218
Biyoloji Öğretmen Adaylarının Evrim…
Misconceptions of Prospective Biology…
NEF-EFMED Cilt 11, Sayı 2, Aralık 2017/
NFE-EJMSE Vol. 11, No. 2, December 2017
their grade levels, gender difference, or major areas if it comes for high school or
undergraduates (Seo and Clement, 2016; Yates and Marek 2015; Yates and Marek 2014;
Heady and Sinatra, 2013). According to results of these study, student may hold many
misconceptions about, the nature of scientific theories, and the testability of evolution.
Students’ common misconceptions are the age of the universe, history of living organisms,
humans’ relationship to monkeys, and NOS (Borgerding et al., 2015).
Apart from the listed,
there are also the following expressions:
‘A scientific theory that explains a natural
phenomenon can be classified as a “best guess” or “hunch”’, students tend to agree with the
misconception. Students who possess misconceptions of scientific theory typically
understand theory in the speculative sense as in evolution is only a theory. Expression to a
misconception, ‘‘Evolution is only a theory, and it hasn’t been proven.’’
Evolution constitutes a connective basis for all of the foregoing fields of biology
(Grace, 2011). Evolution that can be regarded as central to biology is an interdisciplinary
subject and plays a key role in understanding the basic subjects of biology including the
structure of cell, cell division, inheritance, reproduction and so on (Banet & Ayuso, 2003; van
Dijk, 2009; van Dijk & Kattman, 2009). Theory of evolution forms the basis of biology, and
nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution (Dobzhansky, 1973).
Similarly, Gould (1982) likens a biology education not supported by the theory of evolution
to chemistry without periodic table. Many researchers argue that it is not possible to
understand modern biology without an understanding of evolution (Bishop & Anderson,
1990; Dobzhansky, 1973).
What is our origin? Where are we destined to? How can we live on the earth? How
was our universe formed? Are among most popular questions that mankind has been
pondering for ages. This refers to the mankind's ontological curiosity about its past and future.
Right at this point, the theory of evolution comes into the play. Since the theory of evolution
is capable of answering the majority of these mankind's questions under the guidance of
scientific knowledge (Demirsoy, 1994).
Biological evolution is the root cause of the diversity of life and its common origin,
and it is the natural selection that makes it true. Biological evolution occurs through natural
selection that induces a change in the frequency of alleles in the gene pool. This is also a very
slow process. It is obvious that there are problems in teaching the theory of evolution in
Turkey. A study published in the journal Science reveals United States and Turkey as the two
foremost countries where the theory of evolution is least welcomed (Miller, Scott &
Okamoto, 2006). Miller, Scott and Okamoto (2006) argue that the probable cause underlying
KESKİN, B. & ÖZAY KÖSE, E.
219
Necatibey Eğitim Fakültesi Elektronik Fen ve Matematik Eğitimi Dergisi
Necatibey Faculty of Education, Electronic Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
the low rate of adoption of the theory of evolution by people is that people do not understand
the concepts of biology in a broad sense. Understanding the theory of evolution from a
scientific standpoint is very complex and multifaceted (Gould, 2002; Miller, 1999), so it is not
surprising to see misconceptions in individuals failing to develop a good knowledge of theory
of evolution (Miller, 1999).
Researchers attribute the difficulty experienced by teachers and students in
understanding the theory of evolution to the misconceptions they carry and their information
background (Gregory, 2009; Meir, Perry, Herron & Kingsolver, 2007). People usually tend to
create reasons associated with their previous knowledge and experience when they cannot
understand (Moore, 2002). Moreover, this urges the individual to fill the gaps in the theory of
evolution with incorrect information that prevents full understanding of the theory. Therefore,
it is necessary to maintain the focus of our people in understanding the science, and avoid
misconceptions to ensure that individuals who are prospective researchers of the future are not
adversely influenced. Identification of misconceptions in students on evolution through this
study will help to eliminate these misconceptions and build a better understanding of the
scientific theory and evolution in students.
Purpose
The main purpose of this research, since it is naturally the responsibility of the biology
teachers to effectively teach the theory of evolution in the class, is to identify misconceptions
in prospective biology teachers about evolution.
Methods
Research Model
Research that was made to identify prospective biology teachers’ misconceptions
about evolution is an embedded design of mixed methods research that collects, analyzes, and
mixes both quantitative and qualitative methods in a single study. The purpose of the
embedded design is to collect quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously or sequentially,
but to have one form of data play a supportive role to the other form of data (Creswell, 2008).
Sample
In order to identify misconceptions in what the theory of evolution is, a study sample
was constructed from 117 prospective biology teachers of grade 2, 3, 4 and 5 in Department
of Secondary Education for Science and Mathematics, in Kazım Karabekir Faculty of
Education, Atatürk University in Turkey.