This study examines the views of the relationship between science and faith and the understandings of biological evolution, geologic history and the nature of science, with emphasis on the use of evidence, held by United Methodist ministers, pre-service science teachers, and pre-service language arts/social studies teachers. By completing a nineteen and a twenty-item, combination multiple-choice/open-ended questionnaire and individual interviews, participants demonstrated a wide array of scientific understandings and articulated in some cases how those understandings inform their views of the relationship between alternative ways of knowing. Findings included little disparity overall between participant groups' scientific understandings, although slightly more ministers demonstrated more informed understandings of the concepts assessed. Additionally, findings indicated that pre-service science teachers viewed scientific literacy as less important than other participant groups and few participants reported any change in their views of science as a result of formal post-secondary instruction. Almost all participants considered evidence to be used in faith but little to no distinction was made between scientific, historical, and faith-based types of evidence. Recommendations are included regarding curriculum development for science teacher and religious education, as well as implications for potential partnerships between the science educators and clergy.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:NCSU/oai:NCSU:etd-07102003-140855 |
| Date | 10 July 2003 |
| Creators | Dickerson, Daniel Lee |
| Contributors | John E. Penick, Karen R. Dawkins, JoAnn M. Burkholder, John C. Park |
| Publisher | NCSU |
| Source Sets | North Carolina State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-07102003-140855/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to NC State University or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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