Abstract

Knowing students' ideas is the starting point of a comprehension oriented teaching. Regarding natural selection, research show that secondary and undergraduate students sustain a limited understanding, holding misconceptions even after instruction. However, we know little about primary students' ideas on natural selection, which is crucial to discuss, from a curricular and pedagogical point of view, the best ways to prompt its comprehension. We conducted a study aimed at describing primary students' ideas on natural selection. 137 sixth grade students (11 and 12 years of age) of public education in Santiago, Chile, participated in the study. Students answered a test on evolution and a questionnaire of theory of evolution acceptance. Results show that overall students accept the theory of evolution and, although in some degree they understand some related and key concepts, they are not able to formulate coherent explanations. Moreover, misconceptions already reported in older students emerged (need, intentionality, heredity of acquired traits, heredity of useful traits, among others), along with interesting new ideas, as the change as provoked by technological changes induced by humans. Implications for pedagogical practice and curriculum organization are discussed.