Investigating Instructors' Conceptions of Evolution Through the Development of the Classroom Test of Evolutionary Reasoning

<p>In order to assess the evolutionary understanding of high school biology teachers, an instrument entitled the Classroom Test of Evolutionary Reasoning (CTER) was developed. Content, response process, relations to another variable (the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection, or CINS), and internal structure evidence were compiled. The second version of the CTER was found to have adequate reliability and validity estimates to allow it to continue to be used as a measurement tool for an understanding of evolution. When assessing a sample of teachers (n = 724), the mean score was 6.35 out of a possible 13 points. The sample was found to possess an adequate understanding of Lamarkian evolution, but had difficulties with common ancestry, evolutionary trees, transitional fossils, and homologous structures.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Year dc:date.available

2010

Author dc:creator

• Palko, Patricia Eileen

Contributors dc:contributor

• James E. Platt, Ph.D.
• Phillip Danielson
• Kathy Green
• Steven Iona

• Classroom Test of Evolutionary Reasoning
• Evolution
• Teacher
• Understanding
• Biology
• Science and Mathematics Education

Statement dc:rights

• <p>Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.</p>

Language dc:language

en

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/898

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.du.edu:etd-1897