ERIC Number: EJ1325096
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Mar
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1571-0068
EISSN: N/A
"I Think That Teachers Do Not Teach Evolution Because It Is Complicated": Difficulties in Teaching and Learning Evolution in Israel
Siani, Merav; Yarden, Anat
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, v20 n3 p481-501 Mar 2022
The conflict between acceptance and disapproval of evolution has led to obstacles in its teaching and learning. Other difficulties, such as both teachers' and students' alternative perceptions, student maturity in the face of learning this complicated topic, and teachers' gaps in evolution knowledge, add to the difficulties in teaching and learning evolution. The aim of this study was to grasp the difficulties in the teaching and learning of evolution perceived by curriculum writers compared to those perceived by in-service junior high school science and technology teachers and high school biology teachers in Israel. The findings revealed a wide range of perceived difficulties in the teaching and learning of evolution, mainly in the fields of religion, teacher and student knowledge, student maturity, and alternative perceptions. A questionnaire distributed among in-service Israeli teachers added strength to interviews with the curriculum writers, with both referring to some of the same difficulties. However, some difficulties were heard only in the interviews. Curriculum writers were more concerned with questions of faith that teaching evolution raises, whereas in-service teachers were concerned with their students' difficulties in understanding natural selection and mutational randomness. Teacher-training programs that focus on teachers' lack of evolution knowledge and on pedagogical skills, as well as the design of teaching materials that take into account these difficulties, are recommended for future research.
Descriptors: Evolution, Controversial Issues (Course Content), Foreign Countries, Barriers, Junior High School Teachers, High School Teachers, Science Teachers
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2123/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Israel
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A