Investigating Science Teachers' Causal Schemas in the Context of Evolutionary Theory

• In Event: Beliefs and Reasoning in Biology Learning

Abstract

This qualitative case study explored causal schemas science teachers applied to explain an evolutionary phenomenon. A multiple-choice test was administered to elementary science teachers to group them according to their understanding level of evolutionary theory. Six teachers with high (n=3) and low (n=3) understanding level were further interviewed based on an evolutionary scenario. The interview data were analyzed based on three coding schemes to examine their evolution conceptions and causal schemas. The results illustrated that direct causal schemas were mostly matched with non-Darwinian explanations among low understanding group. Although emergent causal explanations were mostly prominent among high understanding group, they also generated direct causal explanations. These findings suggested the integration of emergent causal schema in teaching and learning Darwinian principles.

Authors

• Ezgi Yesilyurt, Weber State University

• Hasan Deniz, University of Nevada - Las Vegas