Amanda Glaze

Unspeakable, Forbidden, Taboo: Teaching Evolution in the South with Dr. Amanda Glaze

The Evolution Institute  online

2018-07-08

Evolution remains a taboo and often misunderstood subject for much of the American South. Dr. Amanda Glaze studies this deeply rooted cultural attitude and its religious and societal influences. Her research centers on the intersections of science and society, specifically the acceptance and rejection of evolution in the Southeastern United States and the impact of the conflict between religion and evolution on science literacy. Join Dr. Glaze as she discusses her research on teaching and learning evolution in the South and hear the insightful stories she has collected along the way ...

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Amanda L Glaze

2018

It is widely agreed upon that the goal of science education is building a scientifically literate society. Although there are a range of definitions for science literacy, most involve an ability to problem solve, make evidence-based decisions, and evaluate information in a manner that is logical. Unfortunately, science literacy appears to be an area where we struggle across levels of study, including with students who are majoring in the sciences in university settings. One reason for this problem is that we have opted to continue to approach teaching science in a way that fails to consider the critical assumptions that faculties in the sciences bring into the classroom. These assumptions include expectations of what students should know before entering given courses, whose responsibility it is to ensure that students entering courses understand basic scientific concepts, the roles of researchers and teachers, and approaches to teaching at the university level. Acknowledging these assumptions and the potential for action to shift our teaching and thinking about post-secondary education represents a transformative area in science literacy and preparation for the future of science as a field.

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Amanda L Glaze, M Jenice Goldston

2015

This critical analysis examined research on evolution in the United States between the years 2000–2014, spanning early classroom implementation of the National Science Education Standards to current research findings. First, we sought to understand how the research literature published between 2000 and 2014 contributed to knowledge of evolution education as well as areas required to further illuminate our understanding of evolutionary acceptance and rejection. Two hundred thirteen studies were reviewed using identified criteria that included the approach to teaching, attitudes and perceptions, religiosity, and proposed teaching methods, with particular emphasis on evolution teaching and learning. Following multiple rounds of article examination, seven general directions appear to be present in evolution education research: (1) approach to evolution in the classroom; (2) knowledge, understanding, and acceptance of evolution; (3) attitudes and perceptions of evolution; (4) factors impacting the teaching and learning of evolution; (5) evolution conflict and coping strategies; (6) evolution and religiosity; and (7) proposed evolution teaching method, courses, and assessment. The analysis pointed to four areas in need of further exploration: (1) elaboration on how worldview affects acceptance; (2) exploration of specific factors (intrinsic and extrinsic) that influence the acceptance of evolution; (3) examination of experiences to define these factors, especially among preservice teachers; and (4) exploration of evolution acceptance across geographical regions of the United States.

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Amanda L Glaze, M Jenice Goldston, John Dantzler

2015

Evolution continues to be a controversial topic around the world but nowhere is this more apparent locally than in the Southeastern region of the USA. In this study, we explored acceptance and rejection of evolution among pre-service science teachers in a teaching college in the rural Southeast and sought to determine (1) what relationships exist between the worldview variables and acceptance of evolution among pre-service secondary science teachers? and (2) Which combination of these variables explains the most statistically significant amount of variance in acceptance of evolution among pre-service secondary science teachers? Regression analysis was used to determine the best-fit model predicting levels of acceptance in this sample, explaining 45 % of variance in acceptance of evolution in 4 variables. The result of this study sheds light on possible remediation for low acceptance of evolution and directions for improved preparation of future science teachers relative to teaching and learning evolution.

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Amanda Michelle Lee Glaze

2013

This study utilized three methodological approaches to examine the controversy and concerns associated with evolution education, taking the examination of acceptance and rejection full circle from concept to conflict. Employment of a critical analysis approach determined existing gaps in the literature surrounding evolution education and provided directionality for further study. A quantitative analysis generated findings that explain variance in the acceptance of evolution among pre-service science teachers in a teaching college in the Southeastern United States. A third qualitative method study explored the lived experiences of pre-service science teachers focusing on the variables of interest and generated a theoretical process model of acceptance and rejection for this group of participants. This study's variables explored aspects of Southern cultural and religious identity, socio-cultural influences on teaching and learning, and dilemmas faced by teachers when teaching controversial topics. This exploration illuminated the current state of evolution education in the Southeastern Unites States, as well as obstacles to the acceptance of evolution and possible avenues for improvement of science teacher education and classroom instruction.

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M Jenice, Elizabeth Allison, Lisa Fowler, Amanda Glaze

2013

The goal of The Next Generation Science Standards for science teachers is to engage students in the practices of science to understand how scientific knowledge develops through direct activity where learners investigate, model, and explain the world. Here, Goldston et al describe a fifth-grader series of activities and simulations exploring rocks and the rock cycle.

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