Evolution Versus Creationism: What should science teachers do?
I am teaching a very interesting (at least for me) graduate course on the Research in Science Teaching and Learning. Our last meeting focused on the Nature of Science and we of course had an opportunity to discuss the Evolution-Creationism controversy that has been raging for decades South of the border and also in Canada… So what should be our stand on the issue, as science educators? I will post here a few comments and videos that we found very useful in helping us think about it:
a)Watch the movies or read about the famous 1925 Monkey Scopes Trial. There are lots of excellent resources online to inform you. To see what I found interesting, see my lecture notes.
b) Watch the following video clip by David Attenborough about the evolution of the eye: http://www.wimp.com/eyeevolution/
c) My lecture notes from class has lots of interesting links. Feel free to use it: EDCP 559_L7_October 17 2012_NOS
d) Neil deGrasse Tyson talk about the difference between atheism and agnosticism. I liked this very short video as it clarifies a few important distinctions. Lastly, I am not going to tell anybody what he or she should do, but I think science teachers should think about the issue and decide how they are going to be teaching their students… We cannot just ignore the issue as it is out there and as science educators either teaching biology, astronomy, chemistry or physics, our students have to get the best science education and they should know enough in order to make their own decision and not just being influenced by other people… Being aware is the first step and think what our own position is, the the second… So evolution versus creationism is not the only issue…