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The influence of the beliefs of teachers and learners on the teaching and learning of evolution
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pretoria
2014
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| _version_ | 1867613463158718464 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | De Villiers, J.J.R. (Rian) |
| author_browse | De Villiers, J.J.R. (Rian) |
| author_facet | De Villiers, J.J.R. (Rian) |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2013 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/40231 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:36:32.683Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publishDateRange | 2014 |
| publishDateSort | 2014 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/40231 The influence of the beliefs of teachers and learners on the teaching and learning of evolution De Villiers, J.J.R. (Rian) mbmpeta@yahoo.co.uk Fraser, William John Mpeta, Mamotena Beliefs Culture Evolution Education Life Sciences Multiple research methods Nature of science Religion Science education Worldview UCTD Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013. This study explores and describes the beliefs of teachers and learners with regards to the concept of biological evolution and how those beliefs affect the teaching and the learning of the concept. Multiple research methods were used to collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data from Grade 12 Life Sciences learners and teachers from five secondary schools in the Vhembe District of the Limpopo Province. Quantitative data included biographical information. The Measure of Acceptance of the Theory of Evolution (MATE) was used to assess acceptance of evolution by learners. Qualitative data included opinions of teachers and learners about evolution and how it was taught and learned. The results showed that the background of the participants, such as religion and from whom they had first heard of evolution, had a strong influence on their beliefs about evolution. Most of the learners and the five teachers in the study held Christian beliefs and some of them perceived evolution to be in conflict with those beliefs. There was moderate acceptance of evolution by learners. In teaching evolution, all the teachers engaged learners in discussions and debates about evolution, and encouraged them to separate their beliefs from evolution in order to avoid ‘the conflict’. Despite their Christian beliefs and the dissonance between them and evolution, learners were motivated to learn evolution. They felt that evolution was responding to some of the questions they had about themselves, and therefore wanted to understand it more. There was a perception from both teachers and learners that there was not enough evidence in support of evolution, and this is what brings the doubt about its validity. The research encourages further exploration of learners’ and teachers’ beliefs, and assistance of teachers in the nature of science, better understanding of the concept of evolution. In addition, the research advocates assistance for teachers on how to deal with Life Sciences topics perceived to be controversial. gm2014 Science, Mathematics and Technology Education unrestricted 2014-06-17T13:04:00Z 2014-06-17T13:04:00Z 2014-04-10 2013 Thesis Mpeta, MA 2013, The influence of the beliefs of teachers and learners in the teaching and learning of evolution, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/40231> D14/4/68/gm http://hdl.handle.net/2263/40231 en © 2013 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Beliefs Culture Evolution Education Life Sciences Multiple research methods Nature of science Religion Science education Worldview UCTD The influence of the beliefs of teachers and learners on the teaching and learning of evolution |
| title | The influence of the beliefs of teachers and learners on the teaching and learning of evolution |
| title_full | The influence of the beliefs of teachers and learners on the teaching and learning of evolution |
| title_fullStr | The influence of the beliefs of teachers and learners on the teaching and learning of evolution |
| title_full_unstemmed | The influence of the beliefs of teachers and learners on the teaching and learning of evolution |
| title_short | The influence of the beliefs of teachers and learners on the teaching and learning of evolution |
| title_sort | influence of the beliefs of teachers and learners on the teaching and learning of evolution |
| topic | Beliefs Culture Evolution Education Life Sciences Multiple research methods Nature of science Religion Science education Worldview UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/40231 |