A review of research instruments assessing levels of student acceptance of evolution

Abstract

Darwin’s theory of evolution by means of natural selection, called evolution for short, is perceived as a unifying theme in biology, forming a major part of all biology syllabuses. It is reported that student acceptance of evolution associates with conceptual understandings of biological contents, nature of science, as well as motivations to learn. Studies on student acceptance of evolution have been carried out intensively, contributing to a large number of research instruments assessing different levels of student acceptance. This article therefore aims to review currently used research instruments which include quasi-continuous scales of acceptance, a binary classification scheme commonly used in quantitative studies, a ternary classification scheme commonly used in qualitative studies, and a multi-dimensional classification scheme based on the relationship between evolution and creation. It also provides discussion on advantages and drawbacks of these instruments. In addition, it suggests a preferred instrument which is believed to be able to elicit student levels of acceptance more effectively.