Defending evolution in the classroom : a guide to the creation/evolution controversy / Brian J. Alters, Sandra M. Alters.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Alters, Brian J.

Contributor:

Alters, Sandra.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Evolution (Biology)--Study and teaching.

Evolution (Biology).

Evolution (Biology)--Philosophy.

Creationism.

Physical Description:

x, 261 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Sudbury, Mass. : Jones and Bartlett Publishers, [2001]

Summary:

Defending Evolution in the Classroom is a novel handbook that explains why so many secondary and college students reject evolution and are antagonistic toward its teaching. Defending Evolution in the Classroom helps science instructors better understand their student's Creationist beliefs and the bearing those beliefs have on learning evolution.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Creationists Declare War 13

Campus Apologetics

The War Chest

The Motivation for Attacking

Emotional Connectedness

The Unbelievable Battle

Anti-Evolution Education Evangelism

Chapter 2 Creationist Students' Culture and Nature of Science 37

Perceived Biblical Challenges to Evolution Teaching 41

Literalists

Progressives

Theists

Problems with Polls

Perceived Scientific Challenges to Evolution Teaching 49

Scientific Creationism

Intelligent Design

The General Public

Category Solution: Nature of Science

Chapter 3 Why Students Reject Evolution: Religious Reasons 63

Students' Biblical Scholarship

Biblical Rationales

Study Bibles

When Science and Scripture Disagree

Argument and Counterargument

Creationist Philosophy

Chapter 4 Why Students Reject Evolution: Nonreligious Reasons 83

Characterization of Science

Theory and Law

"Horizontal" vs. "Vertical" Evolution

"Missing Links"

Punctuated Equilibrium

Dinosaurs and Human Tracks

Dating Fossils and Rocks

Origin of Life

Laws of Thermodynamics

Plate Tectonics

Chapter 5 Why Should Students Learn Evolution? 103

Why is evolution the context of the biological sciences

a unifying theory? 106

How do evolutionary explanations answer key questions in the biological sciences? 106

How does understanding evolution help us understand processes that affect our health and our day-to-day life? And how are evolutionary methods applied to other fields? 108

How is evolution indispensable to the subdisciplines of biology and how does it enrich them? 110

What do science and education societies say about the study of evolution? 111

Chapter 6 Questions and Answers: Science Education 113

"What do you mean by evolution?" 113

"Is it true that evolution is not based on evidence?" 115

"How can you teach something that no one can see?" 117

"If organisms evolved, then why do they look so well designed?" 119

"Why can't intelligent design theory be included in science curricula?" 122

"Because scientists don't know every detail of how evolution occurs, shouldn't they at least consider supernatural causes as scientific explanations and teach such possibilities in the science classroom?" 123

"Why is evolution considered a scientific fact?" 127

"Why can't you prove evolution to me?" 128

"What good is a partial eye, wing, or other structure?" 129

"Isn't evolution a theory in crisis?" 130

"Do you evolutionists want students to think evolution is scientifically correct just because most scientists do?" 132

"Why shouldn't scientists invoke the supernatural for creation of first life?" 133

"What should we do if empirical evidence and materialist philosophy are going in different directions?" 135

Chapter 7 Questions and Answers: Religion 139

"Didn't Darwin recant on his deathbed?" 139

"Doesn't evolution necessarily lead to moral decay?" 141

"Do you know about scientific creationism?" 142

"Why would God use such a time-consuming mechanism as evolution?" 144

"Are you telling me that miracles don't happen?" 145

Chapter 8 Questions and Answers: General Education 155

"What's wrong with presenting both sides?" 155

"Why do you want to brainwash students with evolution?" 157

"If science explanations are tentative, why don't we teach all explanations?" 158

"Why can't evolution be presented in an unbiased manner?" 160

Chapter 9 Questions from Instructors 165

"Isn't it just better to de-emphasize evolution?" 165

"What do creationists think of me?" 166

"Should I agree to debate a creationist?" 167

"How can I learn more about creationists?" 169

"Why do students fight evolution education?" 170

"Why can't creationists be comfortable with teaching that science gives one answer while religion gives another?" 173

"What about science teachers who think that evolution didn't/doesn't occur?" 175

"Are creationists the only ones attacking evolution in academia?" 176

Chapter 10 Methods for Teaching Evolution 179

Students' Alternate Conceptions on Evolution

Students' Confusion of Scientific Words with Everyday Words

Addressing Alternate Conceptions in the Classroom

Multiple Intelligences

Activities

Appendix A Organizations That Support Evolution Education 201

Appendix B Eight Significant Court Decisions Regarding Evolution/Creation Issues 203

Appendix C National Center for Science Education 207

Appendix D National Association of Biology Teachers: Statement on Teaching Evolution 213

Appendix E An NSTA Position Statement: The Teaching of Evolution 219

Appendix F Evolution Education Research Centre 225.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 237-246) and index.

ISBN:

0763719234

0763711187

OCLC:

46343269