From: Howard J. Van Till (hvantill@chartermi.net)
Date: Wed Aug 20 2003 - 16:21:24 EDT
A friend of mine teaches biology at a State University. He is interested in
the discussion regarding the interaction of science and religion and in his
students' perception of the issues. One of his concerns is to find out what
his students think about the degree of confidence that the scientific
community has in the broad concept of evolutionary development -- not a
concern for the details of any particular scientific theory about the role
of process X versus process Y, but the credibility of the broad concept. I
find his comments on this question interesting. Here is what he had to say:
For many years I have conducted a survey in the non-majors biology
courses I taught before we begin the topic of evolution. I ask the
class the following question: Suppose we did a survey and called up Ph.D.
biologists doing research and teaching in schools across the nation
(Harvard, Minnesota, Texas, Oregon, etc.) and asked them to answer the
question, "In your judgment, is biological evolution a well established
theory?" What percentage of these biology academics would say 'Yes'?
I give the students the following choices: 99% 95% 90% 75% 50% 25% 10% 5%
or 1%
and then ask them to vote by a show of hands. In many other such straw
polls in
class there are usually a significant number of students who do not
vote, but in this evolution poll they all generally vote with enthusiasm
(and with some confidence).
Very few students will answer 99% or 95%. In my most recent poll
more students answered 1% and 5% than 99% and 95%.
In fact, over the approximately 25 classes in which I have done this, I
think the
distribution is a fairly normal one with the mean near 50%. This result
has happened so many times that it no longer surprises me. As I recall the
most students who answered in the 90th percentile in any survey was one
class where 6 out of about a total of 40 did so.
The other interesting thing in this poll is that there is little, if
any, correlation between the academic capabilities of the students and
how they answer this question. The 'A' students are just as likely to
answer 1% as they are 99%, just as the 'D' students are just as
likely to answer 1% as they are 99%.
What does this say about the culture and educational environment these
students experience before they get to college? I suspect evolution is
largely
a 'hands off' topic in their formal education.
So, for list discussion, what do you make of this poll result?
Howard Van Till
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