An action-research programme with secondary education teachers on teaching and learning photosynthesis

Domingos-Grilo, Paula; Reis-Grilo, Carlos; Ruiz, Constantino; Jiménez, Vicente Mellado

doi:10.1080/00219266.2011.587522

Cited by 8 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…In Slovenia, most future farmers finish some level of agricultural education, which includes biology either as a separate subject or as biology topics that are part of other agronomical subjects. Previous research indicated that students of different ages find photosynthesis difficult to understand and have inadequate knowledge of it (Domingos-Grillo, Reis-Grilo, Ruiz, & Mellado, 2012, Marmaroti & Galanopoulou, 2006Özay & Öztaş, 2003;Svandova, 2014).…”

Section: Problem Of Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural Students’ Knowledge of Photosynthesis and the Contextual Factors That Influence It

Gobec

Strgar

2019

JBSE

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This research aimed to assess the knowledge of photosynthesis among students in agricultural education and understand the influence of the contextual factors on it. In photosynthesis, biomass is produced, so understanding these processes is essential for successful agriculture. The research sample consisted of 330 students in agricultural education in Slovenia. Data were collected with a knowledge test and a contextual questionnaire. Better knowledge of photosynthesis was positively related with higher awareness of the importance of biology as a science and of photosynthesis. There was no significant relation between the knowledge of photosynthesis and positive attitudes toward biology lessons. The average achievement on the knowledge test of photosynthesis was 56%: the highest on the item about energy and the lowest on the item about the primary purpose of photosynthesis. Between these two achievements was the knowledge of reactants and products in photosynthesis, and the knowledge concerning chlorophyll. Considering these results, improvements should be made in teaching. For this population, more experimental and less theory-based lessons were suggested. The findings could benefit biology and science teachers in agricultural education and help improve national curriculum for biology in agricultural programmes.

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Section: Problem Of Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural Students’ Knowledge of Photosynthesis and the Contextual Factors That Influence It

Gobec

Strgar

2019

JBSE

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“…The results showed that it successfully improved problem solving skills (Table 5 and Table 6) without compromising test grades (Table 3), which was a major concern in this setting (Domingos-Grilo et al, 2011). More students improved their problems solving skills while retaining content knowledge as evidenced by preand midterm test data (Table 7).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…The last piece of the puzzle was evaluation of student performance in traditional tests, since a loss of test grades is sometime a problem in investigative classrooms (Domingos-Grilo et al, 2011). We emphasized the importance of test grades to the students involved in this research.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this student-centered social constructivist approach (Savery, 2006;NRC, 2000NRC, , 1996, biology students in small groups chose and applied appropriate biology concepts to explain common and society-wide bio-medical, agricultural and life-style problems (Koba & Lenz & Willcox, 2012;Domingos-Grilo, 2011;Reiss, 2005). The results were discussed, analyzed and critiqued in class within and among the groups to support the development of reports and presentations, which typically measured progress towards the goals of PBL (Savery, 2006).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Learning High School Biology in a Social Context

Basu¹,

Aglira²,

Spotila³

2017

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In this research, we developed a process that helped students connect cell and molecular biology concepts with problems in context of their lives. Specifically, we supplemented traditional teaching with problem, project and inquiry based laboratories, without changing the structure of the mandated biology curriculum. We ran the process twice, following the classroom based action research model. Our initial foray exhibited better student-developed projects and a modest improvement of test grades. Second time we compared changes in problem solving skills, attitude toward reading, writing and problem solving and improvement of traditional test grades from the beginning and end of the school year. This process made the biological concepts so interesting that by the end of the year nearly all students significantly (t (55) = −8.95, p ≤ 0.05) improved problem-solving skills and some students went further to develop and solve independent inquiries. They also exhibited improved attitude towards reading, writing and problem solving. However, we didn't observe any causal relationship between improvement of problem solving skills and test grade, since its trend showed little difference between first and second trial.

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“…Moreover, it can be said that having individuals who are informed citizens for a sustainable environment also features as a key concept (Matthews, 2009). Conducted studies reveal that students at all levels experience problems in perceiving the concept of photosynthesis (Akç ay, 2017;Bahar 1999;Crane & Winterbottom, 2008;Domingos-Grilo, Reis-Grilo, Ruiz & Mellado, 2012;Köse, Ayas & Uşak, 2006;Köse, 2008;Matthews, 2009;Özay & Öztaş, 2003;Ross, Tronson & Ritchie, 2006;Svandova, 2014;Tekkaya, Çapa & Yılmaz, 2000;Yenilmez & Tekkaya, 2006). In one study that examined articles on the subject of biology published between 1990 and 2014, it was revealed that a very small number of studies were related to the subjects of photosynthesis and respiration (Patrick & Matteson, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of Preservice Biology Teachers’ Skills in the Causal Process Concerning Photosynthesis

Saka

2019

JETS

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Photosynthesis is the most effective cycle and sustainable natural process known in nature. Students who learn the subject of photosynthesis well will also make better sense of other issues such as environmental problems, the state of the atmosphere, greenhouse gases, climate changes, carbon footprints and conservation of forests. The aim of this study is to present an example of a worksheet that investigates the skill levels possessed by preservice teachers" in the causal process, and also to examine their ability to write a photosynthesis equation by means of a history-based approach that also includes reading skills. The study was conducted with the action research method. The study sample consisted of a total of 71 preservice biology teachers. At the first stage, before the implementation of the worksheet, 34 teacher candidates from within the sample were asked a question with a diagram summarising the photosynthesis process. At the second stage, all the prospective teachers were asked for the skill levels they possessed in the causal process to be assessed via implementation of the worksheet. The answers given by the preservice teachers in the defining variables section in particular make up the least answered section of the worksheet. In the section of the worksheet related to making inferences, The students were asked to write the four separate equations by revising them incrementally, and it is striking that the rates of correct answers given for each were high. There is a need for teaching materials to be designed in the field of science at university level and for these to be made available to science teachers in book format.

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An action-research programme with secondary education teachers on teaching and learning photosynthesis

Cited by 8 publications

References 15 publications

Agricultural Students’ Knowledge of Photosynthesis and the Contextual Factors That Influence It

Agricultural Students’ Knowledge of Photosynthesis and the Contextual Factors That Influence It

Learning High School Biology in a Social Context

Development of Preservice Biology Teachers’ Skills in the Causal Process Concerning Photosynthesis

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