According to Smith's review (2010) science education research has taken an interest in the possible relationships between accepting, believing, and understanding evolution and most importantly if the constructs are correlated or not.
Some researchers found positive correlations between understanding of evolution and acceptance (Trani, 2004).
However, confoundingly, there appears to be no relationship between understanding and acceptance of evolution, and the relationship between acceptance of evolution and religious belief is unclear (Lloyd-Strovas and Bernal [2012]).
Furthermore, the current study failed to indicate significant associations between understanding of both evolution and NOS and personal science teaching efficacy beliefs concerning evolution.
Are there relationships between teachers' understanding of evolution and their acceptance of evolution?
Two studies reported positive associations between teachers' understanding of evolution and instructional time (Shankar and Skoog 1993; Trani 2004).
Especially in the US, science teachers are considered a 'missing link' between scientists' understanding of evolution and the public's ignorance of (or resistance to) evolutionary theory (Nehm and Schonfeld [2007]).
Error bars are standard errors Fig. 12 Association between understanding of science, evolution, and religiosity indexes of New England general faculty (Gen Fac, white circles, left), educators of prospective teachers (Edu, black circles, center) and college students (Stu, white circles, right).
