...As subjective as it is, it was already influenced by insights from colleagues in the academia as well as students exposed to technology use in their classrooms. 1. Every Biology teacher is unique in terms of personal characteristics, educational background, attitudes, beliefs, and use of educational technology. 2. Biology requires a “discipline-specific” use of technology in the delivery of pedagogical content. Existing educational technology tools in schools which may be suitable for other fields of study will not always work efficiently when teaching Biology. 3. The level of Educational Technology use by Biology Teachers in the Philippines is low as even in rich/ industrialized countries, there is infrequent use of educational technology tools. 4. A Biology Teacher’s effectiveness and efficiency is directly proportional to his/her use of technology especially those focused on multimedia instruction. 5. Teachers cannot rely on schools to train them. They must start within themselves if they are competent enough or use an instructional video self-training package that can not only teach but also motivate...
Words: 3939 - Pages: 16
...Articles, Attitudes about Science, and Epistemological Beliefs Sally G. Hoskins,* David Lopatto,† and Leslie M. Stevens‡ *Department of Biology and The Graduate Center, City College of the City University of New York, New York, NY 10031; † Department of Psychology, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA 50112; ‡ Section of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 Submitted March 18, 2011; Revised June 9, 2011; Accepted July 5, 2011 Monitoring Editor: Diane K. O’Dowd The C.R.E.A.T.E. (Consider, Read, Elucidate hypotheses, Analyze and interpret data, Think of the next Experiment) method uses intensive analysis of primary literature in the undergraduate classroom to demystify and humanize science. We have reported previously that the method improves students’ critical thinking and content integration abilities, while at the same time enhancing their self-reported understanding of “who does science, and why.” We report here the results of an assessment that addressed C.R.E.A.T.E. students’ attitudes about the nature of science, beliefs about learning, and confidence in their ability to read, analyze, and explain research articles. Using a Likert-style survey administered pre- and postcourse, we found significant changes in students’ confidence in their ability to read and analyze primary literature, self-assessed understanding of the nature of science, and epistemological beliefs (e.g., their sense of whether knowledge is certain...
Words: 2090 - Pages: 9
...only does science rule every part of the human life, from the inner workings of the body to DNA, but it also explains the world that we live in. Even though, many times, science is looked at as an annoying extension of math and, therefore, something to be despised, understanding it can be extremely helpful in understanding our own lives. Science allows us to understand and answer the big questions that cause many people to turn to religion and their beliefs. Science is a way of understanding the world through examination and testing. It can be defined “as the process of observing and questioning the world around us. We also sometimes call the things that we learn through experimentation science” (Red Orbit). As such, science is the process of studying and testing theories to create a hypothesis. It is a very broad subject matter and encompasses many branches, most ending with the –ology suffix, meaning the study of. Biology, for example, is the study of the life where Geology is the study of the earth. People that study biology and geology are scientists because they follow the scientific method, “the most powerful method ever invented by humans to obtain relevant and reliable knowledge about nature. In fact, it is really the only method we have for discovering reliable knowledge – In other words, knowledge that has a high probability to being true” (Crazypills2). The scientific method sets a rigorous process of researching, testing, and analyzing results to deduce whether...
Words: 1068 - Pages: 5
...Unsuccessful Education Beliefs Many powerful authority believed that they can decide on what sorts of things taught in public school. Few education issues have started controversy and debate about teaching of evolution. School boards have been forced to address concerns about good science education as well as conflicting claims about constitutional limitations but a new approach to teaching about evolution has been developed to meet the test of good science and satisfy the courts’ standards of constitutionality. In this case, several people concerns about strong challenges that gets through the society about anti-evolution that it can affect the religious or anti-religious beliefs of a dominant group. The United State Supreme Court precedents that the Constitution permits both the teaching of evolution as well as the teaching of scientific criticisms of prevailing scientific theories. The court focused on Arkansas statute that prohibiting the teaching of human evolution in public schools and universities, no teacher was permitted "to teach the theory or doctrine that mankind ascended or descended from a lower order of animals," or "to adopt or use in any such institution a textbook that teaches.” (Fortas, par 2) This explains the statute was an adaptation of the law at the center of the “Scopes monkey trial” in Tennessee. The Tennessee Supreme Court allowed the state to continue to prohibit the teaching of evolution. The case involved the teaching of biology in Little high school...
Words: 867 - Pages: 4
...Shan Parsan Law 4906 I believe womanhood should be determined solely on the basis of biology. Consider our current world; we have male, female, and now transgender. We cannot consider a transgender male a female because it goes against the natural order of biology. Think about any other species. We have sexual and asexual species. What separates these species is biology. Sexual species rely on a mate, but asexual species can rely on themselves to reproduce. The idea however is whether sexual or asexual the species can reproduce. Sexual According to the U.S. Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act of 2005 it is stated, “The term `woman’ means a female human being who is capable of becoming pregnant, whether or not she has reached the age of majority.”(Lauren) One may argue the fact that there are females and males who are born in-fertile. The fact however remains that amongst that group they were biologically born with the reproductive traits of either a male or female. In a press release by Stanford University on 03/10/1995 it was stated that DNA research has identified the general location of at least “one gay” gene. The gene was said to be inherited from the mother. However, the research does not indicate any biological reason for a person to want to be the opposite sex, and to my point suggests the want to be the opposite sex is purely psychological. Consider trans-genders who go through operations to have male/female sex changes; yes they have the sexual functions...
Words: 1043 - Pages: 5
...redundant relics of mankind's evolutionary history that provide nothing to mankind but explanations of a hard-wired evolutionary trait (179). I reject this argument. While Ruse and Wilson are undoubtedly correct in believing that mankind's capacity for moral reasoning is a result of natural selection pressure and that most ancient moral laws have an evolutionary basis, I believe that describing the genesis of moral reasoning in this way provides no information about the content of our moral beliefs now. While our capacity for moral reasoning may have evolved for the purpose of informing our otherwise unjustifiable acts with a sense of objective certitude, it is not hard to imagine that this capacity, once evolved, would be capable of much more than simply rubber stamping mankind's collective genetic predisposition. In this paper, I will use the example of an evolutionary explanation against intentional killing for personal gain to argue for the existence of a disconnect between evolutionary biology and ethics. Ruse and Wilson might argue that human beings evolved with a genetic predisposition against murder for convenience. It is easy to see how this might be true. A person who kills others for convenience must live apart from society and apart from potential mates or else must be killed by society. This epigenetic rule �predisposes us to think that certain courses of action are right and certain courses of action are wrong (180).� These motivate ethical premises which �are the...
Words: 1900 - Pages: 8
...An Analysis of an Ideologue Charles Darwin [Name] [Institution] An Analysis of an Ideologue Charles Darwin Introduction Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was a renowned English naturalist whose work completely revolutionized the study of natural sciences. Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection was not only popular during his time but it soon formed the foundation of modern scientific attempts to understand the origin and development of life on earth. Forming part of the reason for his success was his passionate personality concerning science and the nature in general. According to Gutek (1995, p.5), Darwin was a great naturalist whose theory exerted a profound outlook on the European as well as American intellectuals. For example, by questioning the traditional conceptions of human origin, the theory brought about changes in the manner of thinking among many intellectuals. Darwin’s personal accomplishments were shaped by a number of factors chief among them his early interest in nature. From childhood, Charles Darwin collected different things such as beetles and stones and carried out experiments together with his brother inside a garden shed. However, it is his five year voyage aboard HMS Beagle (1831-1836) which provided him with an opportunity to make observations and investigations that culminated in his theory of natural selection (Sulloway, 1982, p.1). Historical Context There are a number of historical events that significantly...
Words: 1110 - Pages: 5
...HISTORY OF BIOLOGY Though biology is generally regarded as a modern science with late origins in the early to mid-nineteenth century, it drew on varied traditions, practices, and areas of inquiry beginning in antiquity. Traditional histories of biology generally target two areas that merged into modern biological science: medicine and natural history. The tradition of medicine dates back to the work of ancient Greek medical practitioners such as Hippocrates of Kos (b. 460 B.C.E.) and to figures such as Galen of Pergamum (c. 130–c. 200), who contributed much to early understanding of anatomy and physiology. The tradition of natural history dates back to the work of Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.). Especially important are his History of Animals and other works where he showed naturalist leanings. Also important is the work of Aristotle's student Theophrastus (d. 287 B.C.E.), who contributed to an understanding of plants. Aristotle and Theophrastus contributed not only to zoology and botany, respectively, but also to comparative biology, ecology, and especially taxonomy (the science of classification). Both natural history and medicine flourished in the middle ages, though work in these areas often proceeded independently. Medicine was especially well studied by Islamic scholars working in the Galenic and Aristotelian traditions, while natural history drew heavily on Aristotelian philosophy, especially in upholding a fixed hierarchy of life. The Roman naturalist Caius Plinius Secundus...
Words: 3724 - Pages: 15
...In biology, we discuss many theories, such as the theory of evolution and how the first human(s) were created. Some people may think that religious belief and scientific belief must be completely different, but that is not always the case. Religion states that God created the first humans, Adam and Eve; though biology may not totally agree with this statement, both theories of creation are similar. Biologists promote a theory referred to as Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) which states that all people come from a common ancestor, whom they refer to as Mitochondrial Eve. A mitochondria is an organelle that is found in surplus of many cells; it produces energy for the body and is essential to the proper function of these cells. In this essay, I will...
Words: 748 - Pages: 3
...Crime and Biology Amanda Payne Virginia Senior High School Abstract Most of history reveals criminal behavior is related to biology, but some sources state criminal behavior is not related to biology. An example of how criminal behavior is not related to biology is found in the case of Al Capone. According to Iorizzo (2003), Capone’s family was “law-abiding, hardworking, and struggling to fit into the new society” when they came to America” (p.23). Iorizzo later wrote in Al Capone: A Biography “Al Capone’s mother and father didn’t have criminal records in America” (p.23-27). An example of how criminal behavior is indeed related to biology is shown in the case of Charles Manson. Guinn (2013) wrote “Manson’s mother was raised...
Words: 739 - Pages: 3
...students in Bergmann and Zepernick’s article, could it be because students feel more forced into speaking their opinions on a topic as opposed to writing about facts? Compared to English papers and history papers, one requires perspectives and knowledgeable intuitions while history papers require students to research facts on past events in a good detailed format. Students credit other courses besides composition courses because they require students to apply their writing skills in different scenarios. In an article done by David Brauer named, “Writing Between Two Worlds: Science and Discourses of Commitment in the Composition Classroom”, he believes that there is a “collision between a student’s personal beliefs and the discourse of the natural sciences” (Brauer 72). The personal beliefs can be connected to the cultural background of a student. Therefore, students may perceive composition topics much differently than a research paper for...
Words: 1016 - Pages: 5
...individual is significant. Even though two people are born to the same family, they will each have a different future. However, on the same note if a child that has parents who are addicts will be predisposed to an addiction even though this person is adopted to an outside family. It is critical to take all of these factors into consideration when viewing the person as a whole. Bio-Psycho-Social People’s genetics (biology), mental health and character (psychology) and social environment all contribute to the health or illness of a person. The biologic portion is contributed from the mother and the father of the individual, such as hormones, hereditary diseases, or infections. The psychological contributes self-control, negative and or positive thinking. The social would be, in the neighborhood a child is raised or the employment he or she has. All three of these together make up the entire entity of a human being. One alone, would not be enough to make up an individual’s outcome. Only all three combined determine the course of the life lived. If a person is predisposed (biology) to an addiction but early on learns tools (social) to overcome his or her weakness will greater the chances of his survival. Human Diversity and Cultural Competence Human diversity is the wide range of...
Words: 619 - Pages: 3
...school to look at them under the microscope. That was the year my teacher assigned Fever 1793. This young adult novel by Laurie Anderson about the 1793 yellow fever epidemic ignited my passion for bacterium and prokaryotic cells. By the time I reached tenth grade I was deeply entrenched in this minuscule world. It was then my biology teacher shared a story with us about the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. It was researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine that discovered how this parasite crosses the blood-brain barrier. That was the moment that I became aware of the University of Pennsylvania. Since then I have come to realize the in-depth...
Words: 647 - Pages: 3
...In chapter four philosopher Jean-Baptiste Lamarck wrote Philosophie Zoologique. Lamarck was a soldier, biologist, and scholar who came up with the concept that species changed over time. This concept is known as evolution, which Lamarck advanced his concept to natural laws. Naturalism beliefs have “natural laws and forces operate in the world” ideas that miracles can be answer by natural reasoning, rules, and regulations. English philosopher and sociologist Herbert Spencer most influential book was Principles of Biology. Spencer view-point of evolution was natural selection to human societies, and Spencer belief was “we must compete to survive, and reproduce”. Spencer famous phrase “survival of the fittest”, correlated with Lamarck theory...
Words: 345 - Pages: 2
...Aristotle As an important figure head in the field of philosophy, Aristotle and his numerous influences will be detailed. Identification and evaluation of key concepts and analyses that comprised his theories will be discussed along with identification and description of his contributions to the field of philosophy will also be offered. Lastly, further discussion will focus on how the culture and the time period influenced his ideology. Metaphysics Metaphysics is a branch philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being. It is considered to be one of the greatest philosophical works. It kind of piggy backs off of Plato’s theory of forms. Plato believed that the nature of things is eternal and doesn’t change, but we know from just living in this world that things are always changing daily. Aristotle wanted to reconcile these contradictory statements of the views of the world. Aristotle used the influence of both Heraclitus and Parmenides. One believed that things appear to be permanent but they are really gradually changing all the time. Parmenides, argued certain conclusions could be reached by using reason alone and making no use of senses. After studying at the Academy, Aristotle would turn against his teaching and felt that there was a connection between the abstraction of existence and the science of nature. Aristotle described substance as material reality and formal and discusses the connection between actuality and potentiality. According to...
Words: 1865 - Pages: 8
