Examination of Preservice Teachers’ Perceptions about Evolution Course

Abstract

This is a study that explored 117 Turkish preservice science teachers’ views about evolution course. The data for the study were collected through a questionnaire that has open-ended questions. The preservice science teachers answered the questions by filling out the questionnaire at the beginning and end of the evolution course. Most of the preservice science teachers stated that they had many misconceptions and prejudice about the theory of evolution before taking this course. However, after taking it, they noticed that the theory of evolution is not only about human ancestors but it is related to all living things. Another important result of this study, as they have stated many times, evolution was a very interesting theory for them, and since meeting the theory, they had been asking too many questions to themselves and wondering and doing lots of research on it. All these results of this study show that evolution course was successful in engaging the preservice science teachers in evolution and enhancing their learning.