FUTURE OF EVOLUTION EDUCATION IN TURKEY: DOES ACADEMIC STAFF IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES ACCEPT EVOLUTION?
Abstract
The recent studies conducted in Turkey show that the theory of evolution still has not been accepted by the vast majority although the positive progress in science. Despite all the scientific studies on evolutionary education, evolution education has not been improved progressively over the time. It is the responsibility of the academic staff in biological sciences to teach the theory of evolution in the class effectively, and additionally the academic staff trains both today's students and the teachers of the future. Therefore, the views of academic staff in biological sciences will affect the next generation and the future teachers’ perception of the evolution. This study uses embedded design of mixed methods of research design that includes qualitative and quantitative approaches in order to analyze the ratio of the acceptance of the evolution theory by the academic staff in biological sciences. 245 academic staff answered an online questionnaire form. Considering the results, the academic staff in biological sciences should be the last ones who have doubts about accepting evolution, but the findings reveal that almost half of the academic staff in biological sciences does not have an absolute attitude towards the evolution theory. Their rejection of evolution strongly correlated with their religious beliefs. The future of evolution education in Turkey is not a positive one.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v0i0.2177
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