Comments | academics_anon: Teaching is fun!

capthek in academics_anon

Teaching is fun!

Jan 26, 2009 18:39

Just a tidbit ( Read more... )

Comments 46

roseofjuly January 27 2009, 01:14:29 UTC

Some conservative Christians (well, I'll say some Christians) do accept that evolution is a possibility. I remember my mom shocking me one time saying that she believed evolution could have been God's way of creating Earth's species.

The way that one of my teachers eventually dealt with it (this was high school biology) was that even if we (his students in Bible belt GA) did not believe in evolution, this is the accepted model for human existence (and all living existence) on Earth and that we had to work within the system for now. If we wanted to challenge the theory, then we were welcome to become biologists and challenge it through our own research later, but we had to at least learn the theories in order to discourse with them. I don't think most of the class bought it but it shut me up long enough until I stopped believing in God altogether, lol, and they stopped complaining about his evolution assignments.

lo8a January 27 2009, 01:35:17 UTC

My favorite religion-based response to this debate has always been a Christian friend's saying: "evolution is intelligent design".

knut_hamson January 27 2009, 01:19:10 UTC

At what point in your students' education are they taught how to be more rigorous and find sources that are not biased. That is, whose job is it to teach them these skills?

gangur January 27 2009, 01:20:44 UTC

Good question.

capthek January 27 2009, 01:28:05 UTC

Me and this semester. We just got started though and I was wondering how to be kinder about it and who has gone through similar experiences.

tiltedsideways January 27 2009, 01:32:53 UTC

At my university, it is every instructor's job. That way a few of them might actually get it before they graduate!

Thread 5

gangur January 27 2009, 01:20:29 UTC

Perhaps having strict guidelines for sources detailed in the syllabus? Peer reviewed only?

capthek January 27 2009, 01:30:28 UTC

I did it. I also tell them to not plagiarize, but they do. Just looking for extra steps here, not the basics.

kriz1818 January 27 2009, 01:34:55 UTC

I agree with several other responses - emphasize the need to utilize and engage with the mainstream research/sources, which are the current standard for studies of evolution.

"Great ways" to talk with them ... umm, no. I remember reading somebody's account of the rib thing, though - a lot of literalists apparently have been told men are short one rib, because G-d took one to make Eve. That at least allows discussion of Lamarkian vs. Darwininan evolution.

margaret_yakoda January 27 2009, 02:08:07 UTC

And there is some evidence for Lamarkian evolution, so that might be a way of bringing in the concept of non-Darwinian, while still strictly adhering to the scientific method.

capthek January 27 2009, 02:39:33 UTC

That's a good way to bridge the gaps, thanks.

themikado January 27 2009, 02:13:10 UTC

I was told that at (Catholic) primary school. I literally only found out last year that it wasn't true. I'd never thought to check.

Note to self: always look at the data...

Thread 7

tiltedsideways January 27 2009, 01:37:57 UTC

Part of the problem is that they do not recognize bias, especially if the source is biased towards their own point of view. Re-emphasize the use of peer-reviewed sources--perhaps even give them a list of journals and publishers, and state that any other source needs to be cleared with you.