Development and validation of the Perspective Scale on the Origin of Life and Biodiversity (PSOLB)

Developing and validating a perspective scale of a student’s acceptance or rejection of the evolution and abiogenesis theories regarding the origin of life and biodiversity is potentially significant, particularly considering the importance of these theories in the biology curriculum. Existing instruments, by their nature, may not allow us to fully understand student perspectives on complex and comprehensive biological theories. Therefore, we believe it is necessary to identify belief-based perspectives that significantly influence the acceptance or rejection of these theories, in addition to students’ perspectives on the theories of abiogenesis and evolution. In this context, we believe that a developed instrument can provide additional evidence to researchers who seek to integrate the information obtained from students’ perspectives into educational practices. This article explains the development and validation of the Perspective Scale on the Origin of Life and Biodiversity (PSOLB), a 25-item Likert scale instrument designed to assess students’ belief-based perspectives on the origin of life and biodiversity. Moreover, the potential contributions and significance of the research findings for pedagogical research and practices are emphasised, along with recommendations for the future use of the scale.