At 2:45 PM -0500 3/4/02, Wuensch, Karl L wrote: > Thanks, all, for the suggestions regarding how to deal with students >who appear to think it inappropriate to "figure out how things work." Today >we started the chapter on motivation, which gave me the opportunity to >discuss exploration/manipulation/curiosity motives, their adaptive value in >both humans and nonhumans, and how old-school learning theorists had >problems explaining why animals will actually work for the opportunity to >explore (what is the biological need leading to the drive whose reduction >reinforces behaviors). The class seemed to enjoy the discussion and joined >into it (which is rare in a class of 100). > > Now I seek advice on a second problem. This is the first semester I >have taught intro in several years. Years ago I learned to avoid the word >"evolution" -- whenever I would speak it, 2 or 3 students would stand up and >walk out. I learned to speak of "natural selection," not evolution. Last >week I slipped up and let the word "evolution" be part of the lecture a >couple of times. Now I am suddenly receiving religious mailings in my >campus mailbox (Awake!), religious brochures slid under my office door while >I am in class, and when I exit a classroom, I find persons I do not know >addressing me by name and explaining how I am bound by sin and only Jesus >can save me. If only I had not let the word "evolution" slip. I don't >really want to spend class time debating evolution versus creationism. Is >it wise to continue to try to avoid this confrontation or would a different >course of action be more productive?
Nothing wrong with using the term "natural selection"; that was Darwin's preference. After all, that's really (and ironically) the topic of controversy. The religious types don't really dispute the fact of evolution, just minor details like sequence, rate and agency ;-). * PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] * * Psychology Dept Minnesota State University, Mankato * * 23 Armstrong Hall, Mankato, MN 56001 ph 507-389-6217 * * http://www.mankato.msus.edu/dept/psych/welcome.html * --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
