Creationist and Evolutionary conceptions in teacher training in two regions of Brazil

This study aims to analyze conceptions of creationism and evolutionism among educators-in-training in the city of Formiga in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Data collection was conducted based on a questionnaire developed by the European research project BIOHEAD-CITIZEN. To explore possible regional influences, the data obtained in Formiga, MG, were compared with data collected in São Paulo state, in Brazil. The results show a greater prevalence of creationist ideas among students of the Faculty of Education in Formiga, MG, compared to the results for the state of São Paulo. This prevalence arises due to the influence of religious, cultural and social values, which may be related to deficiencies in how evolution is taught throughout elementary school. The influence that these educators-in-training will have on children in the future may cause difficulties in the latter’s acquisition of scientific knowledge. This work is being funded by FAPEMIG.