Course goals include:

• understanding the nature of science and the major concepts and theories in evolutionary biology;
• understanding the legal history of the creationism/evolution issue;
• explaining why intelligent design and other religiously based alternatives to the theory of evolution are not science and do not belong in the public school science classroom; and
• generating strategies for responding to a parent or school board insisting that intelligent design be included in a biology curriculum.

This course gives teachers the background and skills they need to counter pressures to present or address religiously based alternatives to the theory of evolution. It is offered for self study or group study, and can be used as a guide for a professional development workshop. It features materials developed for the NOVA program "Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial."

A credit-bearing version of this course is available for licensing. This version includes written portfolio assignments and discussion prompts. For more information about Teachers' Domain Professional Development courses, see our course brochure.