Revisiting learning difficulties in biology

Abstract

Molecule genetics concepts are dificcult concepts for students almost in every country. Students must strugle to visualize those concepts. In this study, we presented bioinformatics resources in facilitating students' conception on molecule genetics concepts. Our research questions targeted students conception of deoxyriboculeic acid (DNA), transcription, genetic code, codon/anti-codon, intron, exon, gene. Data sources included pre/post-test and transcript of interviews. Our findings on pre-test showed that students have many variatian of molecule genetics concepts as prior knowledge. We found that most students held misconception of all over concepts and have partial conception on intron, exon and gene. Through bioinformatics learning process, the students prior conceptual frameworks was transformed to better understanding. Most students have a comprehensive knowledge of DNA, transcription, genetic code and codon/anti-codon. However most of students still held the partial knowledge of intron, exon and gene. Meanwhile in intron, exon and gene concepts, the students were unable to integrate their prior knowledge with informations of the bioinformatics resources. The transcripts revealed that bioinformatics resources were able to enhance students in representing of the DNA, transcription, genetic code and codon/anti-codon concepts.

Biological Principles and Threshold Concepts for Understanding Natural Selection

“…Connecting processes at different organizational levels has been shown to be problematic in chemistry and genetics education (Johnstone 1991;Bahar et al 1999;Knippels et al 2005). In accordance with Andersson and Wallin (2006) and Jördens et al (2016), we propose that there are similar difficulties in the context of evolution education.…”

Determination of secondary school students cognitive structure, and misconception in ecological concepts through word association test

“…Garskoff and Houston (1963) determined relation between two concepts, as "Relatedness Coefficient" (RC) (Shavelson, 1974b;Bahar et al, 1999). According to this, for example, if P, Q, R and S are responses given for "Concept A", and same responses are given for "Concept B" in the same order.…”

“…Then, the number of repetition is determined for every response given for each keyword in the research group. Garskoff and Houston (1963) used Relatedness Coefficient (RC) to determine the relation among keywords with one another Shavelson, 1974b). In RC (Table 1) formula,…”

Students' conceptions of water transport

“…The deductive stage comprised of categorising the SGDs according to three representational levels defined as follows (cf. Gilbert, 2008;Bahar et al, 1999):…”

“…Recently, Johnstone (2010) has suggested that one of the main difficulties associated with learning science is that learners must 'move' between different representational levels that range from the 'macroscopic' to the 'symbolic'. Constructing knowledge at different representational levels is considered a crucial criterion for the successful learning of biology (Bahar, Johnstone and Hansell, 1999).…”