A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Korean and American Science Teachers' Views of Evolution and the Nature of Science

Autor/inn/en	Kim, Sun Young; Nehm, Ross H.
Titel	A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Korean and American Science Teachers' Views of Evolution and the Nature of Science
Quelle	In: International Journal of Science Education, 33 (2011) 2, S.197-227 (31 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0950-0693
Schlagwörter	Cross Cultural Studies; Scientific Principles; Foreign Countries; Science Teachers; Evolution; Comparative Analysis; Comparative Education; Beliefs; Predictor Variables; World Views; Preservice Teachers; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; Measures (Individuals); Cultural Influences; Secondary School Science; Asia; South Korea; United States + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Cultural comparison; Kulturvergleich; Ausland; Science; Teacher; Teachers; Science teacher; Wissenschaft; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Vergleichende Erziehungswissenschaft; Belief; Glaube; Prädiktor; World view; Weltanschauung; Pädagogische Kompetenz; Messdaten; Cultural influence; Kultureinfluss; Asien; Korea; Republik; USA
Abstract	Despite a few international comparisons of the evolutionary beliefs of the general public, comparatively less research has focused on science teachers. Cross-cultural studies offer profitable opportunities for exploring the interactions among knowledge and belief variables in regard to evolution in different socio-cultural contexts. We investigated the evolutionary worldviews of pre-service science teachers from Asia (specifically South Korea), a region often excluded from international comparisons. We compared Korean and American science teachers': (1) understandings of evolution and the nature of science, and (2) acceptance of evolution in order to elucidate how knowledge and belief relationships are manifested in different cultural contexts. We found that Korean science teachers exhibited "moderate" evolutionary acceptance levels comparable to or lower than American science teacher samples. Gender was significantly related to Korean teachers' evolution content knowledge and acceptance of evolution, with female Christian biology teachers displaying the lowest values on all measures. Korean science teachers' understandings of nature of science were significantly related to their acceptance and understanding of evolution; this relationship appears to transcend cultural boundaries. Our new data on Korean teachers, combined with studies from more than 20 other nations, expose the global nature of science teacher ambivalence or antipathy toward evolutionary knowledge. (Contains 6 tables, 3 figures, and 1 note.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10