NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ1388969
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9266
EISSN: EISSN-2157-6009
Epistemology and Biology Teaching: Obstacles to a Contemporary Conceptualisation of Living Organisms among Future Teachers and Biologists
Simard, Catherine
Journal of Biological Education, v57 n2 p432-451 2023
The historical dimension of biology attests to the various conceptions of living organisms that have governed the construction of scientific knowledge over time, some of which still persist today. The present study aimed to identify and characterise the various conceptions of living organisms held by future teachers and biologists and the influence of university education (with or without a scientific profile). The results show that animist, vitalist, finalist, evolutionist, interactionist, hereditary and behavioural determinist conceptions coexist in explaining living organisms and the university education with a scientific profile appears to promote current conceptions over outdated ones. Thus, 80.6% of future science teachers and biologists rejected metaphysical explanations of living organisms, whereas 55.3% of future elementary and secondary school teachers accepted them. Yet, the results of this study also brought out finalist explanations of living organisms among the majority of both profiles, without (90.6%) and with science (79.0%), indicating that a poor understanding of evolutionism still persists today, despite a well-developed science culture. The continued existence of "obstacle-conceptions" and the influence on them of a well-developed science culture points to the importance of the quality of science education for gaining a better grasp of the concepts related to living organisms.
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A