologists.