Chilean students’ ideas on natural selection: what do they think at the end of primary education?
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DOI
https://doi.org/10.25267/Rev_Eureka_ensen_divulg_cienc.2021.v18.i1.1106Info
Authors
- Antonia Larrain (CL) Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Alberto Hurtado http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1968-4516
- Patricia López (CL) Facultad de Educación, Universidad Alberto Hurtado
- Marisol Gómez (CL) Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Alberto Hurtado https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6682-4323
- Sebastián Verdugo (CL) Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Alberto Hurtado https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4694-7393
- Paulina Freire (CL) Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7590-2231
- Valeska Grau (CL) Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4487-838X
- Alfonso Bonhomme (CL) Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Alberto Hurtado https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9939-6177
- Diego Cosmelli (CL) Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Abstract
Knowing students’ ideas is the starting point of a comprehension oriented teaching. Regarding natural selection, research show that secondary and undergraduate students show a limited understanding, holding misconceptions even after instruction. However, we know little about primary students’ ideas on natural selection, which is crucial to discuss from a curricular and pedagogical point of view, the best ways to prompt its comprehension. We conducted a study aimed at describing primary students’ ideas on natural selection. 137 sixth grade students (11 and 12 years of age) of public education in Santiago, Chile. Students answered a test on natural selection and a questionnaire of theory of evolution acceptance. Results show that overall students accept the theory of evolution and, although in some degree they understand some related and key concepts, they are not able to formulate coherent explanations. Moreover, misconceptions already reported in older students emerged (need, intentionality, heredity of acquired traits, heredity of useful traits, among others), along with interesting new ideas, as the change as provoked by technological changes induced by humans. Implicancies for pedagogical practice and curriculum organization are discussed.
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Copyright (c) 2020 Antonia Larrain, Patricia López, Marisol Gómez, Sebastián Verdugo, Paulina Freire, Valeska Grau, Alfonso Bonhomme, Diego Cosmelli
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