Student conceptions of natural selection and its role in evolution
B. Bishop, and C.W. Anderson 1990 Journal of Research in Science Teaching 27(5), p415-427

This paper discusses a study aimed at understanding how college students in a non-major biology class conceptualize mechanisms for evolution. Results of non-graded anonymous pre and post-course tests about evolution by natural selection revealed that most student-thinking was not in line with accepted biological theory. They attributed trait changes to need-driven adaptive processes, did not assign roles to variation on traits within a population, and saw traits as gradually changing in all members of a population. Having an understanding of students’ misconceptions about evolution facilitates the development of more adequate teaching techniques so educators can better help students overcome their deeply rooted, naïve, and scientifically incompatible explanations of the world.

Subject: Biology:Evolution, Geoscience:Hydrology:Surface Water:Water Quality/Chemistry , Geoscience:Hydrology:Ground Water:Water quality/chemistry
Resource Type: Scientific Resources:Overview/Reference Work, Research Results, Report
Research on Learning: Affective Domain:Teaching Controversial Topics, Cognitive Domain:Misconceptions/barriers to learning