Anila Asghar

Biology Professors’ and Teachers’ Positions Regarding Biological Evolution and Evolution Education in a Middle Eastern Society

This study investigated three questions: (1) What are Lebanese secondary school (Grade 9–12) biology teachers’ and university biology professors’ positions regarding biological evolution?, (2) How do participants’ religious affiliations relate to their positions about evolutionary science?, and (3) What are participants’ positions regarding evolution education? Participants were 20 secondary school biology teachers and seven university biology professors. Seventy percent of the teachers and 60% of the professors were Muslim. Data came from semi‐structured interviews with participants. Results showed that nine (Christian or Muslim Druze) teachers accepted the theory, five (four Muslim) rejected it because it contradicted religious beliefs, and three (Muslim) reinterpreted it because evolution did not include humans. Teachers who rejected or reinterpreted the evolutionary theory said that it should not be taught (three), evolution and creationism should be given equal time (two), or students should be allowed to take their own stand. Two professors indicated that they taught evolution explicitly and five said that they integrated it in other biology content. One Muslim professor said that she stressed ‘the role of God in creation during instruction on evolution’. It seems that years of studying and teaching biology have not had a transformative effect on how a number of teachers and professors think about evolution.

The origin and evolution of life in Pakistani High School Biology

This study seeks to inform science education practitioners and researchers in the West about apparent attempts to reconcile science and religion in Pakistans public school curriculum. We analysed the national high school science curriculum and biology textbooks (English) used in the Government schools in Pakistan, where Islamic faith is the cornerstone of the national curriculum, and we found that both religious and scientific perspectives are treated in relation to the origin and evolution of life. The religious text presented in the curriculum draws on the relevant Quranic verses about creation, while the scientific text discusses naturalistic, evidence-based theories about the biochemical origin of life and evolution. Evolution by natural selection is discussed in detail along with the evidence supporting the scientific understanding of evolutionary history. Interestingly, where scripture is presented in the biology textbooks, it is generally interpreted to be compatible with evolutionary understandings of the living world.

Conceptual Changes in Aspiring School Leaders: Lessons from a University Classroom

Scholars and practitioners recognize the significance of improving leadership preparation programs. This longitudinal study (surveys and interviews) investigates how course structure and curricula supports graduate students’ learning about content as well as how to attend and facilitate adult development. This paper describes: (a) changes in students’ conceptions of how to support adult development, including their new understanding that adults need challenge and support to grow; (b) how course experiences helped them understand theory and practices for supporting adult growth, and (c) how they planned to use practices in their future leadership. This investigation offers insight into how course structure, content, and instruction can support educators’ leadership development.

The status of evolutionary medicine education in North American medical schools

BackgroundMedical and public health scientists are using evolution to devise new strategies to solve major health problems. But based on a 2003 survey, medical curricula may not adequately prepare physicians to evaluate and extend these advances. This study assessed the change in coverage of evolution in North American medical schools since 2003 and identified opportunities for enriching medical education.MethodsIn 2013, curriculum deans for all North American medical schools were invited to rate curricular coverage and perceived importance of 12 core principles, the extent of anticipated controversy from adding evolution, and the usefulness of 13 teaching resources. Differences between schools were assessed by Pearson’s chi-square test, Student’s t-test, and Spearman’s correlation. Open-ended questions sought insight into perceived barriers and benefits.ResultsDespite repeated follow-up, 60 schools (39%) responded to the survey. There was no evidence of sample bias. The three evolutionary principles rated most important were antibiotic resistance, environmental mismatch, and somatic selection in cancer. While importance and coverage of principles were correlated (r = 0.76, P < 0.01), coverage (at least moderate) lagged behind importance (at least moderate) by an average of 21% (SD = 6%). Compared to 2003, a range of evolutionary principles were covered by 4 to 74% more schools. Nearly half (48%) of responders anticipated igniting controversy at their medical school if they added evolution to their curriculum. The teaching resources ranked most useful were model test questions and answers, case studies, and model curricula for existing courses/rotations. Limited resources (faculty expertise) were cited as the major barrier to adding more evolution, but benefits included a deeper understanding and improved patient care.ConclusionNorth American medical schools have increased the evolution content in their curricula over the past decade. However, coverage is not commensurate with importance. At a few medical schools, anticipated controversy impedes teaching more evolution. Efforts to improve evolution education in medical schools should be directed toward boosting faculty expertise and crafting resources that can be easily integrated into existing curricula.

A Critical Review of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in Science Education.

ABSTRACTWhat is traditional ecological knowledge? In many disciplines, including science education, anthropology, and resource management, it has been conflated with Indigenous knowledges, which ha...