TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of teaching the nature of science on students’ acceptance and understanding of evolution
T2 - myth or reality?
AU - Cofré, Hernán L.
AU - Santibáñez, David P.
AU - Jiménez, Juan P.
AU - Spotorno, Angel
AU - Carmona, Francisca
AU - Navarrete, Kasandra
AU - Vergara, Claudia A.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Chilean National Fund for Scientific and Technologic Development (FONDECYT) [grant number 1131029].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, © 2017 Royal Society of Biology.
PY - 2018/7/3
Y1 - 2018/7/3
N2 - The results of studies of the nature of science (NOS) as a factor that enhances students’ understanding of evolution have been inconclusive. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to test the role of NOS instruction in enhancing students’ learning about evolution. We used a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests to investigate the impact of teaching evolution with and without NOS in two classes with 15–16-year-old students, who were randomly assigned to these two classes. To measure their understanding of NOS and their acceptance and understanding of evolution, we used three different instruments that have been shown to generate reliable and valid inferences in comparable populations. The main results of this study were that, in the class in which the teaching of evolution included NOS instruction, the students’ understanding of NOS and their acceptance of evolution significantly improved. However, irrespective of the use of NOS instruction, both classes increased their understanding of evolution. These results support the claim that NOS instruction may influence students’ acceptance of evolution but not their understanding of evolution and natural selection.
AB - The results of studies of the nature of science (NOS) as a factor that enhances students’ understanding of evolution have been inconclusive. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to test the role of NOS instruction in enhancing students’ learning about evolution. We used a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests to investigate the impact of teaching evolution with and without NOS in two classes with 15–16-year-old students, who were randomly assigned to these two classes. To measure their understanding of NOS and their acceptance and understanding of evolution, we used three different instruments that have been shown to generate reliable and valid inferences in comparable populations. The main results of this study were that, in the class in which the teaching of evolution included NOS instruction, the students’ understanding of NOS and their acceptance of evolution significantly improved. However, irrespective of the use of NOS instruction, both classes increased their understanding of evolution. These results support the claim that NOS instruction may influence students’ acceptance of evolution but not their understanding of evolution and natural selection.
KW - Nature of science
KW - acceptance of evolution
KW - natural selection
KW - understanding of evolution
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85020019554&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/00219266.2017.1326968
DO - 10.1080/00219266.2017.1326968
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85020019554
VL - 52
SP - 248
EP - 261
JO - Journal of Biological Education
JF - Journal of Biological Education
SN - 0021-9266
IS - 3
ER -