Date

11-2018

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)

Chair

Tracey Pritchard

Keywords

Perspective Transformation, Creation Science, Evolution, Bible Inerrancy, Christian Worldview, Biblical Worldview

Disciplines

Christianity | Curriculum and Instruction | Education | Religion | Science and Mathematics Education

Abstract

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenology study was to explore and describe the perspective transformations of 11 science instructors teaching at Christian high schools. These science teachers previously believed the evolutionary paradigm of origins. However, they have all experienced a transformation and now hold a young-earth creation perspective and believe the literal six-day creation event in the book of Genesis is accurate and true. Transformation of perspective regarding origins is defined as a phenomenon of transformative faith accompanied by assimilation and accommodation of new knowledge as seen through the lens of Jack Mezirow’s (1991) transformative adult learning theory, and James Fowler’s (1981) faith development theory. Semi-structured interviews, written lived-experience descriptions, and curriculum samples of young-earth creation lesson plans provided the data for research. Analysis of the data was thematically driven and reflective. Using Creswell’s (2013) suggested method of phenomenological data analysis, information was collected, coded, and clustered into groups of codes which provided themes for the narrative. Findings of this study indicate the participants experienced perspective transformation through spiritual renewal and critical reflection on their previous assumptions and presuppositions.

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