Understanding Pre-Service Teacher Conceptual Knowledge of Human Nutrition Processes Through Drawings

Abstract

Teachers' subject matter knowledge is a substantive component of the teaching-learning process. For a teacher to be able to transform and integrate into the classroom all the knowledge and experience they have acquired in the course of the professional activity, it is first necessary to acquire a deep and solid knowledge of the matter. The aim of the research was to analyse the understanding that pre-service teachers have about the physiology and anatomy of the human body. The alternative conceptions that pre-service teachers held about the nutritional function in living beings were also explored. The research was conducted on a biology course of the Primary Education Bachelor’s Degree during the 2018/2019 academic year. Drawings and open-ended questions were collected from 96 pre-service teachers. The results reveal that the students surveyed have limited knowledge of the subject before entering university. The use of drawing proved to be an excellent tool for detecting previous conceptions and evaluating the progression made by the students in their learning. Numerous alternative conceptions were identified among the students, thus demonstrating the need to think about the scientific methodology used to teach these contents. Keywords: alternative conceptions, human body, human nutrition, pre-service teacher’s drawings, subject matter knowledge

The Context Conditions Students´ Representations of the Human Nutrition Model

“…Other studies on human systems have used instructions focused on the structure (in its general or specific form (Prokop et al, 2009;Reinoso & Delgado-Iglesias, 2020;Reiss & Tunniclife, 2001), others in the paths several elements follow inside the body (García-Barros et al, 2011;Robles-Moral et al, 2023). The results of the study suggest that, when teaching the nutrition topic, guidelines for students and contexts containing references to the circulatory system and energy use, that is, those that emphasize interrelationships between the components of the model and the phenomenon, should be used to evaluate the human nutrition model.…”

“…Finally, PSTs were asked to draw and explain the elements and processes involved in two contexts. The representation modes were exactly the same to avoid differences coming from the representation mode (Fančovičova & Prokop, 2019;Prokop & Fančovičova, 2006;Reinoso & Delgado-Iglesias, 2020;Uskola et al, 2022). Context1-LI had the guideline "What happens in your body when you drink milk if you are intolerant?…”

“…Thus, a lack of response to a particular question may be due to an inability to use existing knowledge in the context of evaluation (Nehm & Reilly, 2007). Concerning human body systems, it is well known that the mode of representing knowledge influences results; for example, the differences between written answers and drawings (Fančovičova & Prokop, 2019;Prokop & Fančovičova, 2006;Reinoso & Delgado-Iglesias, 2020;Uskola et al, 2022). However, the impact of the context has been comparatively less explored.…”

enseñanza del modelo de ser vivo en la formación inicial de maestros: Primer ciclo de una investigación basada en el diseño

“…Además de ello, la bibliografía muestra la presencia de dificultades de aprendizaje y concepciones alternativas sobre el ser vivo en estudiantes de todas las edades. Özgür (2018) determinó que alumnos de primaria y secundaria lo definían a partir de la presencia de caracteres similares al humano; González-Weill y Harms (2012) detectaron que estudiantes de secundaria utilizaban el movimiento como criterio para identificarlos; otros estudios (Díaz de Bustamante, 1992;González-Weill y Harms, 2012;Maguregi, 2013) registraron el uso del ciclo vital como criterio ampliamente utilizado en la definición de ser vivo; y otros autores detectaron en maestros en formación inicial la confusión de los términos nutrición y alimentación, y dificultades para identificar a nivel microscópico esta función o para detectar movimiento y capitación de estímulos en plantas (Mondelo et al, 1998;Reinoso y Delgado-Iglesias, 2020). Un estudio realizado con alumnos de 15 a 17 años indicó que un porcentaje de ellos no consideraba las plantas como seres vivos, ni que estuvieran formadas por células (Banet y Ayuso, 2000).…”

Students’ Visual Representation of Lights and Visions

“…They must be able to identify students who have misconceptions to provide solutions (Margunayasa et al, 2021). In addition, drawing proved to be an excellent tool for detecting preconceptions and evaluating students' learning progression (Reinoso et al, 2020). Findings from research trends also indicate the use of drawing assessment to assess students' conceptions of content in science learning (Chang et al, 2020).…”