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    Student Agency in Negotiating the Relationship Between Science and Religion

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Tang, Kok-Sing
    Yang, X.
    Date
    2017
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
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    Citation
    Tang, K. and Yang, X. 2017. Student Agency in Negotiating the Relationship Between Science and Religion. Research in Science Education.
    Source Title
    Research in Science Education
    DOI
    10.1007/s11165-017-9655-x
    ISSN
    0157-244X
    School
    Science and Mathematics Education Centre (SMEC)
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/56829
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Research examining the relationship between science and religion has often painted a narrative of conflict for students with various religious beliefs. The purpose of this paper is to present a counter-narrative based on a study carried out in Singapore, which provides a unique multi-ethnic and multi-religious environment and geopolitical context to study the phenomenon. Informed by the theories of collateral learning, situated cognition and agency, the study examined how a group of high school biology students viewed and negotiated the relationship between biological evolution and their beliefs in Christianity. Case study methodology and semi-structured interviews were used to generate thick descriptions of their views. Findings from the study illustrate how the students exhibited agency in deliberately creating multiple resolution mechanisms as they recognised and negotiated the conceptual and social tensions between the worldviews of evolution and creationism. The findings suggest that the students exhibited more agency in resolving the perceived conflict between science and religion than we tend to ascribe based on previous interpretative accounts that emphasised confrontation, alienation and marginalisation. The implication is that students’ agency in negotiating the differing worldviews between science and religion should be seen as a resource for the learning of evolution, rather than a hindrance.

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