Re: Student perceptions re evolution

From: Terry M. Gray (grayt@lamar.colostate.edu)
Date: Thu Aug 21 2003 - 00:02:18 EDT

  • Next message: Josh Bembenek: "RE: Student perceptions re evolution"

    Howard,

    This wouldn't be someone at Grand Valley State University, would it?
    I doubt that you can count the west Michigan population as being
    typical. I'd be a little surprised to get the same answer at Michigan
    State, U of M, Purdue, or CSU.

    Nonetheless, there is a serious education problem here. One of our
    family's chief problems with Christian schooling particularly is that
    evolution tends not to be taught--one of the advantages of
    homeschooling, I guess. We taught our kids evolution all through
    grade school and junior high before they went off to school (either a
    Christian school or public school).

    I've taken a perverse delight in seeing my junior and high school
    kids pick up creationist children's books about dinosaurs at the
    dentists'/doctors' office and point out how ridiculous they are.

    One of my great parenting memories (as a student of the
    evolution/creation debate) is when my son asked one day when he was 5
    years old why the dinosaurs went extinct the day after they were
    created. It was a great opportunity to explain a more literary
    approach to Genesis 1--which I gladly took. I have no doubts that a
    literary perspective is not damaging to the faith of children and is
    understandable by them.

    Due to my own ecclesiastical battles on this subject, which
    undoubtedly my kids experienced in part, they aren't big fans of the
    whole topic. But they never have understood what the big deal is.

    TG

    >A friend of mine teaches biology at a State University. He is
    >interested in the discussion regarding the interaction of science
    >and religion and in his students' perception of the issues. One of
    >his concerns is to find out what his students think about the degree
    >of confidence that the scientific community has in the broad concept
    >of evolutionary development -- not a concern for the details of any
    >particular scientific theory about the role of process X versus
    >process Y, but the credibility of the broad concept. I find his
    >comments on this question interesting. Here is what he had to say:
    >
    >For many years I have conducted a survey in the non-majors biology
    >courses I taught before we begin the topic of evolution. I ask the
    >class the following question: Suppose we did a survey and called up Ph.D.
    >biologists doing research and teaching in schools across the nation
    >(Harvard, Minnesota, Texas, Oregon, etc.) and asked them to answer the
    >question, "In your judgment, is biological evolution a well
    >established theory?" What percentage of these biology academics
    >would say 'Yes'?
    >
    >I give the students the following choices: 99% 95% 90% 75% 50% 25%
    >10% 5% or 1%
    >and then ask them to vote by a show of hands. In many other such
    >straw polls in
    >class there are usually a significant number of students who do not
    >vote, but in this evolution poll they all generally vote with enthusiasm
    >(and with some confidence).
    >
    >Very few students will answer 99% or 95%. In my most recent poll
    >more students answered 1% and 5% than 99% and 95%.
    >In fact, over the approximately 25 classes in which I have done
    >this, I think the
    >distribution is a fairly normal one with the mean near 50%. This result
    >has happened so many times that it no longer surprises me. As I recall the
    >most students who answered in the 90th percentile in any survey was one
    >class where 6 out of about a total of 40 did so.
    >
    >The other interesting thing in this poll is that there is little, if
    >any, correlation between the academic capabilities of the students and
    >how they answer this question. The 'A' students are just as likely to
    >answer 1% as they are 99%, just as the 'D' students are just as
    >likely to answer 1% as they are 99%.
    >
    >What does this say about the culture and educational environment these
    >students experience before they get to college? I suspect
    >evolution is largely
    >a 'hands off' topic in their formal education.
    >
    >So, for list discussion, what do you make of this poll result?
    >
    >Howard Van Till

    -- 
    _________________
    Terry M. Gray, Ph.D., Computer Support Scientist
    Chemistry Department, Colorado State University
    Fort Collins, Colorado  80523
    grayt@lamar.colostate.edu  http://www.chm.colostate.edu/~grayt/
    phone: 970-491-7003 fax: 970-491-1801
    


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