Posted on 10/05/2007 6:26:08 AM PDT by SubGeniusX
The teaching of evolution is becoming increasingly difficult in UK schools because of the rise of creationism, a leading scientist is warning. Head of science at London's Institute of Education Professor Michael Reiss says some teachers, fearful of entering the debate, avoid the subject totally.
This could leave pupils with gaps in their scientific knowledge, he says.
Prof Reiss says the rise of creationism is partly down to the large increase in Muslim pupils in UK schools.
He said: "The number of Muslim students has grown considerably in the last 10 to 20 years and a higher proportion of Muslim families do not accept evolutionary theory compared with Christian families.
"That's one reason why it's more of an issue in schools."
Prof Reiss estimates that one in 10 people in the UK now believes in literal interpretations of religious creation stories - whether they are based on the Bible or the Koran.
Many more teachers he met at scientific meetings were telling him they encountered more pupils with creationist views, he said.
"The days have long gone when science teachers could ignore creationism when teaching about origins."
Instead, teachers should tackle the issue head-on, whilst trying not to alienate students, he argues in a new book.
'Not equally valid'
"By not dismissing their beliefs, we can ensure that these students learn what evolutionary theory really says - and give everyone the understanding to respect the views of others," he added.
His book; Teaching about Scientific Origins: Taking Account of Creationism, gives science teachers advice on how to deal with the "dilemma".
He supports new government guidelines which say creationism should not be discussed in science classes unless it is raised by pupils.
But Prof Reiss argues that there is an educational value in comparing creationist ideas with scientific theories like Darwin's theory of evolution because they demonstrate how science, unlike religious beliefs, can be tested.
The scientist, who is also a Church of England priest, adds that any teaching should not give the impression that creationism and the theory of evolution are equally valid scientifically.
Dr Hilary Leevers, of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, said science teachers would be teaching evolution not creationism and so should not need a book to tell them how to "delicately handle controversy between a scientific theory and a belief".
"The author suggests that science teachers cannot ignore creationism when teaching origins, but the opposite is true," she said.
Teachers could discuss how creationism differed from scientific theory if a student brought up the subject, but any further discussion should occur in religious education lessons, she said.
A Department for Children, Schools and Families spokesman said it had recently published guidelines to teachers on the issue.
"Creationism and intelligent design are not scientific theories nor testable as scientific fact - and have no place in the science curriculum. "But we advise science teachers that when questions about creationism come up in lessons, it provides an opportunity to explain or explore what makes a scientific theory."
PING!!!
False religions (like islam and evolutionism) are not known for tolerance one towards the other...
Notice that it’s OK for the secular socialists to offend Christians & Jews day in and day out -
but, being the moral cowards that they are, they won’t offend a group known for beheading offenders.
ID is an attempt to inject religion into the classroom, nothing more, nothing less.
That should tell you something about the Stalinist impulse of a lot of evos..........as we go lock step into the future of her brave new world, I'm sure you will be pleased with her efforts to purge the schools.
Scientific discovery tended (before the secular socialist movement) to actually affirm the existence of the Creator.
Everything from the fact that the Universe had a beginning to the exact balance of universal forces & laws to earth’s very exact position in the cosmos points to “design”.
Incorrect. ID is the only scientific explanation for modern transgenic animals.
Those who bash ID tend to fall into two groups, however:
1. those who knows how transgenic animals are created but are willing to lie about ID, and
2. those who are uneducated about transgenic animals such that they believe anti-ID lies.
Beliving in creationism is a matter of faith and easier than critical thinking. Not to say that having faith is easy. Athiests have more faith in their disbelief than most religious folk have in their beliefs and work hard at maintaining it. The theory of ‘intelligent design’ holds attraction for those of us that accept some of Darwins ideas but admit that their are things larger than ourselves. For myself the concept of God is manifested to me every day that I wake up but I wouldn’t even begin to say that I understand much of it. I just accept it and try to live a good life.
You have your flute handy?
Absolute kook nonsense…
Evolutionary theory (like all scientific theory) is testable through falsification. In the case of evolution, by a creature appearing so out of time and without reasonable explanation that the theory can’t simply be modified, it must be invalid.
As it should be.
Incorrect. That's a myth spread outside of Evolutionary Theory circles solely as bait for the gullible, but no Evolutionist has ever published specific peer-reviewed falsification criteria for any aspect of Evolution.
Which is why you can offer no link to such falsification criteria.
You should ping me if you are going to play.
You’re wasting your time.
Just curious, how does one go about testing the idea of incremental random change over millions of years?
Defending the tired theory of Evolution will inevitably prove futile. No published falsification criteria. No explanation for modern transgenic animals.
It’s dead, Jim...
I’m sure the creationists on FR will be appalled to find they have something in common with fundamentalist Muslims.
PING ... thought you might enjoy this one ....
Amazing how much they bow to the Muslims.
heh....
gee ... that never occured to me ...
hehe...
Call me dumb, but is there a different between Creationism and Intelligent Design?
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