Understanding of and attitude towards evolution among slovenian and irish teenagers

Evolucija je biološki proces, kjer se genski zapis populacij organizmov spreminja iz generacije v generacijo. Skupaj z naravnim izborom velja za temeljno lastnost živega. Darwin je pri svojem raziskovanju prišel do sklepov, da vrste niso nespremenljive in da je podobnost med organizmi posledica evolucije (zgodovinskega razvoja) iz skupnega prednika. Cilj naše raziskave je bil pridobiti pogled nad znanjem slovenskih in irskih mladostnikov na področju teorije evolucije. Zanimalo nas je tudi, v kolikšni meri to teorijo sprejemajo. Pripravili smo vprašalnik, ki ga je izpolnilo 331 učencev. V Sloveniji smo zajeli učence 8. in 9. razreda osnovne šole, na Irskem pa enako stare učence v šolah glede na irski šolski sistem. Ugotovili smo, da imajo slovenski in irski mladostniki zadovoljivo znanje o evolucijskem razvoju, pri čemer se je pokazalo, da imajo učenci iz Irske nekaj več znanja o evolucijskem razvoju, kot slovenski učenci. Med danimi trditvami so se bolj strinjali fantje kot dekleta. S kreacionističnimi trditvami so se bolj strinjali irski mladostniki. Ugotovili smo, da slovenski in irski mladostniki večinoma sprejemajo teorijo evolucije, saj so se učenci s trditvami o evoluciji v večini nadpovprečno strinjali. Istočasno so se s trditvami o kreacionizmi podpovprečno strinjali.Evolution is the biological process by which genetic information of populations of organisms vary from generation to generation. Together natural selection applies to the fundamental characteristic of living. Darwin in his research came to the conclusion that species are not immutable, and that the similarity between organisms are result of evolution (the historical development) of the common ancestor. The aim of our study was to obtain the views of the knowledge of Slovenian and Irish teenagers in the theory of evolution. We have prepared a questionnaire which was completed by 331 students. In Slovenia, we cover the pupils 8th and 9th grade of elementary school, while in Ireland the same old pupils in schools according to the Irish education system. We have found that the Slovenian and Irish teenagers satisfactory knowledge of evolutionary development, where it has been shown that students from Ireland have some more knowledge about the evolutionary development as Slovenian students. With the given arguments they have agreed more boys than girls. With the creationist arguments have more approved Irish teenagers than Slovenian. We found that the Slovenian and Irish teenagers generally accepted theory of evolution, as the disciples with the allegations concerning the evolution of the most exceptionally agreed. At the same time they under-agreed with the arguments of creationis