European first-year university students accept evolution but lack substantial knowledge about it: a standardized European cross-country assessment

• DOI: 10.1186/s12052-021-00158-8
• Publication Date: 2021-11-30T18:44:12Z
• Authors: Paul Kuschmierz; Anna Beniermann; Alexander Bergmann; Rianne Pinxten; Tuomas Aivelo; Justyna Berniak-W...; Gustav Bohlin; Anxela Bugallo-Ro...; Pedro Cardia; Bento Filipe Barr...; Umran Betul Cebesoy; Dragana D. Cvetković; Emilie Demarsy; Mirko S. Đorđević; Szymon M. Drobniak; Liudmyla Dubchak; Radka M. Dvořáková; Jana Fančovičová; Corinne Fortin; Momir Futo; Nicoleta Adriana ...; Niklas Gericke; Donato A. Grasso; Konstantinos Korf...; Ádám Z. Lendvai; Evangelia Mavrikaki; Andra Meneganzin; Athanasios Mogias; Andrea Möller; Paulo G. Mota; Yamama Naciri; Zoltán Németh; Katarzyna Ożańska...; Silvia Paolucci; Péter László Pap; Maria Petersson; Barbara Pietrzak; Telmo Pievani; Alma Pobric; Juris Porozovs; Giulia Realdon; Xana Sá-Pinto; Uroš B. Savković; Mathieu Sicard; Mircea T. Sofonea; Andrej Sorgo; Alexandru N. Stermin; Ioan Tăușan; Gregor Torkar; Lütfullah Türkmen; Slavica Tutnjević; Anna E. Uitto; Máté Varga; Mirna Varga; Lucia Vazquez-Ben; Enrique Viguera; Lisa Christine Vi...; Albena Vutsova; Inmaculada Yruela; Jelle Zandveld; Dittmar Graf
• Keywords: Sociology of Education; Cross-Cultural

Abstract Background Investigations of evolution knowledge and acceptance their relation are central to education research. Ambiguous results in this field study demonstrate a variety measuring issues, for instance differently theorized constructs, or lack standardized methods, especially cross-country comparisons. In particular, meaningful comparisons across European countries, with varying cultural backgrounds systems, rare, often include only few standardization. To address these deficits, we conducted survey, on 9200 first-year university students 26 countries utilizing validated, comprehensive questionnaire, the “Evolution Education Questionnaire”, assess knowledge, as well influencing factors acceptance. Results We found that, despite countries’ different generally accept evolution. At same time, they substantial about it, even if enrolled biology-related program. Additionally, developed multilevel-model that determines religious faith main factor accepting According our model, interest biological topics also increase evolution, but much lesser extent than faith. The effect age sex, country’s affiliation, students’ denomination, whether not student is program, negligible. Conclusions Our findings indicate all differences, most systems upper secondary lead at least students. It appears sample, differences between reflect neither which school curricula cover evolutionary biology nor percentage country samples. Future studies should investigate role curricula, identify particularly problematic underrepresented concepts education, analyze when teaching