The fight for evolution: acceptance through pragmatism?

BioEssays ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 31 (11) ◽  
pp. 1149-1149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Moore
Keyword(s):  
Evolution Acceptance

Evolution acceptance and epistemological beliefs of college biology students

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A. Borgerding ◽  
Hasan Deniz ◽  
Elizabeth Shevock Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Epistemological Beliefs ◽  
Evolution Acceptance ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
College Biology

scholarly journals Muslim undergraduate biology students’ evolution acceptance in the United States

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0255588
Author(s):  
M. Elizabeth Barnes ◽  
Julie A. Roberts ◽  
Samantha A. Maas ◽  
Sara E. Brownell
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Evolution Acceptance ◽  
Muslim Students ◽  
Undergraduate Biology ◽  
Biology Students ◽  
Acceptance Of Evolution ◽  
Muslim Student ◽  
Strongly Agree

Evolution is a prominent component of biology education and remains controversial among college biology students in the United States who are mostly Christian, but science education researchers have not explored the attitudes of Muslim biology students in the United States. To explore perceptions of evolution among Muslim students in the United States, we surveyed 7,909 college students in 52 biology classes in 13 states about their acceptance of evolution, interest in evolution, and understanding of evolution. Muslim students in our sample, on average, did not agree with items that measured acceptance of macroevolution and human evolution. Further, on average, Muslim students agreed, but did not strongly agree with items measuring microevolution acceptance. Controlling for gender, major, race/ethnicity, and international status, we found that the evolution acceptance and interest levels of Muslim students were slightly higher than Protestant students and students who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, Muslim student evolution acceptance levels were significantly lower than Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, and Hindu students as well as students who did not identify with a religion (agnostic and atheists). Muslim student understanding of evolution was similar to students from other affiliations, but was lower than agnostic and atheist students. We also examined which variables are associated with Muslim student acceptance of evolution and found that higher understanding of evolution and lower religiosity are positive predictors of evolution acceptance among Muslim students, which is similar to the broader population of biology students. These data are the first to document that Muslim students have lower acceptance of evolution compared to students from other affiliations in undergraduate biology classrooms in the United States.

scholarly journals Using a Reconciliation Module Leads to Large Gains in Evolution Acceptance

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. ar58 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Lindsay ◽  
Adhieu Arok ◽  
Seth M. Bybee ◽  
Walter Cho ◽  
April Maskiewicz Cordero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Religious Belief ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Religious Affiliation ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Evolution Acceptance ◽  
Religiously Affiliated ◽  
Theory Of Evolution ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
Before And After

Too many students reject the theory of evolution because they view it as incompatible with their religious beliefs. Some have argued that abandoning religious belief is the only way to help religious individuals accept evolution. Conversely, our data support that highlighting faith/evolution compatibility is an effective means to increase student acceptance. We surveyed students enrolled in entry-level biology courses at four religiously affiliated institutions. At each university, teachers gave students a presentation that demonstrated potential compatibility between evolution and faith within the teachings of each university’s respective religious affiliation. Students were asked to evaluate their own beliefs about evolution both before and after this instruction. After instruction at each university, students showed significant gains in evolution acceptance without abandoning their religious beliefs. These results demonstrate that giving religious students the opportunity to reconcile their religious beliefs with the theory of evolution under the influence of intentional instruction on the compatibility of belief and evolution can lead to increased evolution acceptance among religious students.

scholarly journals Role models, compatibility, and knowledge lead to increased evolution acceptance

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel G. Ferguson ◽  
Jamie L. Jensen
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Role Model ◽  
The United States ◽  
Culturally Competent ◽  
Religion And Science ◽  
Teaching Evolution ◽  
Evolution Acceptance ◽  
Religiously Affiliated ◽  
Theory Of Evolution

Abstract Background Evolution acceptance is still low in the United States, especially among religious students. Due to low acceptance, researchers have used a wide variety of methods to increase evolution acceptance. Six culturally competent methods for teaching evolution to religious students have been identified, this manuscript looks specifically at the method of reconciliation between religion and evolution. The reconciliation module has been shown to effectively increase evolution acceptance while allowing students to maintain their religious views. However, we lack an understanding of why this method is effective. We measure evolution acceptance and religiosity at eight religiously affiliated institutions in the United States to again measure the effects of a reconciliation model in biology classrooms. This manuscript also attempts to address classroom influences that allowed students to reconcile evolution with their religious beliefs. Results Of the eight schools that participated, there were no statistically significant decreases in the religiosity of the students over the semester. Five of the eight institutions had statistically significant increases in their evolution acceptance scores over the semester. We identified three major influences students mentioned as reasons for change towards evolution acceptance: the presence of a role model, discussions on religion and science compatibility, and learning about evolution. Conclusions We identified influential practices instructors could integrate into their classrooms to help students better incorporate evolution into their personal views. Having a role model and talking about compatibility between religion and evolution are influential in changing students’ views about evolution. Learning the mechanisms of the theory of evolution is also important in changing students’ views about evolution and might be more impactful when used in conjunction with a role model or a compatibility discussion.

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