Este trabalho apresenta as conceções de estudantes portugueses em formação inicial de professores sobre a evolução, a origem da vida e o ensino da evolução. Para tal, foi aplicado a 41 estudantes um inquérito adaptado a partir do questionário BIOHEAD-CITIZEN. Os resultados mostram que os estudantes possuem crenças religiosas diversificadas, sendo a maior parte deístas. Apresentam principalmente conceções evolucionistas, sendo raras as conceções criacionistas dogmáticas. As conceções evolucionistas são superiores à proporção encontrada em participantes de outros estudos e, tal outros trabalhos evidenciam, coabitam com diversas crenças religiosas. Contudo, as reflexões dos estudantes em formação inicial de professores sobre a perspetiva da origem das espécies que defendem, mostram falhas na compreensão dos mecanismos da evolução. Apesar das conceções evolucionistas serem dominantes, a maioria dos estudantes considera também que os professores devem ensinar a evolução e o criacionismo ao mesmo tempo, de modo a deixar os alunos decidir sobre a posição que advogam sobre a origem das espécies. Dada a importância da evolução para a compreensão da natureza da ciência e os processos em biologia, este trabalho evidencia a necessidade do reforço da formação sobre evolução dos futuros professores.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28976/1984-2686rbpec2020u13391362Keywords:
Evolution, Initial teacher training, Origin of lifeAbstract
This work presents the conceptions of Portuguese preservice teachers (PSTs) about evolution, the origin of life and evolution teaching. With this aim, a survey adapted from the questionnaire BIOHEAD-CITIZEN was applied to 41 PSTs. Results show that PSTs have diversified religious beliefs, though most of them are deist. PSTs present mainly evolutionist conceptions and a few rare creationists beliefs. Rates of evolutionist conceptions are higher than those identified in similar surveys and coexist with diverse religious beliefs. However, PSTs’ reflections about the origin of life reveal misconceptions about evolutionary processes. Although evolutionist conceptions are dominant, most PSTs believe teachers should teach evolution and creationism, and let students decide which position they agree with. Given the importance of evolution for understanding the nature of science and processes on Biology, this work highlights the need to reinforce the education of future teachers on evolution.
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