English abstract
This study aimed to reveal the level of cognitive beliefs and awareness of bioethical issues
among biology teachers in Muscat, Al Sharqiyah South, and Al Sharqiya North
governorates. The study applied a mixed method to achieve the study's aims, administering
three different instruments: an epistemological beliefs questionnaire, an awareness of
controversial bioethical issues questionnaire, and a semi-structural interview card. The
Epistemological Beliefs Questionnaire consisted of 22 items divided into five dimensions,
and the awareness of the bioethical issues questionnaire consisted of 21 items distributed
over six issues. The interview card dimensions consisted of two open questions and a
question composed of five positions on bioethical issues. After verifying the validity and
reliability of the tools, the two questionnaires were applied to a random sample of (121)
teachers. Moreover, the researcher interviewed (15) teachers of biology who were chosen
intentionally. The results of the study revealed that the level of biology teachers' cognitive
beliefs was low while their level of awareness of bioethical issues was at a high level. In
addition, the results showed no statistically significant differences at the significance level
(α ≤0.05) in epistemological beliefs and awareness levels towards bioethical issues among
biology teachers due to the gender variable. The results also revealed the absence of a
statistically significant correlational relationship at the significance level (α≤0.05) between
the epistemological beliefs and the level of awareness of bioethical issues among biology
teachers. In addition, the interview results showed the dominance of the religious principle,
then the utilitarian principle, followed by the humanitarian principle, and the societal
principle ranked fourth in the principles that biology teachers relied on in judging bioethical
issues. Based on the results, the study recommended the importance of conducting training
programs that contribute to gaining deep knowledge in the dimensions of (absolute
authority, innate ability, and confirmed knowledge). It also recommended conducting more
studies on the effect of employing teaching practices on bioethical issues in strengthening
the epistemological beliefs of pre- and in-service biology teachers.
