Admin webmdave Posted February 21, 2011 Admin Share Posted February 21, 2011 Dr. Eric Plutzer This week we discuss evolution education with Dr. Eric Plutzer, co-author of “Defeating Creationism in the Courtroom, But Not in the Classroom” – a recently published article in Science Magazine. Dr. Plutzer discusses the paper, and what the results reveal about how much evolution is actually being taught in biology classrooms across the nation. The Cautious 60: The cautious 60% may play a far more important role in hindering scientific literacy in the United States than the smaller number of explicit creationists. The strategies of emphasizing microevolution, justifying the curriculum on the basis of state-wide tests, or “teaching the controversy” all undermine the legitimacy of findings that are well established by the combination of peer review and replication. These teachers fail to explain the nature of scientific inquiry, undermine the authority of established experts, and legitimize creationist arguments, even if unintentionally (Berkman and Plutzer, “Defeating Creationism in the Courtroom, But Not in the Classroom”, Science: 28 January, 2011). Links: Dr. Eric Plutzer, Penn State Defending Science Education in the Courtroom, but not in the Classroom, Science (January 28, 2011) Evolution, Creationism, and the Battle to Control America’s Classrooms (Amazon.com) Evolution, Creationism, and the Battle to Control America’s Classrooms (Google Books) Bad Science Education in the U.S. (Pharyngula) NCSE (National Center for Science Education) NABT (National Association of Biology Teachers) Direct download: LOL59.mp3 View the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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