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Table 5 Teachers’ answers to multiple-choice questions

From: The Inability of Primary School to Introduce Children to the Theory of Biological Evolution

Statements

Absolutely disagree

Probably disagree

Probably agree

Absolutely agree

Don’t know, no reply

%

%

%

%

%

 

Evolution of organisms

All organisms on earth came into existence at the same time

81

11.8

3.3

2

2

Millions of years ago, there existed exactly the same (species of) plants and animals as those in existence today

71.9

22.2

3.9

0.7

1.3

The theory of evolution refers to all organisms except humans

63.4

25.5

3.9

5.2

2

 

Common ancestry

All species of organisms are descendants of a common distant ancestor

16.3

23.5

32

18.3

15

 

Humans and dinosaurs—origin of life on earth

At one time, people co-existed with dinosaurs

31.4

22.9

21.6

11.1

13.1

Evolution is a theory that explains how life began on earth

13.7

19

39.2

24.8

3.3

 

Reasons for the appearance of new features—natural selection

New features appear in organisms because organisms need them in order to survive

3.3

2

39.2

53.6

2

Natural selection occurs every time organisms try to adapt to the needs of the environment

2

5.2

49.7

37.3

5.9

 

“Theory”

Evolution is called a theory because there is no evidence for it

9.2

26.8

44.4

5.9

13.7