The Variables Related to Public Acceptance of Evolution in the United States

Background: The current study explores variables related to public acceptance of evolution in the United States by state. Data on acceptance of evolution, religiosity, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree attainment, educational attainment, high school dropout rate, average teacher salary, and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita were analyzed for the 50 states. Methods: Employing secondary data analysis, bivariate correlations were used to investigate the relationship between US acceptance of evolution and each variable. Results: As predicted, there was a strong negative correlation between acceptance of evolution and religiosity and a strong positive relationship between acceptance and science degrees awarded, bachelor degree attainment, advanced degree attainment, average teacher salary, and GDP per capita. Conclusion: Several implications for evolution education and acceptance are discussed

Family visits to libraries and bookshops: observations and implications for digital libraries

This paper explores how families select books for leisure reading. We recruited 17 families (adults and children) for this study, and spent time with each in both bookshops and public libraries. Our research aims to add to understanding of how families interact with books and bookshelves in these places, and how digital libraries might best support the shared needs of these inter-generational users. Much of our understanding of how an eBook should look and feel comes from generalizations about books and assumptions about the needs of those individuals who read them. We explore how children and adults search and browse for books together, with specific focus on the type of information seeking tasks that families undertake and on the families’ shared search and browsing strategies. We further explore the implications of this study for the development of digital libraries for children and families

Conceptual Change in Science Teaching and Learning: Introducing the Dynamic Model of Conceptual Change

Conceptual change can be a challenging process, particularly in science education where many of the concepts are complex, controversial, or counter-intuitive.  Yet, conceptual change is fundamental to science learning, which suggests science educators and science education researchers need models to effectively address and investigate conceptual change.  Consideration of the current research and extant models of conceptual change reflect a need for a holistic, comprehensive, and dynamic model of conceptual change.  In response, we developed the Dynamic Model of Conceptual Change (DMCC), which uses multiple lines of research that explore the variables influencing conceptual change and the dynamic interactions that take place during the conceptual change process in science teaching and learning.  Unique to the DMCC is the potential for iterations, regression, enter and exit points at various stages of the conceptual change process, and the influences of message recognition, message engagement and processing, and the nature of the resulting conceptual change.  The DMCC contains elements from extant models along with previously un-emphasized influential conceptual change variables such as culture, society, attitude, practices, and personal epistemology.  We constructed the DMCC to provide science educators and researchers a more holistic framework for exploring conceptual change in science instruction and learning

On the Theory of Evolution Versus the Concept of Evolution: Three Observations

Here we address three misconceptions stated by Rice et al. in their observations of our article Paz-y-Miño and Espinosa (Evo Edu Outreach 2:655–675, 2009), published in this journal. The five authors titled their note “The Theory of Evolution is Not an Explanation for the Origin of Life.” First, we argue that it is fallacious to believe that because the formulation of the theory of evolution, as conceived in the 1800s, did not include an explanation for the origin of life, nor of the universe, the concept of evolution would not allow us to hypothesize the possible beginnings of life and its connections to the cosmos. Not only Stanley Miller’s experiments of 1953 led scientists to envision a continuum from the inorganic world to the origin and diversification of life, but also Darwin’s own writings of 1871. Second, to dismiss the notion of Rice et al. that evolution does not provide explanations concerning the universe or the cosmos, we identify compelling scientific discussions on the topics: Zaikowski et al. (Evo Edu Outreach 1:65–73, 2008), Krauss (Evo Edu Outreach 3:193–197, 2010), Peretó et al. (Orig Life Evol Biosph 39:395–406, 2009) and Follmann and Brownson (Naturwissenschaften 96:1265–1292, 2009). Third, although we acknowledge that the term Darwinism may not be inclusive of all new discoveries in evolution, and also that creationists and Intelligent Designers hijack the term to portray evolution as ideology, we demonstrate that there is no statistical evidence suggesting that the word Darwinism interferes with public acceptance of evolution, nor does the inclusion of the origin of life or the universe within the concept of evolution. We examine the epistemological and empirical distinction between the theory of evolution and the concept of evolution and conclude that, although the distinction is important, it should not compromise scientific logic

Conceptual Change in Science Teaching and Learning: Introducing the Dynamic Model of Conceptual Change

Conceptual change can be a challenging process, particularly in science education where many of the concepts are complex, controversial, or counter-intuitive.  Yet, conceptual change is fundamental to science learning, which suggests science educators and science education researchers need models to effectively address and investigate conceptual change.  Consideration of the current research and extant models of conceptual change reflect a need for a holistic, comprehensive, and dynamic model of conceptual change.  In response, we developed the Dynamic Model of Conceptual Change (DMCC), which uses multiple lines of research that explore the variables influencing conceptual change and the dynamic interactions that take place during the conceptual change process in science teaching and learning.  Unique to the DMCC is the potential for iterations, regression, enter and exit points at various stages of the conceptual change process, and the influences of message recognition, message engagement and processing, and the nature of the resulting conceptual change.  The DMCC contains elements from extant models along with previously un-emphasized influential conceptual change variables such as culture, society, attitude, practices, and personal epistemology.  We constructed the DMCC to provide science educators and researchers a more holistic framework for exploring conceptual change in science instruction and learning

Migraine with aura in the locker room: three case reports

It is well known that physical activity can aggravate the intensity of the headache, but the pathophysiological relationship between exertion and aura is still unknown. Anecdotal reports describe episodes of migraine preceded by head trauma and visual symptoms, migraine prodrome symptoms after unusually strenuous running with no subsequent head pain or recurrent attacks of hemiplegic migraine induced only by exertion. We describe the cases of three young men with recurrent episodes of migraine with aura occurring in the locker room shortly after a football match. Since the symptoms could mimic important pathologies in approximately 10% of these of headaches, it was mandatory to exclude a secondary form of headache in these patients. Several theories exist regarding the cause of primary exertional headache, but the pathogenesis of migraine triggered by physical activity has still not been identified. The present International Classification of Headache Disorders does not mention sport/exercise-induced migraine with aura episodes as primary headache. Since there are many cases described in the literature of migraine with aura triggered only by exercise, it may be helpful to specify, in the typical aura with migraine headache comments, that in some cases it can be exclusively triggered by sport/exercise

Videotaping Experiments in an Analytical Chemistry Laboratory Course at Pace University

Instructional videos for laboratory experiments performed in an analytical chemistry course were developed to show undergraduate students enrolled in the course how to conduct experiments. Students watched the videos before coming to the laboratory class. The effectiveness of using these videos was evaluated via a postlaboratory survey. The overall response to these videos was positive, with students reporting that the videos helped them to prepare beforehand and to understand the concepts covered in the experiment. The shortened discussion time at the beginning of class resulted in more laboratory time for the students to focus on performing the experiment and for the instructors to supervise, answer questions, make corrections to laboratory techniques, and ensure that the experiment is conducted in a safe manner