| One of the issues faced in higher education involves the development of scientifically literate undergraduate students (NRC, 1996). Developing science literacy needs to take into account the various aspects of resistance students have toward science because of their personal faith. There is a need to know more about the effective strategies that science faculty in a Christian, faith-based institution use to assist their undergraduate students in dealing with the apparent conflict between science and faith. The purpose of this study was to analyze how these faculty members develop scientifically literate students. Through descriptive qualitative analysis, interview and questionnaire data were analyzed to discover science faculty perceptions of student tension with faith and science and to elicit faculty use of conceptual change teaching strategies. It was discovered that faculty participants perceive that their students experience such a tension. Students generally view the two as conflicting or independent of each other. Also, it was found that the conceptual change strategies were used to some extent by all participants. The data revealed three themes: time, talk, and trust. Conceptual change is accomplished over time through a learning environment rich with instruction and experimentation. These strategies allow for increasing science literacy through self-reflection and conversations. Trust is built through faculty modeling of the process of science and its integration with personal faith. Increasing science literacy in the college population has potential for social change by producing adults capable of making more informed political and ethical decisions. |
