Knowledge and acceptance of the Evolutionary Theory among pre-service primary teachers = Conoscenza e accettazione della teoria evoluzionistica tra i futuri insegnanti di scuola primaria

The theory of evolution by natural selection, proposed by Charles Darwin in 1859, is a complex and multifaceted concept. Teachers play a central role in delivering scientifically accurate concepts on evolutionary theory, starting from primary school. Using the Evolution Education Questionnaire on Acceptance and Knowledge (EEQ), the level of knowledge and acceptance of evolutionary theory was investigated among future teachers (students enrolled in the Primary Teacher Education degree at the University of Bologna). The study identified potential variables that might influence higher or lower levels of acceptance and understanding, including age, religious faith, gender, and previous high school education. It also examined the effect that scientifically accurate teaching of evolutionary theory could have on students enrolled on this degree. The results indicated no significant correlations between the identified variables and levels of knowledge and acceptance. This suggests that factors influencing greater or lesser comprehension and acceptance of evolution by natural selection may lie in other contextual variables. The study found that scientifically accurate teaching of evolution positively influenced scientifically accurate responses, leading to an improvement in the understanding of evolutionary mechanisms.