MISCONCEPTIONS OF MASS EXTINCTIONS: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SCIENCE AND NON-SCIENCE MAJORS GRAY, Kyle, O’CONNELL, Bradley, SEDLACEK, Alexa, R. C., Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Northern Iowa Introduction Purpose This pilot study aimed to identify misconceptions of mass-extinctions held by science majors (specifically Biology and Earth/Environmental Science) versus non- science majors (predominately Art). Methods Administered a 9-question survey in two undergraduate courses. Earth History (Historical Geology) (n = 103) Earth/Environmental Science Biology Art Class (3-D Concepts) (n = 32) Gen Ed course Analyzed data by sorting into categories and looking for themes and patterns Research Questions What are the differences in the misconceptions held by science and non-science majors regarding: The number of mass extinctions The cause of mass extinctions How Many Mass Extinctions? 1-2 One, the extinction of dinosaurs. I’ve only learned about that one so I have no knowledge of anything else. Once or twice. The dinosaurs were at least one mass extinction, possibly the Ice Age. 3-4 3, Dinosaurs, Ice Age, and Plague. Each had a huge event that took over and killed many if not all that it was in contact with. 5-6 5 in the past, we are currently in the 6th 7-8 I would say around 7 taking into account ice ages and when the dinosaurs went extinct. 10-100 10-20, a change in the Era is usually marked with a mass extinction 100+ Hundreds of thousands. There are many life forms that have evolved and [are] no longer with us. Millions of times by my explanation of mass extinction. Any time a species is wiped out rapidly there is a mass extinction. Non-Specific A few. Some species of animals are no longer around. Cause of Mass Extinctions? Human Impact Human problems over a lot of years Ignorance of Humans Extraterrestrial Impact Meteorites striking the Earth Space debris colliding with Earth Atmospheric/Climate Change An extreme weather or atmospheric event Natural Climate Change Ecological & Evolutionary Inability to evolve Genetic mutations When many species try to fill a niche Natural Disasters A large natural disaster Volcanic eruptions Floods Non-Specific Any number of things could create conditions in which extinction would occur. An event or events that would prevent favorable conditions for life to continue. Conclusions Science majors are more likely than non-science majors to correctly indicate that there have been 5-6 mass extinctions 30% of the science majors vs 0% of the non-science majors. Non-science majors believe there were either 1-2 mass extinctions (dinosaurs) or state that they are unsure. Illustrates the ubiquitous nature of dinosaur extinctions Suggests lack of formal teaching on the topic A similar percentage of students from both groups invoke natural disasters (especially volcanoes and earthquakes). Biology majors often described mass extinctions in terms of single species extinctions. Likely a function of taking Earth History as Juniors and Seniors Emphasis of evolutionary processes in biology curriculum Surprisingly, the largest category for both groups was climate change or atmospheric changes Unsure why. May be related to current talk about climate change Consistent with prior research findings Focus on few organisms & wrecked ecosystems Importance of dinosaurs as a ‘gateway’ construct Implications Need for in-depth interviews across multiple demographics Evidence that science instruction does instill the importance of mass extinctions in relation to global climate change Need for explicit teaching on this topic and connection with global climate change Demographics The two groups were different in terms of gender and years at UNI. Students in the art class were predominately freshmen or sophomore females whereas the science majors were predominately juniors and seniors with more equal gender representation. Most of the students taking Earth History were Earth/Environmental Science and Biology majors. (Required course for both.) Further Research Expand to other groups Chemistry & Biology majors Pre-Service Elementary Ed majors General undergraduate student population Students from diverse settings/backgrounds Younger students (grades 6-12) General Public Include student interviews to drill down on these categories Develop an online survey for data collection across a wide range of settings Identify how the media describe/teach about mass extinctions Investigate best ways to teach about mass extinctions Acknowledgements We would like to thank Noah Doely and Angela Waseskuk for letting us collect data in their art course. This project was partially funded by a Faculty Research/Creative Activity Grant from the University of Northern Iowa’s College of Humanities, Arts, and Sciences.