ABSTRACT
This chapter explores a very specific component of the evolution vs. intelligent design debate: whether individuals who reject evolution can still learn about it. It reviews the literature on evolution education and previous interventions that have attempted to educate people about evolution. The chapter then describes a study of our own that was developed with the specific aim of testing whether individuals who reject evolution can still learn about it. Proponents of constructivist learning, a theory of learning that focuses on individuals constructing new knowledge from their experiences and merging new information into their existing frameworks, argue that educators should not ignore the religious beliefs and preconceptions that students bring with them to science courses. Educators hold conflicting opinions about the best methods of improving evolution knowledge. Finally, as a result of our study and literature review, we propose a theoretical model that may be helpful in developing future research.
