Effect of bead and illustrations models on high school students' achievement in molecular genetics

Abstract

Our main goal in this study was to explore whether the use of models in molecular genetics instruction in high school can contribute to students' understanding of concepts and processes in genetics. Three comparable groups of 11th and 12th graders participated: The control group (116 students) was taught in the traditional lecture format, while the others received instructions which integrated a bead model (71 students), or an illustration model (71 students). Similar instructions and the same guiding questions accompanied the two models. We used three instruments: a multiple‐choice and an open‐ended written questionnaire, as well as personal interviews. Five of the multiple‐choice questions were also given to students before receiving their genetics instruction (pretest). We found that students who used one of the two types of models improved their knowledge in molecular genetics compared to the control group. However, the open‐ended questions revealed that bead model activity was significantly more effective than illustration activity. On the basis of these findings we conclude that, though it is advisable to use a three‐dimensional model, such as the bead model, engaging students in activities with illustrations can still improve their achievement in comparison to traditional instruction. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 500–529, 2006

The impact of designing and evaluating molecular animations on how well middle school students understand the particulate nature of matter

“…The abstract nature of atoms and molecules can cause learning difÞculties, which can be ameliorated by using models to improve the understanding of the particulate nature of matter (Appling & Peake, 2004;Gabel, 1993;Gabel & Sherwood, 1980;Rotbain, Marbach-Ad, & Stavy, 2006;Sanger, 2000). Although physical models have traditionally been used in science classrooms, educators can now use a range of computer-based models that employ advanced visualization and animation techniques.…”

É possível ensinar a genética para alunos cegos?

“…Nosso modelo difere daquele proposto por Rotbain et al (2006), uma vez que representamos a forma da pentose e uma proporção aproximada entre as subunidades do nucleotídeo. Um aspecto não contemplado no nosso modelo são ligações de hidrogênio entre os nucleotídeos que mantêm as duas fitas de DNA unidas.…”

“…Essa dificuldade se torna ainda maior quando se trata de alunos com NEE em que ainda se somam as dificuldades de comunicação. Uma abordagem para superar parcialmente essas dificuldades é o uso de modelos tridimensionais que facilitam a compreensão de vários tópicos, tanto para os alunos com deficiência visual e quanto para os videntes (ROTBAIN, MARBACH-AD, STAVY, 2006). Embora diversas estratégias possam ser confeccionadas para ser utilizado pelos alunos cegos, o Thermoform é um dispositivo que produz materiais tácteis duráveis, e de fácil transporte pelo professor entre escolas e turmas uma vez que a placa de acetato é muito leve.…”

Propuesta didáctica de enseñanza con simulaciones para estudiantes del profesorado en Ciencias Biológicas

“…Los contenidos de genética molecular (Rotbain, Marbach-Ad y Stavy, 2006) y los vinculados con evolución molecular (Shumate y Windsor, 2010;Hubler, Adams, Scammell, 2015) no están exentos de tales dificultades. Por ello, la temática seleccionada para esta PDES se focalizó en las bases moleculares de la evolución biológica.…”