Abstract
Abstract: The advances of modern biotechnology provide teachers with a number of opportunities to explore socioscientific
issues, and in doing so to enhance students’ reasoning skills. Although some attempt has been made to
understand cultural differences in students’ informal reasoning across international and regional boundaries, there is
limited research about the differences that exist between students who identify with a Christian worldview and those
students who do not. To investigate the role that students’ religious beliefs played in their informal reasoning about
biotechnology issues regarding GM food, genetic screening, therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning, the written
responses of 101 students identified as accepting a Christian worldview was compared with 21 students who did not
identify with a Christian worldview. Using a qualitative approach, the students’ responses to these issues were analysed
to identify the modes of informal reasoning incorporated in the justification of their views about the technology. It was
shown that students with a higher degree of religious belief demonstrated less use of rational reasoning and a greater
reliance on intuitive reasoning in their responses to socio-scientific issues when compared with their less religious peers.
The findings highlight the need for initiatives that will develop students’ rational and emotive reasoning and encourage
them to acknowledge the presuppositions of their belief system and how these influence their attitudes towards
controversial issues in science.
issues, and in doing so to enhance students’ reasoning skills. Although some attempt has been made to
understand cultural differences in students’ informal reasoning across international and regional boundaries, there is
limited research about the differences that exist between students who identify with a Christian worldview and those
students who do not. To investigate the role that students’ religious beliefs played in their informal reasoning about
biotechnology issues regarding GM food, genetic screening, therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning, the written
responses of 101 students identified as accepting a Christian worldview was compared with 21 students who did not
identify with a Christian worldview. Using a qualitative approach, the students’ responses to these issues were analysed
to identify the modes of informal reasoning incorporated in the justification of their views about the technology. It was
shown that students with a higher degree of religious belief demonstrated less use of rational reasoning and a greater
reliance on intuitive reasoning in their responses to socio-scientific issues when compared with their less religious peers.
The findings highlight the need for initiatives that will develop students’ rational and emotive reasoning and encourage
them to acknowledge the presuppositions of their belief system and how these influence their attitudes towards
controversial issues in science.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Science, Mathematics and Technology Education |
| Editors | Rekha Koul, Yuli Rahamawati |
| Place of Publication | Perth |
| Publisher | Curtin University of Technology |
| Pages | 383-393 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-0-9923197-2-4 |
| Publication status | Published - 30 Nov 2016 |
| Event | 8th International Conference on Science, Mathematics and Technology Education - Jakarta, Indonesia Duration: 21 Nov 2015 → 24 Nov 2015 |
Conference
| Conference | 8th International Conference on Science, Mathematics and Technology Education |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | SMTE |
| Country/Territory | Indonesia |
| City | Jakarta |
| Period | 21/11/15 → 24/11/15 |