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Evolution Education in Mexico, Considering Cultural Diversity

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Abstract

Mexico is a megadiverse country with great biological and cultural diversity. In this chapter, we address the analysis of the evolution education considering the enormous challenge related with these diversity, specially the presence of indigenous groups, which speak more than 365 varieties of 65 languages. To exemplify this challenge the comparison of two regions in Mexico are presented: Monterrey city, in the Northwestern state of Nuevo Leon, characterized by a development based on industrial growth and the Mayan Highlands in the Southeastern state of Chiapas, which is one of the most culturally diverse places in the country with over seventy percent of the population being indigenous. In our analysis, two main issues emerge that require attention to improve the evolution education in Mexico. The first one is evolution is not considered as a transversal approach to biology curriculum rather it is presented as a list of concepts that would need to be covered. The second one is the presence of a national curriculum in which cultural diversity is not explicitly addressed and the diverse contexts of the students are ignored. The dimension of this challenge to promote real evolution education in Mexico and some suggestions to consider an intercultural perspective are discussed in this chapter.
Hasan Deniz Lisa A. Borgerding
Editors
Evolution Education Around
the Globe
123
agomez@cinvestav.mx
Editors
Hasan Deniz
College of Education
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
USA
Lisa A. Borgerding
College of Education, Health,
and Human Services
Kent State University
Kent, OH
USA
ISBN 978-3-319-90938-7 ISBN 978-3-319-90939-4 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90939-4
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018940410
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agomez@cinvestav.mx
Contents
Part I Introduction
1 Evolutionary Theory as a Controversial Topic in Science
Curriculum Around the Globe ............................ 3
Hasan Deniz and Lisa A. Borgerding
Part II North and South America
2 Pedagogical Implications of American MuslimsViews on
Evolution ............................................. 15
Khadija E. Fouad
3 Project Teach Evolution: Preparing Biology Pre-service Teachers
to Teach Evolution in Missouri, U.S.A. ...................... 41
Patricia J. Friedrichsen, Larry G. Brown and Johannes Schul
4 Controversial Before Entering My Classroom: Exploring
Pre-service Teacher Experiences with Evolution Teaching and
Learning in the Southeastern United States .................. 59
Amanda L. Glaze and M. Jenice DeeGoldston
5 Case Studies in Teaching Evolution in the Southwestern U.S.:
The Intersection of Dilemmas in Practice .................... 81
Rachel J. Fisher
6 Evolution Education in Mexico, Considering
Cultural Diversity ...................................... 101
Alma Adrianna Gómez Galindo, Alejandra García Franco,
María Teresa Guerra Ramos, Eréndira Alvarez Pérez
and Joséde la Cruz Torres Frías
7 Evolution Education and the Rise of the Creationist Movement
in Brazil ............................................. 119
Alandeom W. Oliveira and Kristin L. Cook
vii
agomez@cinvestav.mx
8 Evolution Education in Galápagos: What Do Biology Teachers
Know and Think About Evolution? ........................ 137
Sehoya Cotner and Randy Moore
Part III Europe
9 Evolution Education in England ........................... 155
Michael J. Reiss
10 Evolution Education and Evolution Denial in Scotland .......... 169
J. Roger Downie, Ronan Southcott, Paul S. Braterman
and N. J. Barron
11 Teaching Evolution in Greece ............................. 195
Panagiotis K. Stasinakis and Kostas Kampourakis
12 Evolution Education in France: Evolution Is Widely Taught
and Accepted ......................................... 213
Marie-Pierre Quessada and Pierre Clément
13 Evolution Education in the German-Speaking Countries ........ 235
Erich Eder, Victoria Seidl, Joshua Lange and Dittmar Graf
Part IV Middle East
14 An Insight into Evolution Education in Turkey ............... 263
Ebru Z. Muğaloğlu
15 Evolution Education in Iran: Shattering Myths About Teaching
Evolution in an Islamic State ............................. 281
Mahsa Kazempour and Aidin Amirshokoohi
16 Evolution Education in the Arab States: Context, History,
StakeholdersPositions and Future Prospects ................. 297
Saouma BouJaoude
Part V Asia
17 Evolution Education in Hong Kong (19912016): A Content
Analysis of the Biology Textbooks for Secondary School
Graduates ............................................ 315
Ka Lok Cheng and Kam Ho Chan
18 Evolution Education in Indonesia: Pre-service Biology Teachers
Knowledge, Reasoning Models, and Acceptance of Evolution ..... 335
Arif Rachmatullah, Ross H. Nehm, Fenny Roshayanti and Minsu Ha
19 A Glimpse of Evolution Education in the Malaysian Context ..... 357
Yoon Fah Lay, Eng Tek Ong, Crispina Gregory K. Han
and Sane Hwui Chan
viii Contents
agomez@cinvestav.mx
20 Biological Evolution Education in Malaysia;
Where We Are Now .................................... 375
Kamisah Osman, Rezzuana Razali and Nurnadiah Mohamed Bahri
21 Evolution Education in the Philippines:
A Preliminary Investigation .............................. 391
Jocelyn D. Partosa
Part VI Africa
22 The Unusual Case of Evolution Education in South Africa ...... 409
Martie Sanders
Part VII New Zealand
23 Evolution Education in New Zealand ....................... 431
Alison Campbell
Part VIII Conclusion
24 Evolution Education Around the Globe: Conclusions
and Future Directions ................................... 449
Lisa A. Borgerding and Hasan Deniz
Contents ix
agomez@cinvestav.mx
Chapter 6
Evolution Education in Mexico,
Considering Cultural Diversity
Alma Adrianna Gómez Galindo, Alejandra García Franco,
María Teresa Guerra Ramos, Eréndira Alvarez Pérez
and Joséde la Cruz Torres Frías
Abstract Mexico is a megadiverse country with great biological and cultural
diversity. In this chapter, we address the analysis of the evolution education con-
sidering the enormous challenge related with these diversity, specially the presence
of indigenous groups, which speak more than 365 varieties of 65 languages. To
exemplify this challenge the comparison of two regions in Mexico are presented:
Monterrey city, in the Northwestern state of Nuevo Leon, characterized by a
development based on industrial growth and the Mayan Highlands in the
Southeastern state of Chiapas, which is one of the most culturally diverse places in
the country with over seventy percent of the population being indigenous. In our
analysis, two main issues emerge that require attention to improve the evolution
education in Mexico. The rst one is evolution is not considered as a transversal
approach to biology curriculum rather it is presented as a list of concepts that would
need to be covered. The second one is the presence of a national curriculum in
which cultural diversity is not explicitly addressed and the diverse contexts of the
students are ignored. The dimension of this challenge to promote real evolution
education in Mexico and some suggestions to consider an intercultural perspective
are discussed in this chapter.
A. A. Gómez Galindo (&)!M. T. Guerra Ramos
Cinvestav Monterrey, Vía del conocimiento 201, Km. 9.5 Carretera nueva al aeropuerto,
Parque PIIT, 66600 Apodaca, Nuevo León, México
e-mail: agomez@cinvestav.mx
A. García Franco
División de Ciencias Naturales e Ingeniería, Departamento de Procesos y Tecnología,
Universidad Autónoma MetropolitanaCuajimalpa, Cuajimalpa, México
E. Alvarez Pérez
Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, UNAM,
Ciudad de México, México
J. de la Cruz Torres Frías
UdeG, Guadalajara, México
©Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
H. Deniz and L. A. Borgerding (eds.), Evolution Education Around
the Globe, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90939-4_6
101
agomez@cinvestav.mx
6.1 Introduction
The United States of Mexico, hereinafter Mexico, is one of the ve countries in the
world considered as megadiverse. Within its territory 12% of the terrestrial biodi-
versity is represented (CONABIO). This biological diversity can be related to
cultural diversity (Maf& Woodley, 2010) conforming what is known as biocul-
tural diversity. Mexico is also home of more than sixty different indigenous groups,
which speak more than 365 varieties of 65 languages. This multicultural compo-
sition was recognized in 1992 in the Constitution whose second article claims that
the nation has a multicultural composition originally based on its indigenous
peoples (CIESAS, CGEIB-SEP, et al., 2014).
The recognition of cultural diversity and the need to incorporate the knowledge
and language of indigenous cultures has been considered in formal education only
in recent times. For the most part, the goal of formal education was to integrate and
assimilate those who spoke a language other than Spanish (Ferreiro, 1994). The
2006 educational reform noted the importance of considering the diversity of ways
of interpreting the world and how, in some cases, they [indigenous people] have
contributed to scientic development (for instance, herbalism), or indigenous
technological development which is benecial for communitiesrelationship with
the environment,(Barahona et al., 2014, p. 2261). Although textbooks have been
published in different indigenous languages and indicative texts for teachers have
been produced, there are very few materials that incorporate indigenous knowledge
or that propose concrete ways in which teachers could introduce indigenous
knowledge in the classroom (Ramírez Castañeda, 2006; García Franco, 2015).
Recognition of cultural diversity in science teaching is almost non-existent in
everyday practices in secondary education (Lazos Ramírez, 2015).
Diversity poses an enormous complexity when trying to characterize the state of
teaching evolution in México. In this chapter, a panorama of the state of teaching
evolution in the country will be presented. However, the need for considering an
intercultural dialogic education for the teaching of evolution will also be discussed
and reected upon. This approach is currently missing from the discussion of
education in the country.
Besides presenting general considerations about teaching evolution in Mexico,
when possible, two contrasting regions in the country will be analyzed in order to
exemplify similarities and differences that could be relevant for teaching and
learning about evolution. One is in the Northwestern part of the country: Monterrey
City, in Nuevo León state, is characterized by a development based on industrial
growth. The other is in Southeastern Mexico, the Mayan Highlands in the state of
Chiapas, which is one of the most culturally diverse places in the country with a
72% of the population being indigenous, particularly Tzeltal and Tsotsil. Most
people in this region are involved in subsistence agriculture and the region remains
fundamentally rural and non-industrialized.
Finally, it will be argued how teaching evolution in Mexico has not acknowl-
edged the diversity of cultural and socioeconomic contexts of the Mexican
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population. Teaching evolution has failed to articulate the fundamental ideas of
evolution with the different contexts in which they can become signicant. Some
ways in which biocultural diversity could be contemplated to the benet of teachers
and students will be considered.
6.1.1 Country Context
Mexico is a country of North America, with 1,960,668 km
2
of surface and more
than 119 million inhabitants (INEGI, 2015). The density of population is 61
inhabitants per km
2
, but the distribution of the population in the country is diverse.
There are 3 main cities with very high population density, for example Mexico City
considered among the second most populated city in the world, with 5900 persons
per square kilometer. The main language in Mexico is Spanish. Currently Mexico is
the country with the largest number of Spanish speakers in the world. However,
there are also 65 indigenous languages with 365 different variants, and it is con-
sidered the seventh country with the largest linguistic diversity in the world. Over
seven million people in Mexico speak an indigenous language (6.5% of the pop-
ulation). However, 24% consider themselves indigenous (INEGI, 2016).
The diversity in Mexico is recognized in the Constitution, whose second article
(reformed in 1992) states The Nation has a pluricultural composition based
originally in its indigenous people who descent from populations that inhabited the
current territory when colonization started, and that conserve their own social,
economic, cultural, and political institutions.
In Mexico, the religious composition is mainly Catholic, however those who
profess a religion other than the majority or do not have a belief are almost fteen
percent of the population and, for their classication, more than 250 religious
categories are needed (INEGI, 2010).
Mexico, is a secular country that contemplates a constitutional separation
between the State and the churches since the 19th century, but a strong link between
nationalism and Catholicism prevails (De la Torre and Gutiérrez, 2013).
The right to education is granted in the Mexican Constitution (article 3) that
states: Every individual has the right to receive education. The State - Federal,
State, Federal District and Municipalities - will provide preschool, primary, sec-
ondary and upper secondary education; shall be compulsory.The general Law
of education establishes three levels of education: basic, upper secondary and
higher education. The basic level is comprised of preschool, primary and sec-
ondary, serves children from 3 to 15 years old, and is certied by ofcial certicate.
By law, education in Mexico is secular and should exclude any religious doctrine; it
should be oriented by scientic progress and will ght against ignorance, fanaticism
and prejudices.
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6.2 Public Acceptance of Evolutionary Theory Within
the Countrys Social, Political, and Cultural Context
Darwins ideas about evolution were introduced in education in Mexico in 1875 by
Justo Sierra, who was a prominent educator and jurist (Moreno, 1989). From that
moment, these ideas were the subject of debate amongst biologists and philosophers
and were disseminated in the population. They also encountered opposition from
religious groups who tried to prevent such ideas from getting into education
(Comas, 2010).
However, the separation between the State and the Church that had been leg-
islated in the Laws of Reformin 1860 was fundamental to prevent that religious
ideas won the battle. Justo Sierra argued that scientic ideas should be taught
despite their differences with common sense, ideological or theological positions.
This debate was also important to disseminate evolutionary ideas for the public
(Barahona & Bonilla, 2009). In 1902 in the school dedicated to teacher preparation
(Normal de Maestros), the lecture of General Biology was created with an evolu-
tionary approach. A couple of years later the book Notions of Biologywas edited
and widely used by generations of biology teachers in the country.
Despite its early introduction in the country, when compared to other regions in
Latin America (Comas, 2010), the current situation is not very optimistic. In the
National Survey about Perception of Science and Technology (INEGI, 2013) in
which more than 40 million people were surveyed, a large number of Mexicans
(forty percent) did not agree with the statement Human beings are the product of
evolution from other animal species. The proportion of respondents is different
according to education and gender. For example, seventy three percent of women
with higher education agreed with the statement and twenty eight percent of women
without any education agreed with the statement.
In this same survey two statements were presented and people were asked to
determine which was valid: (1) Every living being, including human beings, plants
and animals have evolved through a process of natural selectionand (2) All living
beings were created by a supreme being (God). Forty percent of the population
answered that both were valid which speaks of the relation people nd between
evolution and a supreme being. In this same question, thirty four percent of
respondents (close to 14 million people) answered that the only valid statement was
that All living beings were created by a supreme being (God). Even though
twenty three percent of respondents consider evolutionary theories as valid; this
percentage is less than those who consider the creation of living beings by God.
In a different study undertaken by the National Autonomous University of
Mexico (UNAM) called Mexicans viewed by themselves, over fty percent of
respondents adhere to creationists ideas about the origin of life and the Universe,
whereas only forty were convinced that living beings have evolved over time. Even
between those who adhere to evolutionary theories, almost fty percent said that
evolutionary process is guided by a supreme being, whereas thirty percent
responded that biological evolution is explained by natural processes such as
104 A. A. Gómez Galindo et al.
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natural selection. More relevant for the present chapter, forty-seven percent con-
sidered that creationism should be taught in the schools, and only thirty percent
agreed that schools should teach evolutionary ideas (Ruiz, 2016).
When confronted with this panorama, one could think that the public acceptance
of evolutionary theory is not very high, and that such acceptance is related to the
acceptance of evolution being taught in schools. There is, however, a need to
undertake more systematic research and profound analysis of the reasons behind the
trends in survey responses.
The relevance of religious beliefs and their inuence on science learning is very
complex. It is necessary to acknowledge that science and religion are two different
realms of peoples lives. Within a pluralistic epistemology (Olivé,2009), different
sets of beliefs can coexist for any individual. However, the assumption that they do
not inuence one another is an oversimplication and a comfortable position that
ignores the complex ways in which religious beliefs and science interact in daily
life and in school (Taber, 2017a).
Diversity of beliefs in the classroom is something that should be considered
when teaching evolution. Just as an example of such diversity we will present a
brief analysis of the diversity of religious beliefs in Monterrey and in the Chiapas
highlands. In a country with 119.5 million inhabitants; more than 92 million are
self-reported as Catholic (77%) and only 5 million reports having no religion
(INEGI, 2010). But, as has been stated, the country is very diverse and this diversity
is also present in the ways in which religious ideas permeate society, culture and
even politics. In the State of Chiapas, the proportion of Catholics is lower than in
the whole country and only 58% of the population is reported as such (De la Torre
& Gutiérrez, 2013). In the Chiapas Highlands, where more than 70% of the pop-
ulation is indigenous, there is an ample diversity of religions including Pentecostal,
Protestant, Evangelical and Islam. Mexico, like other Latin American countries, has
experienced a steady decline in the percentage of Catholic population. There are
reforms of territorial hegemony at municipal scales that are signicant for under-
standing contemporary religious change. An example of this is that the 2010 census
detected 70 municipalities where Catholicism has come to occupy a place of reli-
gious minority; most of them are concentrated in the southeastern of the country,
predominantly in the state of Chiapas (43 out of 70) (De la Torre & Gutiérrez,
2013).
This change of religion has brought about new identities and ways of interacting
in society (Robledo Hernández & Cruz Burguete, 2005). It is worth mentioning that
there are many different versions of Catholicism and, in indigenous communities,
traditional (prehispanic) beliefs are highly intertwined with religious beliefs.
Lisbona Guillen (2013) has shown how even in large cities in Chiapas, the
indigenous presence is very relevant in form of last names, food and an intricate
array of festivities and social responsibilities related to religious creeds (particularly
Catholic). On the other hand, Monterrey is an industrial and business city with more
than 20 daily ights to the capital of the country and to the United States of
America and Europe. The state of Nuevo León reported 4.6 million inhabitants and
4 million as Catholic (87%).
6 Evolution Education in Mexico, Considering Cultural Diversity 105
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It should be expected that having such a different set of beliefs within one
classroom could impact the way in which evolutionary theory is learnt. These
differences, however, are not considered in the national curricula and teachers are
not prepared to deal or even consider how this diversity could be relevant for the
learning of their students (Lazos Ramírez, 2015).
6.3 The Existence and Extent of Inuence
of Anti-evolution Movements in the Country
The presence of anti-evolution movements in Mexico has not been documented
even though some researchers (Comas, 2010) state that groups of activists are
proposing creationist or intelligent design ideas as an alternative to explain origin,
diversity and adaptation of organisms and are looking for their introduction in
general education. However there is no formal registry of any demand of excluding
contents related to evolution.
Conservative movements of families (such as the National Union of Parents) have
paid more attention to sexual education and how it is incorporated into the curricula
than to evolutionary education. But even if there is no formal movement against
teaching evolution or in favor of excluding certain contents or including others, the
widely held religious beliefs could play an important role in the actual possibility of
teaching evolution to all students despite their religious creeds (Taber, 2017b).
Biocultural research has extensively probed the inextricable links between bio-
logical, linguistic and cultural diversity (Terralingua, 2014). There are signicant
correlations between regions of high biodiversity and areas or concentration of
human diversity (Oviedo, Maf& Larsen, 2000). Therefore, there is a need to
consider cultural differences as well as the different beliefs present in the classroom
in order to teach evolution in a relevant way.
6.4 Place of Evolutionary Theory in the Curriculum
Until 2013, only basic education (i.e. preschool, primary, and secondary) was
compulsory in Mexico. In 2013 a bill declaring upper secondary education (high
school) as compulsory, was passed by the Congress. However it has hardly become
a reality.
By 2015, practically all children aged 512 years were registered in school, an
age range that covers the nal year of preschool, primary and the rst year of
secondary education. From the age of 13, the enrolment rate begins to decline (from
ninety seven at 13 years of age to seventy three at 15, falling to eight at age 24)
(INEE, 2015). This suggests that, for more than a third of the population, knowl-
edge of evolutionary biology is limited to what is learnt until secondary school.
106 A. A. Gómez Galindo et al.
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This section focuses principally on biological evolution content in the curricu-
lum for secondary education. The secondary curriculum is the same for the whole
country. The complete cycle lasts three years and is normally studied by students
between the ages of 12 and 15 (SEP, 2011).
The way in which evolutionary content has been considered in the curricula has
changed over time. As a historical reference, in the 1970 reform, content dealing
with evolution in primary education changed from being a list of topics to being one
of the foci in the free textbook underpinned by the 1993 curriculum (Barahona &
Bonilla, 2009). This guideline was also, though not very successfully, included in
the 2006 curriculum. Currently, the primary and secondary school curricular con-
tent is a long way from being integrated into the perspective of evolutionary
biology.
The list of topics related to evolution in the current curriculum would seem to
respond more to what has been branded ofcial pedagogical rhetoric. This is also
applicable to the intercultural approach, which is neither part of nor related to the
evolutionary topics in this curriculum, but is to be found in the ofcial discourse. In
the curriculum, there is no connection between the basic ideas of evolution and the
distinct cultural contexts in which they can become meaningful.
There are good reasons for believing that evolutionary theory rarely reaches
classrooms in an appropriate form even when, to a greater or lesser extent, it has
been taken into account in curricular designs. This is partially due to the incon-
sistency between curricular changes and early and in-service teacher training. This
is in addition to the quantity and complexity of content in science subjects, which
have a scienticist focus that can lead to encyclopedism and rote memorization
(Candela et al., 2012).
While this section deals with the place of evolutionary theories in the curricu-
lum, sufce it to say that research efforts in Mexico point in essentially the same
direction as many others throughout the world as regards the difculties of learning
evolutionary concepts. Exactly the same results were obtained in two studies carried
out twelve years apart using similar instruments (Sánchez, 2000; Alvarez, 2015),
that is, poor learning on the part of secondary students in these subjects.
In both studies, the instruments used were multiple choice questionnaires that
covered problems relating to the origin of variation, its randomness with regard to
the needs of organisms, population changes over time resulting from natural
selection and the result they lead to (adaptation). The Sánchez study (op. cit.) aimed
at identifying `alternative conceptions` (in a sample of 90 students aged 1215) and
the Alvarez study (op. cit.) was guided by the concept of epistemological obstacles
that González Galli (2011) (in a sample of 194 students aged 1214). The results of
both authors show that, even after teaching, students predominantly opt for teleo-
logical thinking (that is, the assumption that things, including variation and evo-
lution, happen for a reason). Students should instead learn that evolutionary
phenomena do not revolve around predetermined purposes and that variation arises
at random (independently of the needs of the organisms and of the selective
pressures). Furthermore, in parallel with González Galli, Alvarez reported students
persistence in ideas centered around the individual (described in other studies as
6 Evolution Education in Mexico, Considering Cultural Diversity 107
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not thinking in terms of populations). As is well known, thinking in terms of
populations, rather than in terms of individuals, is essential for understanding
evolution. Finally, these studies also found that linear causal thinking is predomi-
nant in students (namely the assumption that all phenomena have a single cause
which operates in one single direction, for example, supposing that if an organism
needs certain traits, it obtains them). Here, students need to be helped to understand
that evolutionary phenomena are complex, usually have multiple causes, and
involve, moreover, probability and chance. Associated with this, biological evo-
lution frequently presents situations where there are reciprocal rather than unidi-
rectional effects, for example, when the environment inuences the organisms, and
in turn these inuence the environment.
In the two studies carried out at normal state schools in Mexico cited above,
studentsaverage grade was under 5 in the rst case, and 5 in the second (both on a
scale of 10). This suggests that the curricular changes implemented between 2000
and 2012 did not lead to improved learning of biological evolution.
The current curriculum includes one natural science subject per year in sec-
ondary school: biology in the rst year, physics in the second and chemistry in the
third. This means that, for those who do not go beyond secondary education, this is
the only opportunity they will have to learn about biological evolution.
Additionally, this knowledge, which has transformed our way of seeing the world,
life, and humankind, will not be studied by high school students for more than
another two years.
In science I (emphasizing Biology), there is specic evolutionary biology con-
tent and the Teachers Guide stresses its importance. However, in at least one of the
frequently used free textbooks endorsed by the SEP (Limón et al., 2016) what is
emphasized is the description of adaptive traits, which is a long way from including
the evolutionary approach, lacking from the course content (Barahona et al., 2014).
To convey an evolutionary approach, course content would have to be directed
towards explaining how characteristics are acquired by species, and clarify the
historical process of interaction between the inheritable variation and natural
selection that produced them. In other words, it would be necessary to understand
the scientic model that explains adaptation and teach the cases that illustrate it in
the classroom.
In the secondary school curriculum, there are notable inconsistencies between
stated aims and evolutionary biology content. The model of evolution by inheritable
variation and natural selection is, of course, fundamental knowledge and is related
to events in daily life, as recognized in the Teachers Guide (1, 2010). The problem
is that no guidance is given on how it should be taught. What is needed when
explaining adaptation is a rigorous, sufcient and coherent selection of knowledge.
Similarly, it is necessary to teach the updated, theoretically contextualized
Darwinian model, which implies awareness of, its scope and its limits, as well as
pointing out that further models exist to explain other evolutionary phenomena
(Alvarez, 2015; Alvarez & Ruiz, 2015).
Despite the importance of variation as a universal characteristic of living beings
and crucial for understanding evolution, it is scarcely mentioned in the content.
108 A. A. Gómez Galindo et al.
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Without acquiring an understanding of individual differences, there is little chance
of understanding evolution. The concept of variation is particularly relevant in a
country as megadiverse as Mexico and is linked to the immediate environment. It
should be important to recognize that humans, as well as all other living beings
have the property of being different in each one of their traits, one of which is
culture. As long as the human species is part of biodiversity, cultural diversity (with
its emergent characteristics) is part as well. This relation, which is absent in the
current curriculum is particularly relevant in Mexico as well as in other countries
such as Mexico, Indonesia, India, Australia, Zaire and Brazil where there is a strong
correlation between cultural and biological diversity (Loa et al., 1998; Oviedo et al.,
2000).
In short, what the secondary education curriculum lacks is an evolutionary focus;
the content includes evolutionary biology concepts, but these have no structure.
There is a lack of linking elements in the curriculum from one school year to the
next creating obstacles for the consolidation of the scant content related to evolu-
tionary biology at primary school (children from 6 to 12). If this content were
suitably selected and focused, it could provide the foundation for acquiring fun-
damental knowledge of evolutionary biology in secondary school. The
subject-based curricular approach in these two school cycles hinders the progres-
sion of learning, a deciency that extends into high school.
In addition to the above, the curricular content related to biological evolution
does not take into account the contextual mosaic that epitomizes Mexico, pointing
in the opposite direction to the intercultural dialogical educational approach that
such a biologically and culturally diverse country requires.
As mentioned at the beginning of this section, secondary education has a
national curriculum. At the same time, as Mexico is a megadiverse country in
biological and cultural terms, the universality of scientic knowledge and every
citizens right to learn about this portion of humankinds inheritance goes hand in
hand with the right to recognize, value and ponder the traditional knowledge of the
indigenous peoples. This diversity could be considered as an asset and could be
used to explain evolution and to contextualize its relevance in terms of phenomena
that are familiar and relevant for students, particularly for those whose culture is
alien to science. But this is yet to be achieved.
6.5 Emphasis Given to Evolutionary Theory in Biology
Teacher Education Program
In Mexico, initial teacher training (for pre-school, primary and secondary school) is
undertaken in Escuelas Normales that can be public or private. These schools are
oriented by the National Program of Teacher Education of the Education Ministry
(SEP).
6 Evolution Education in Mexico, Considering Cultural Diversity 109
agomez@cinvestav.mx
In secondary school, besides the teachers graduated from Escuelas Normales,
anyone who holds a bachelor degree can become teacher. Science teachers can be
biologist, chemists, physicists, doctors, engineers, amongst others. The National
Institute for the Evaluation of Education (INEE) estimates that forty of the total
population of teachers (139,366) was educated in a university. These teachers do
not have any kind of initial teacher training.
The curriculum for teacherseducation is national and is related to the study
programs that have been described previously in the chapter. This curriculum does
not consider cultural and socioeconomic diversity present in the country.
In this national curriculum, in preschool level there are two courses that cover
some elements for teaching evolution: Living beingsand Biodiversity as proof
for evolution(SEP, 2012a).
Something similar happens for primary teachers. In the study programs, there are
two courses that cover elements for teaching evolution, including the subjects:
Environment and Ecosystems,Recognition of ecosystems, and Ecology and
Biodiversity(SEP, 2012b). Contents related to evolution are introduced as anec-
dotes doing very little to contribute to the construction of biological knowledge
articulated by theoretical-evolutive knowledge (Taber, 2017a).
In primary and secondary teacher education programs, evolutionary theory and
its teaching are approached supercially with a hands-onapproach centered only
on phenomena and with little relation to theoretical underpinnings (for example,
environment and ecosystems issues are exemplied but not related with evolu-
tionary ideas, something similar happens with ecology and biodiversity). In sec-
ondary teacherseducation, there is a dense theoretical conceptual approach that
does not leave room to contextualize examples or to introduce studentsand local
knowledge (SEP, 2012c). Even in the specialization for biology teaching, evolution
is considered very simplied as an opening theme, as an historical anecdote as has
been found in other countries (Taber, 2017b). This does not allow that knowledge
about evolutionary biology is integrated as a focus to explain speciestransfor-
mation through time.
In teacher education, evolution does not have a transversal integrative structure
that allows to comprehend evolution as a perspective to teach biology in every
educational level. In the curricular content, the description of the proximal causes
(physiological, morphological, etc.) do not incorporate distal causes, such as evo-
lutionary ones, related to variability and natural selection, adaptation, phylogeny,
etc. (Mayr, 1998).
Teacher education in Mexico does not have a diversied proposal that considers
cultural diversity and different socioeconomic contexts. There is not even a mention
for teachers to articulate disciplinary knowledge and studentsevery day and
communitarian lives. Indigenous or local knowledge is left out of the school, and
practices such as articial selection of maize and of different vegetables are not
even considered. This knowledge could be readily related to teaching evolution that
would add more signicant content since it is associated to the daily life of
indigenous populations (García Franco & Gómez Galindo, 2015).
110 A. A. Gómez Galindo et al.
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Currently in all the country, there is only one Escuela Normal which is
indigenous, intercultural and bilingual. It is located in the Zinacantán municipality
in the state of Chiapas. This Escuela Normal was the result of a struggle of a group
of teachers convinced that it was necessary to strengthen and reassess the linguistic
and cultural diversity of the native peoples in order to construct a national citi-
zenship that considers the contributions of the indigenous people (Baronet, 2008).
But even in this kind of teachersschool, there is no clear articulation between local
and scientic knowledge.
Teaching evolution in a different way would require an articulation of efforts in
order to explain evolutionary processes, how these were developed and how can
they explain phenomena relevant for studentsdaily life.
6.6 Biology TeachersAttitudes Towards Teaching
Evolutionary Theory
Science teachersattitudes, in general, have received scarce attention in empirical
studies in Mexico. Specically, Mexican biology teachersattitudes towards
teaching the theory of evolution remains as a theme to be investigated despite the
introduction of the evolutionary perspective in the science curriculum for ele-
mentary education since 1993 (Barahona & Bonilla, 2009).
This section offers the preliminary ndings of our own effort to start exploring
teachersacceptance of the theory of evolution and their attitudes towards teaching
evolution. Assuming that the acceptance of the theory of evolution is the basis for a
positive attitude towards teaching evolution, the aim was to explore both aspects
and look for relationships between them. In consequence, the MATE instrument
(Rutledge & Warden, 1999) was chosen as a research instrument. It consists of 20
Likert scale items which explore acceptance of (a) process of evolution, (b) scien-
tic validity of evolutionary theory, (c) evolution of humans, (d) evidence of
evolution, (e) scientic communitys views of evolution and (f) age of the Earth.
The MATE instrument was translated into Spanish to be used with Mexican pop-
ulation and this version validity and reliability is investigated in a larger ongoing
study. Additionally, 12 items more were developed to specically address attitudes
towards teaching evolution. Consequently, the questionnaire ended up with 32
items.
This survey was taken by 43 secondary Biology teachers in the context of a
diploma course on science teaching competencies in which one of the authors of
this chapter participated during November 2016 in Monterrey, Nuevo León. In
Chiapas, there was not a similar opportunity because occasions for teacher prepa-
ration are scarcer and the work that two of the authors were doing was with a
handful of teachers. This situation is also representative of the diversity of condi-
tions in the country.
6 Evolution Education in Mexico, Considering Cultural Diversity 111
agomez@cinvestav.mx
Participant teachers were practicing teachers from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. They
were 18 males and 25 females, aged 2357, all working in state secondary schools.
They had between 1 and 35 years of teaching experience. Concerning their aca-
demic background, 16 teachers held a rst degree in education from teachers
colleges, 14 hold a rst degree from a university, 12 teachers held a masters degree
and one had a doctorate.
In this pilot study of the 32-item instrument, data analysis sought statistical
evidence on the discriminative power of the items, which could tell us about the
validity of the questionnaire as a research instrument. For this purpose, t tests were
performed with SPSS v.14. Data were also processed statistically to identify pat-
terns and tendencies in teachersresponses. The frequencies of teachersresponses
to the MATE items and the ones regarding acceptance of the teaching of evolution
were obtained.
In our adaptation of the MATE instrument, the original Likert scale responses
(strongly agree, agree, undecided, disagree and strongly disagree) were conserved.
The items designed to explore attitudes towards teaching evolution followed the
same response format and were the following:
21. I include examples and ideas related to evolution in my classes.
22. Evolution is a complex theme for students, only natural selection should be taught.
23. It is convenient to teach about evolution in pre-school education.
24. Studying evolution helps my students to understand natural processes and phenomena.
25. I avoid examples and ideas related to evolution in my classes
26. It is convenient to teach about evolution in primary education.
27. Evolution is an accessible theme for students, any aspect of it can be taught
28. Teaching evolution and my religious beliefs enter in contradiction.
29. Teaching evolution should be excluded in education to children and teenagers.
30. Studying evolution does not help my students to understand natural processes and
phenomena.
31. Learning evolution and my studentsreligious beliefs enter in contradiction
32. It is convenient to teach about evolution in secondary education.
The item analysis indicated that 17 of 20 items of MATE in their Spanish
version had adequate discrimination power (t test, p< 0.05), this suggest that
teachers who obtain the higher scores and the lowest scores respond differently to
the items. Concerning the additional items about attitudes towards teaching evo-
lution, only one item obtained a non-signicant t-test. Therefore, our comments on
the tendencies in teachersresponses should be taken as preliminary.
Teachersscores in the MATE items were grouped into categories of acceptance
as suggested by Rutledge and Sadler (2007). Teachers tended to obtain high scores
indicating that 32 out of 43 showed high or very high acceptance of the theory of
evolution (Fig. 6.1).
112 A. A. Gómez Galindo et al.
agomez@cinvestav.mx
When teachersscores in items regarding teaching evolution were grouped, it
was also noticed that most teachers (27 out of 43) reported to hold positive attitudes
towards teaching this theme (Fig. 6.2).
These preliminary ndings indicate that most teachers tended to show moderate,
high or very high acceptance of the theory of evolution. Similarly, most of them
hold from moderate to high acceptance of teaching evolution. Therefore, at least in
these preliminary ndings, teachers in the sample tended to accept evolution theory
and its teaching showing no major conict in these two aspects.
Teachersattitudes towards evolution theory and its teaching may be considered
of high relevance from a research perspective. However, it must be acknowledged
that for Mexican teachersevolution is one curriculum theme among so many
Fig. 6.1 Frequencies in categories of acceptance corresponding to responses to 20 items of the
MATE instrument
Fig. 6.2 Frequencies in categories of acceptance corresponding to responses to 12 items
regarding teaching of evolution
6 Evolution Education in Mexico, Considering Cultural Diversity 113
agomez@cinvestav.mx
others. Much more controversy has arisen in the Mexican educational context from
themes related to human sexual reproduction and the use of contraceptives. Despite
this, it can be argued that teachersattitudes towards the theory of evolution and its
teaching deserves more research since evolution is intended to be a central axis of
biology curriculum.
6.7 Suggestions to Improve Evolution Education
in Mexico
There is a clear need to encourage research on the public acceptance of evolutionary
theory and especially of teachers as has been made evident throughout this chapter.
The exploratory study that has been presented here shows that teachers have a high
acceptance of the theory and seem to be willing to teach it in their classrooms.
However, we need larger efforts to make sense of the reasons behind teachers
responses as well as to extend the inquiry to include teachers from other states and
diverse educational contexts.
The analysis of the national curriculum (for teachers and for students) identies
two large areas that would need to be reformed to improve the teaching of evolution
in the country. On one hand is the way in which content related to the theories of
evolution is presented. Our analysis shows that both to prepare students and to
prepare teachers evolution is presented as a list of concepts that would need to be
covered and these concepts are just some amongst a list of many others. To improve
understanding and application of evolutionary ideas, these should be incorporated
more articulately in teacher preparation. There should be a consideration of learning
progressions that acknowledges the previous knowledge required to understand and
construct theoretical models used to explain phenomena. The curricula for teacher
education should also establish the relation between these models and the way they
are introduced and constructed in the classroom. There is no need to include more
concepts into the list, but a need to elaborate a more integrated approach that is
consistent with the biologists view of evolution being in the center of under-
standing every phenomenon, as well as integrate different school levels.
On the other hand, there is a concern with the idea of using a national curriculum
that has no correspondence with the cultural diversity that characterizes this
country. This monolithic view of the curriculum has been nuanced in the political
discourse with the introduction of an intercultural approach. However, even when
textbooks have been translated to different indigenous languages and orientative
texts have been created, the objectives and ideals of an intercultural education are
yet to be realized (García Segura, 2004), an education that considers people
knowledge and concerns, and establish relations with the curriculum. This does not
mean there are not individual efforts in different parts of the country, but science
teaching and teaching evolution have not been the focus of research.
114 A. A. Gómez Galindo et al.
agomez@cinvestav.mx
The way in which evolution should be taught to indigenous students, using what
examples, and from what perspectives is inscribed in a pluralist epistemology
(Olivé,2009), according to which the diversity of ways of understanding the world
should be understood in every context. A diverse country such as Mexico has a
number of contexts and examples in which evolution is relevant and could be used
to understand biological and cultural diversity. In order to construct a truly inter-
cultural education, we would need to incorporate voices other than scientistsand
academicsthat could have a perspective on what is relevant in the classrooms, the
problems that need to be understood, and to what ends. In this case, the theoretical
proposal cannot precede experience; rather it should be co-constructed incorpo-
rating indigenous voices both regarding educational policies as well as ways in
which these policies get enacted in the classrooms.
Teachersin Mexico seem to have relatively high acceptance of evolutionary
theory and its teaching, which could mean that there is fertile ground to propose and
enact ways of teaching evolution more consistent with the current understanding of
evolution and that consider the diversity of contexts. There is, however, a need to
undertake studies that recognize differences between teachers in different parts of
the country.
Incorporating different voices into the discussion and considering cultural dif-
ferences could not be done within the framework of a national curriculum that
dictates that every student regardless of their interests and the place they inhabit
should know exactly the same. The reform of national curriculum in progress in
Mexico is a great opportunity to consider these ideas. Evolution is one of the tenets
of humankind, a theory that explains the current diversity and some ways in which
it could be preserved, but in order to make it relevant for the diverse lives of
teachers and students, the contextualization of ideas needs to become a reality.
Acknowledgements This work was supported by grants SEP/SEB 2013, No. 231425 and SEP/
SEB 2014-01, No. 240192 by Conacyt, Mexico.
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Alma Adrianna Gómez Galindo is lecturer-researcher in the Center for Research and Advanced
Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute (Cinvestav) in Monterrey, México. She has a degree
as teacher of early childhood education, is a marine biologist and has a PhD in didactics of science.
She performs qualitative research on biology education, focusing in teaching - learning sequences
for modeling by using multimodal representations and analogies. Her current projects include the
analysis of dialogic perspectives for teaching evolution in cultural diversity contexts and
developing of learning progressions for central models in biology to guide learning from
kindergarten to middle school.
6 Evolution Education in Mexico, Considering Cultural Diversity 117
agomez@cinvestav.mx
Alejandra García Franco is a Chemical Engineer and has a PhD in Pedagogy from the National
Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She is a teacher-researcher at the Autonomous
Metropolitan University Cuajimalpa. She is interested in intercultural scientic education and
has collaborated for education projects with indigenous people in Mexico. She is also interested in
chemistry learning and the design of teaching learning sequences for teacher training.
María Teresa Guerra-Ramos is a lecturer-researcher in Educational Psychology and Biology
Education at the Center of Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav), Monterrey Unit; located in
the North-East region of Mexico. She teaches master and doctoral level courses in collaboration
with academic programs within Cinvestav around the country. Her research interest is focused on
teachers´representations of scientists and scientic activity, the development of teaching
competences, features of discourse in Biology teaching-learning interactions and collaboration
among teachers and researchers for pedagogical innovation.
Eréndira Alvarez Pérez is a Full Professor in the Science Faculty of the National Autonomous
University of Mexico (UNAM). It is biologist, Master of Science (in education and history of
biology) and a PhD in biological sciences. It conducts research and teaching in the didactics of
evolutionary biology, focusing on the generation of didactic resources in this eld. Her current
projects include dialogue between disciplines and research approaches to address the teaching and
learning of fundamental knowledge of evolutionary biology throughout the educational system.
Joséde la Cruz Torres Frías has a PhD in Education and is currently a postdoctoral fellow in
didactics of science in the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav) of the
Polytechnic Institute Nacional-Unidad Monterrey, Mexico. He is a member of the National System
of Researchers in Mexico. Current lines of research: 1) training for research in higher education
and postgraduate courses, 2) In-service science teacherstraining in primary and secondary school.
118 A. A. Gómez Galindo et al.
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... Para Kato y Kawasaki (2011), el término contextualización deriva do latín "contextu" que significa el encadenamiento de ideas de un texto, es decir, la forma como están vinculadas las ideas entre sí a diferentes partes de un todo organizado. Sin embargo, está contextualización dentro del aula no siempre ocurre y eso puede deberse a la restricción de los profesores para lidiar con la diversidad cultural presente en los espacios escolares, incluidos los recursos que utilizan para sus clases, como es el caso de los libros de texto (Lazos-Ramírez, 2015; García-Franco & Lazos-Ramírez, 2016; Gómez-Galindo, García-Franco, Guerra-Ramos, Álvarez-Pérez, & Torres-Frías, 2018). Los profesores, no están acostumbrados a analizar si en los contenidos de los libros de texto existen posibilidades de contextualización, tanto en el universo sociocultural de la ciencia, como en los universos socioculturales de los estudiantes. ...
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... No México, dois problemas fundamentais ao ensino de evolução foram observados por Galindo et al (2018). O primeiro foi a falta de transversalidade na abordagem do tema, dentro da biologia, sendo tratado mais como uma lista de conceitos, ao invés de um eixo organizador da área; a evolução não seria compreendida porque o currículo na formação de professores não seria abrangente o suficiente, nem detalhado o suficiente. ...
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Os temas da origem da vida e evolução biológica são fundamentais no ensino da biologia, contudo nem sempre são apreendidos pelos estudantes, havendo ainda permanência de explicações religiosas para fenômenos naturais. Este artigo apresenta resultados de investigação realizada em duas escolas públicas, uma federal e outra estadual. Comparou-se as representações sociais dos alunos acerca da origem e diversidade da vida, fontes percebidas pelos próprios estudantes como influentes de suas percepções e as estruturas físicas e pedagógicas das instituições. As representações sociais dos estudantes foram identificadas com uso da técnica do DSC, Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo, a partir da coleta de suas respostas a um questionário. Os resultados mostraram que os estudantes da escola federal apresentaram discurso mais ancorado em explicações científicas para origem e diversidade da vida. Essa escola apresenta maior carga horária, maior variedade de experiências de aprendizagem relacionadas ao estudo do tema e seus alunos percebiam sua escola como principal referência para sua compreensão dos fenômenos evolutivos da vida. Os alunos da escola estadual expressaram discurso com maior ancoragem em explicações religiosas, a escola apresentava menor carga horária e bem menor variedade de experiências de aprendizagem relacionadas à teoria evolutiva. Esses alunos tinham sua religião como referência importante na construção de sua visão do tema, sendo a escola menos lembrada. Embora ambos os grupos investigados tenham em seu perfil cultural a presença de crenças religiosas, os resultados apontam para a presença da qualidade de ensino da escola como determinante da compreensão e aceitação das explicações cientificas pelos estudantes.
... In Mexico, Gómez Galindo et al. (2018) showed that evolution is not considered as a transversal approach in the biology curriculum but as a topic necessary to be covered. They also provided details on the presence of a national curriculum that does not explicitly address cultural diversity and disregard the diverse backgrounds of the students. ...
Thesis
Evolution is recognized as the first and most contentious topic in biology classrooms across the world, and misconceptions and non-scientific notions about this science content area proliferate in the academe. As the prominence of online learning increases to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and disruptions to teaching and learning, resources to support online learning are necessary, and they will remain so even after the pandemic. This study aimed to develop and validate a nature of science-based online course in evolution by natural selection for tenth grade junior high school students. In developing and validating the online course, the ADDIE instructional model was used, which comprises the following major parts: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The science teacher validators evaluated the quality of the online course after its development. Besides, the tenth-grade junior high school students evaluated the classroom climate in the online course and described their perceptions of how the online course supported their learning of evolution by natural selection. The results showed that science teacher validators considered the quality of pedagogies, resources, and delivery strategies of the online course acceptable. Moreover, the videos and informative content made it easy for the students to understand the occurrence of evolution. The online course also helped the students to accept evolution based on numerous pieces of supporting evolutionary evidence and information, and the notion of compatibility between science and religion. While most students recommended no changes for the online course, some of them suggested more time for online discussion. Other students recommended more learning materials, engaging activities, and information to improve the online course. Furthermore, the online course generated a positive classroom climate among students. All the tenth-grade junior high school students also reported a positive learning experience and described it as educational and manageable.
... Nonetheless, with evaluating the evidence and the significant role of a Christian professor who convinced them to accept evolution, they shifted their standpoint. In Mexico, a Catholic-majority and secular state, Galindo et al. (2018) reported an average level of public acceptance of evolution. Although there was no official anti-evolution policy recorded, public acceptance was not at a high level. ...
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Indonesia is a religious country that values local wisdom and customs. Although the characteristics of the Indonesian people may provide novel insight into and distinguished views on the theory of evolution by natural selection, few studies have explored how Indonesians view the theory of biological evolution. Thus, this study aimed to examine the views on evolution of undergraduate students and their professors majoring in biology education. A multiple-case approach was used as the method of this study. Three pre-service biology teachers and three biology education professors were interviewed. The interview results revealed that the six participants embraced creationism without accepting the theory of evolution by natural selection. One intriguing result was that Indonesian professors in this sample tended to see no conflict between evolution and religion. Instead, they believed in seeking harmonization by compartmentalizing evolution and religion. The participants connected their views to the current state of the science curriculum that embraced the idea of harmonization between science and religion. In addition, four categories were found in terms of how the participants approached evolution acceptance and its relation to religion. How the participants negotiated the dilemma between evolution and personal or cultural values is discussed, and suggestions for teaching and learning evolution are presented.
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This work presents some reflections about indigenous education in Mexico with emphasis on scientific education. We present results of empirical work with indigenous teachers in the State of Guerrero in Mexico in the zone of ‘La Montaña’, a region where 72% of the population is indigenous. We point out to the complexity that lies in teachers’ education and to some elements that need to be considered more specifically when designing and implementing teachers’ preparation programs.RESUMENEl presente trabajo presenta algunas reflexiones respecto al panorama de la educación indígena en México, haciendo énfasis en la enseñanza de las ciencias naturales en la educación primaria y algunos resultados de un trabajo que se llevó a cabo con profesores indígenas en la zona de La Montaña en el Estado de Guerrero, en México. Se muestra la complejidad que implica la formación docente de maestros para escuelas indígenas y se apuntan algunos elementos que es necesario considerar de manera específica.
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We present the theoretical foundations of a teaching learning sequence that aims to relate cultural aspects of the production of maize with models of evolution. Using a pluralistic framework and a cognitive model of science we propose ways in which local indigenous knowledge and scientific knowledge can establish a dialogic space in which different aspects of the same phenomena can be explained. This allows recognizing and valuing the local knowledge in school. Such knowledge is the foundation of the diversity that is currently found in maize in the country and that is rapidly eroding. Hence we aim to foster students' cultural identities and contribute to their preparation to live in a world where science and technology is every time more present. The sequence includes specific dialogic spaces and the introduction of different aspects of models and modelling. Overall the design of this sequence, contributes to the global debate on culturally relevant science materials and pedagogy.
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This chapter considers the difficulties of effectively teaching about evolution – a topic that cannot be sensibly omitted from any authentic science or biology curriculum. There are a number of features of natural selection that make teaching this topic challenging for teachers. Some of these features are similar to problems in teaching other ‘difficult’ science topics and relate to the intellectual challenge students face in learning about abstract and counterintuitive ideas. Learning about evolution by natural selection is problematic because it only fully makes sense once a range of different ideas can be coordinated into a complex scheme. The notion may seem counterintuitive to many learners because they lack direct experience of the time scales over which natural selection occurs, and their experience of the world generally reflects discrete and quite distinct species. Additionally, there are particular challenges in teaching evolution in contexts where community norms are to actively deny the science and oppose its teaching in schools and colleges. All teachers of evolutionary theory will face the first set of challenges, but for those working in particular countries or areas, there will be the additional problem of being asked to teach something that some students find morally objectionable.
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This chapter considers the relationship between science and religion and how this might impact on teaching and learning science. Whilst the teaching of scientific ideas about human origins to some student populations is recognised as a potential area of contention, there is a deeper underlying tension between different understandings of the nature of science and the worldview commitments of many of those holding religious faiths. Just as there are many religions and diverse traditions within major world religions such as Christianity and Islam, there are also different ways of understanding the nature (and in particular, the limits) of science. The core set of scientific values generally adopted by members of the scientific community is not inherently contrary to the worldviews of most learners from many religious traditions. There is more scope for conflict when science is understood to imply additional ‘scientistic’ commitments that see the supernatural as denied by science rather than – as the term itself suggests – being outside the range of application of natural science. Teaching that is perceived to be adopting such extra-scientific metaphysical commitments may be perceived as excluding students with religious beliefs regardless of whether or not they are open to considering scientific accounts of origins.
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El modelo científico de evolución por variación y selección natural (mevsen) se ha consolidado como paradigma de la biología contemporánea porque cuenta con evidencias contundentes de diversas disciplinas. Dada la validación científica que tienen los conocimientos evolutivos fundamentales y las implicaciones filosóficas y prácticas de éstos en la vida contemporánea, son imprescindibles en la alfabetización científica de todos los ciudadanos, por lo que es necesario y relevante definir qué enseñar en cada grado escolar. El proyecto consiste en generar un modelo para definir y precisar conocimientos fundamentales de biología evolutiva; en concordancia con dicho modelo, construir una unidad didáctica rigurosa, actualizada, suficiente y factible para enseñar y aprender el mevsen en educación secundaria; ponerla a prueba en una escuela pública de México; calibrarla en función de los resultados obtenidos; y ponerla a disposición para probarse en diferentes contextos escolares. La investigación se llevó a cabo con el enfoque “Núcleos problemáticos en didáctica” (NUP), el cual es original en tanto agrupa, relaciona y sistematiza dificultades de diferente naturaleza que se presentan al enseñar y aprender biología evolutiva, con el objeto de identificar las fuentes de origen de los problemas que se conjugan en la interacción didáctica y, en consecuencia, orientar posibles soluciones. El NUP se relaciona con el enfoque de obstáculos epistemológicos planteado por González Galli (2011) para el caso de la didáctica de la biología evolutiva. El modelo y la Unidad didáctica “entretejiendo pensamiento evolutivo” derivada de éste, consisten en: • Seleccionar conocimientos fundamentales del modelo de evolución por variación y selección natural a partir de criterios epistemológicos e históricos de biología evolutiva, pedagógicos, didácticos y sociales. • Diseñar un sistema teórico, metodológico e instrumental para articular: o Generación de actividades, recursos didácticos (entre los que resaltan un texto dirigido a los profesores y otro dirigido a los alumnos) e instrumentos de evaluación. o Dirección de un proceso de formación docente. o Establecimiento de puentes entre: el modelo a enseñar, los resultados de investigación en didáctica de biología evolutiva, la experiencia docente de la que suscribe y de los profesores de educación secundaria que participaron en el proyecto. Para probar la propuesta se llevó a cabo intervención didáctica en una escuela secundaria pública de la Ciudad de México, D. F. en el ciclo escolar 2012, con los alumnos de 1er. Grado (entre 12 y 14 años de edad); se realizó un diagnóstico que consistió en la aplicación de cuestionarios diseñados para registrar las respuestas de los alumnos antes y después de la instrucción convencional. La propuesta se aplicó al finalizar el año escolar en cuatro grupos de trabajo y se recabó información de dos grupos de la misma escuela que fungieron como control. En la intervención didáctica, se siguió el modelo de pareja pedagógica (profesores titulares de los grupos e investigadora responsable del proyecto); se aplicaron cuestionarios pre y post intervención y se compararon los resultados para valorar el efecto de la propuesta en la espiral didáctica del mevsen. Los resultados obtenidos con los instrumentos diseñados para este fin, aplicados en cuatro momentos del ciclo escolar, muestran diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los grupos control y los grupos experimentales, a favor de éstos últimos. Con base en estos resultados, puede estimarse que la propuesta fue factor de mejora en las respuestas de los alumnos que recibieron la intervención didáctica. En tanto la Unidad didáctica “entretejiendo pensamiento evolutivo” que se diseñó y probó en esta investigación se circunscribe el enfoque de investigación e intervención “Núcleos problemáticos en didáctica” (NUP), los resultados también apuntan a favor de éste, ya que con sólo 3 horas aproximadas de trabajo con los alumnos en el aula, sus respuestas muestran avance en la espiral de aprendizaje de conocimientos fundamentales de biología evolutiva. A partir del análisis de los resultados y a la luz de los marcos teóricos, se presentan reflexiones y ajustes para perfeccionar la propuesta y se plantean preguntas clave para investigaciones futuras.
Chapter
Science is one of the main attributes of the contemporary world and, more than any other human activity, characterizes the current period from previous centuries. Great advances in the field of science and technology deeply influence natural and social processes. There has been a worldwide recognition of the role of science in modern societies, along with an urgent need to move towards more and better scientific education, particularly in developing countries. It becomes fundamental to modify the current education system regarding science and technology in countries like Mexico, where a cornerstone has been the inclusion of the reflections that historical and philosophical studies have produced in the last three decades. This article discusses the importance of recent history and philosophy of science studies for science education in Mexico. The educational reforms in 1993 and 2006 acknowledge the advances in science teaching in basic education (elementary and junior high schools) as well as the inclusion of history and philosophy of science in official curricula.