Abstracts Biological Sciences

Add abstract

Want to add your dissertation abstract to this database? It only takes a minute!

Search abstract

Search for abstracts by subject, author or institution

Share this abstract

A design-based study of the effect of an evolution education short learning programme on the conceptual development of participants with a view to theory building and improvement of practice

by Xenia Sophia Kyriacou

Institution: University of Johannesburg
Department:
Degree:
Year: 2013
Keywords: Evolution (Biology) - Study and teaching
Posted:
Record ID: 1431698
Full text PDF: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8680


Abstract

This research focused on two short learning programmes in evolution education offered by the Department of Science and Technology Education in the Faculty of Education of the University of Johannesburg. The broad purpose of the study was to develop design principles for a series of short learning programmes on evolution offered by the University. In achieving these aims, the study looked at teachers’ conceptual understanding of evolution, which included a number of common myths and misconceptions; folk or naive evolutionary explanations; and affective and sociocultural factors that influence cognition. Results were obtained from questionnaires, narratives, observations, discussion, and pre-and post-tests. A fruitful analytic tool was developed – that of converting questionnaire responses into narratives in order to obtain a better within participant view of coherent versus fragmented thinking. Some the themes that emerged included the cognitive bias of essentialism and how this relates to the notion of phenomenological primitives or p-prims, and the mechanism of resubsumption. "Hot" and "cold" learning and the critical issues of both religious and racial objections to evolution emerged as a fairly dominant theme. Data also supported a view of knowledge-as-pieces rather than theory-like in this knowledge domain. Poor teacher knowledge and the need for longer learning programmes, are also discussed in the results. To mitigate these conceptual and affective barriers, a number of design principles are proposed and discussed for teacher professional development in this area including the importance of communities of practice to augment short learning programmes and support on-going professional development.

Add abstract

Want to add your dissertation abstract to this database? It only takes a minute!

Search abstract

Search for abstracts by subject, author or institution

Share this abstract

Relevant publications

Book cover thumbnail image
Physiological and Antioxidant Properties of Centel...
by Hassan, Halgoord
   
Book cover thumbnail image
A Neuron-Specific Protein found in Skeletal Muscle New Frontiers for GAP-43
by Pilla, Raffaele
   
Book cover thumbnail image
Bismuth-Ethanedithiol A Potential Drug to Treat Biofilm Infections of Me...
by Gunawardana, Jithendra
   
Book cover thumbnail image
The Effect of Ozone on the Growth and Development ...
by Yadav, Lekha
   
Book cover thumbnail image
Biocontrol of Cereal Pathogens
by Gautam, Shivaditya
   
Book cover thumbnail image
An Investigation of the Mechanism of PAX7 Mediated...
by Mitchell, Maika Graceina
   
Book cover thumbnail image
Ecological Study of the Role of Highly Processed M...
by Norgauer, Carl Hans
   
Book cover thumbnail image
Farmers' Rural Community Attachment A Structural Symbolic Interactionist Explanation
by Sanner, Forrest L.