Guillermo Paz-y-Miño C.|Avelina Espinosa
Assessment of Biology Majors’ Versus Nonmajors’ Views on Evolution, Creationism, and Intelligent Design
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth|Roger Williams University
controversy around evolution creationism intelligent design resides historical struggle scientific knowledge popular belief four hundred seventysix students biology majors n237 nonmajors n239 secular liberal arts private university northeastern united states responded fivequestion survey assess views 1 evolution creationism intelligent design science class 2 students attitudes toward evolution 3 students position teaching human evolution 4 evolution science exams 5 students willingness discuss evolution openly 606 biology majors 42 nonmajors supported exclusive teaching evolution science class 453 nonmajors 32 majors willing learn equally evolution creationism intelligent design question 1 705 biology majors 556 nonmajors valued factual explanations evolution provides origin life place universe question 2 78 combined responders majors plus nonmajors preferred science courses evolution discussed comprehensively humans part question 3 69 combined responders majors plus nonmajors problem answering questions concerning evolution science exams question 4 481 biology majors 268 nonmajors accepted evolution expressed openly 182 former 142 latter accepted evolution privately 46 nonmajors 291 biology majors reluctant comment topic question 5 combined open plus private acceptance evolution within biology majors increased seniority freshman 607 seniors 81 presumably due gradual exposure upperdivision biology courses evolutionary content college curricularpedagogical reform fortify evolution literacy education levels particularly among nonbiologists